Directions
Seriously, Winter. Make up your mind.
Sunny and 65 one day, snowy the next. We’re in that weird part of the season where Winter just can’t decide if she wants to hang out at the party longer. She’s lingering in the doorway on her way out, coat in hand, but still chatting up the host.
Thankfully, there are recipes like this that help bridge the gap. This chicken pot pie is cozy and warm, but filled with bright fresh spring flavor, with a boost from fresh garlic, kale, pearl onions, butternut squash, and shredded rotisserie chicken. It’s lighter than a traditional pot pie, but still warms your soul when winter hangs on for dear life.
I started by prepping everything.
Chop, chop, chop.
You’ll need an 8 inch ovenproof skillet for the job. If you have cast iron, that works out best, but if you don’t, just make sure you can pop it in the oven.
I started by sauteing some pearl onions in a bit of olive oil just until they started to brown up a bit. Then, I tossed in the chopped sage and garlic.
I stirred the mixture until the garlic had softened and started to brown, and then began heaping in my chopped kale, and stirring the mixture until the kale wilted down.
To that, I sprinkled a bit of flour, stirred and cooked it with the wilted greens until the flour and oil were golden and the flour taste cooked away. Then, I added in some chicken stock, a bit at a time while stirring, and added my chopped squash.
I brought this to simmer, and allowed the mixture to bubble for about ten minutes, so the squash had time to cook and the sauce reduced and thickened a bit.
Once the squash was tender, I folded in my shredded rotisserie chicken.
Once the chicken was folded in, the skillet was as full as it could be, and I covered the top with a sheet of thawed puff pastry. I folded the edges up, pressed it onto the edges, and brushed the top with an egg wash before popping it into the oven.
I started by baking the pie for about fifteen minutes at 475*, until the pastry was just beginning to brown. Then, I reduced the heat a bit, and after about fifteen minutes more, I removed my beautiful pot pie from the oven, warm and bubbly, and allowed it to set up for a few minutes before digging in.
Warm and cozy, but fresh and light, and topped with that crunchy, buttery puff pastry. Yum! It really was quite delicious, and my kids enjoyed it as much as their favorite traditional pot pie.
So, there you go, Winter. One more cozy pot pie for you. But, Spring is on her way in, so put your coat on and get moving. Thanks for coming!
SKILLET CHICKEN POT PIE WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH
Adapted from Bon Appetit
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 cup frozen white pearl onions, thawed
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage
- 1 small bunch kale, center ribs and stems removed, leaves chopped
- Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups chicken stock
- ½ small butternut squash, peeled, cut into ½-inch pieces (about 1½ cups)
- ½ rotisserie chicken, meat torn into bite-size pieces (about 1 1/2 – 2 cups)
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 1 large egg
- Preheat the oven to 425*F and move the rack to the upper third of the oven.
- Heat the olive oil in an oven proof 8-inch skillet (cast iron is best, if you have it) over medium-high heat. Add the pearl onions. Cook, stirring every once in a while, until the onions begin to brown, about 4-5 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and add in the garlic and sage. Cook, stirring, until the garlic begins to brown and sage is wilted, about 2 minutes.
- Add the kale in handfuls, toss with the onions and garlic. Cook, tossing, until the kale is wilted down completely, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle the wilted kale with the flour, and cook and stir for 4 minutes, until flour and oil is cooked and toasty.
- Stir in the broth, a 1/2 cupful at a time, until sauce is smooth. Add in the chopped squash. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the squash is tender and broth has thickened a bit, 8-10 minutes.
- Add the chicken to the sauce, and stir. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Unfold the puff pastry, and roll out if need be to cover the pan. Place over the skillet, and press onto the edges a bit. Dough can hang over the sides. Whisk the egg and 1 tsp. water in a small bowl, and brush the top of the pastry with the egg wash. Cut four slits in the top of the pastry, and place the pan in the oven.
- Bake pot pie until pastry is beginning to brown, 15-20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375*F, and bake until the pastry is deeply golden, puffed and crisp, 15-20 minutes more.
- Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.
- ENJOY!
