The Best Individual Chicken Pot Pies with Leaf Crust

What is it about individual dishes ALL just for you? That’s why these individual chicken pot pies were born! No one to share with. Chicken pot pies are the epitome of comfort food. Yes?

I’ve really been into working with pie crusts lately. For good reason. They used to intimate the hell out of me. That is until I learned to make a great one! That. Changed. Everything!  It happened accidentally over Christmas. But let me back track a bit to when football season first started, and I wanted to make an apple pie with a leaf crust. (If reading stories pisses you off before you even get to the recipe, just scroll down to the recipe. Easy peasy.)

The official start to the football season Mr. Kitchen Prescription and his brother went to the Miami Dolphins home opener game and I set forth in the kitchen to challenge myself to one of the prettiest apple pies I’ve ever made. I didn’t have any of those fancy pie cutters but improvised with some mini leaf and apple shaped cookie cutters to cut out my pie crust.

The guys came home from the game and the apple pie had just come out of the oven. As soon as they walked in the door they asked, “What smells so freaking good?” One of TZ’s brother’s favorite things is apple pie! He had a long three hour trip back to Tampa and we usually send him off with bachelor left overs and such. I looked at Dave, then at the bubbling pie I had just placed on the cooling rack, then back again at Dave. “Gah, sorry, I can’t cut into it yet! It has to cool and thicken.”

I felt like I just told my kids all over again that Santa Claus wasn’t real. His look of disappointment was almost palpable as he turned away empty handed. “I promise, I’ll make another one next time you come for a game.” Well before I knew it, they were going to their last home game the Sunday before Christmas and I still hadn’t delivered that pie I promised. He was spending Christmas at our house so I had no choice but to make that apple pie.

I had some new pie crust cutters now and couldn’t wait to try them out. I used a snowflake pattern and I really love the way it turned out. I also drug out my food processor to make the pie crust which I usually do by hand and with a pastry cutter. I’m telling you, this was one of the bests pie crusts and apple pie fillings I’ve ever made. We ate the whole damn pie in 2 days!

The crust was so tender, buttery, and flaky with just a hint of sweetness. The way a pie crust should be. I really think its success had a lot to do with using the food processor and using less water in my pie dough as well. Make sure your butter is super cold. Another secret is to add vinegar or vodka to your pie dough. It makes it tender and flaky.

So there you have it. Now I’m completely obsessed with making pie crusts and since we’re smack dead in the middle of Winter, pie season game is going strong. That means savory pies included! This rendition is a makeover from one I did several years back when I first started this recipe blog. I hope you like it and I invite you to roll up your sleeves to create a beautiful crust and experience possibly one of the best rival homemade pot pie recipes out there on the webs.

Begin by preparing your pie dough:

2½ Cups all purpose flour
1½ sticks (12 Tablespoons) cold salted butter cubed
½ teaspoon salt
2 Teaspoons sugar
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3-6 Tablespoons ice water
In food processor add four, salt, and cubed cold butter. Pulse a few times until butter is pea sized.
You can also cut butter with a fork or pastry cutter in a bowl if you don’t have a food processor.
Add vinegar and 3 tablespoons of ice water. Pulse until mixture becomes like a sand mixture. Don’t wait for it to form a ball. You will have gone too far and this could make your dough tough
Pour out into a large bowl.
If mixture won’t come together when you squeeze it with your hand, then start by adding 1 Tablespoon more ice water at a time until it comes together. Try not to add to much water as this can also make the it wet and tough.
Bring together in a disc shape and divide in half as evenly as possible.
Shape into 2 discs and wrap in plastic wrap.
Place in refrigerator for at least an hour.

While pie dough is chilling prep potatoes and veggies and cube evenly. Add to a bowl and set aside. Don’t add the frozen peas yet. Those get added later with the chicken.

Shred or cube chicken set aside
Preheat dutch oven or pan over medium high heat
Add in 1 Tbp extra virgin olive oil and 2 Tbsp butter until hot and sizzling.
Add potatoes and veggies and cook until tender stirring often. Lightly salt & pepper.
Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute
Add flour to pan and stir cooking flour mixture for at least 2-3 minutes.
Add white wine and cook off alcohol for 5 minutes.
Add chicken stock and chicken base and turn up heat until mixture starts to bubble and thicken a bit.
Turn down heat and add in heavy whipped cream.

Add frozen peas and shredded chicken to mixture & salt and pepper to taste.
Once thickened turn down heat to low and stir often while prepping dough.

PREHEAT OVEN TO 400 DEGREES.
GENEROUSLY BUTTER DISHES TO PREVENT STICKING
Take out one of the dough discs and generously flour your countertop.
Roll out bottom pie dough to approximately ⅛ inch thick. That’s about the hight of 2 stacked quarters for reference.
Roll out the bottom crusts to the size of your dish turned upside down and leave about 1-2 inch border. You can trim as necessary once in dish.
Lightly sprinkle some flour on top of the rolled out dough and gently roll it around your rolling pin.
Gently unroll the dough over your pie dish and arrange the dough evenly pressing out any air pockets on the bottom and sides.
Trim dough around sides if hanging over.
Scallop your edges by pushing your knuckle of your index finger in between your thumb and index finger of opposite hand.

FOR TOP PIE CRUST:
Roll second disc of pie dough as above, but this time use your pie cutters of choice to cut out the shapes you desire.

Fill dishes with chicken pot pie filling.
Arrange cut out dough pieces on top of pie filling.

Mix egg yolk with 2 teaspoons of water and brush on top of dough.
Place dishes on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper
Tent pies with tin foil so crust doesn’t burn while baking.
Place in center of oven and bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.
Turn oven temperature down to 345 degrees. Remove tin foil and continue baking until crust is golden brown and filling starts to bubble out.

Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe Type: The Best Individual Chicken Pot Pies with Leaf Crust

Cuisine: Greek

Author: Sherri @ The Kitchen Prescription

Prep time: 1 hour

Cook time: 40 mins

Total time: 1 hour 40 mins

Serves: 2 pies

A savory pie with tender, flaky, buttery crust is a sure to please comfort food. This pie crust recipe will yield enough for 2 individual pot pies. Double as necessary.

Ingredients

• FOR THE CRUST:
• 2½ Cups all purpose flour
• 1½ sticks (12 Tablespoons) cold salted butter cubed
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 Teaspoons sugar
• 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 3-6 Tablespoons ice water
• Egg wash
• FOR THE PIE FILLING:
• 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoon Butter
• 3 Tablespoons All purpose flour
• 1/4 cup white cooking wine
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream (can lighten up and use half and half)
• 1 tsp chicken base
• 1 whole rotisserie chicken shredded or cubed
• 2 large potatoes peeled and cubed
• 1 cup cubed carrots
• 1 medium yellow onion peeled and diced
• 1 large celery stalk rinsed and chopped
• 1/4 cup frozen sweet peas
• 1 large minced garlic clove
• 1 tsp fresh minced rosemary
• 1 tsp fresh minced thyme
• Salt & pepper to taste
• OTHER INGREDIENTS & UTENSILS:
• Extra butter or nonstick spray coating dish
• Extra all purpose flour for rolling out pie dough
• Cookie sheet pan
• Rolling pin
• Pie crust cutters
• Large pan or dutch oven to cook filling

Instructions

1. FOR THE CRUST:
2. In food processor add four, salt, and cubed cold butter. Pulse a few times until butter is pea sized.
3. You can also cut butter with a fork in a bowl if you don’t have a food processor.
4. Add vinegar and 3 tablespoons of ice water. Pulse until mixture becomes like a sand mixture.
5. Pour out into a large bowl.
6. If mixture won’t come together when you squeeze it with your hand, then start by adding 1 Tablespoon more ice water at a time until it comes together.
7. Bring together in a disc shape and divide in half as evenly as possible.
8. Shape into 2 discs and wrap in plastic wrap.
9. Place in refrigerator for at least an hour.
10. While pie dough is chilling prep potatoes and veggies cube evenly. Add to bowl and set aside.
11. Shred or cube chicken set aside
12. Preheat dutch oven or pan over medium high heat
13. Add in 1 Tbp extra virgin olive oil and 2 Tbsp butter until hot and sizzling.
14. Add potatoes and veggies (except for frozen peas) and cook until tender stirring often. Lightly salt & pepper.
15. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute
16. Add flour to pan and stir cooking flour mixture for at least 2-3 minutes.
17. Add white wine and cook off alcohol for 5 minutes.
18. Add chicken stock and chicken base and turn up heat until mixture starts to bubble and thicken a bit.
19. Turn down heat and add in heavy whipped cream.
20. Add in frozen peas and chicken to mixture
21. Salt and pepper to taste.
22. Once thickened turn down heat to low and stir often while prepping dough.
23. PREHEAT OVEN TO 400 DEGREES.
24. GENEROUSLY BUTTER DISHES TO PREVENT STICKING
25. Take out one of the dough discs and generously flour your countertop.
26. Roll out bottom pie dough to approximately ⅛ inch thick. That’s about the hight of 2 stacked quarters for reference.
27. Roll out the bottom crusts to the size of your dish turned upside down and leave about 1-2 inch border. You can trim as necessary once in dish.
28. Lightly sprinkle some flour on top of the rolled out dough and gently roll it around your rolling pin.
29. Gently unroll the dough over your pie dish and arrange the dough evenly pressing out any air pockets on the bottom and sides.
30. Trim dough around sides if hanging over.
31. Scallop your edges by pushing your knuckle of your index finger in between your thumb and index finger of opposite hand.
32. FOR TOP PIE CRUST:
33. Roll second disc of pie dough as above, but this time use your pie cutters of choice to cut out the shapes you desire.
34. Fill dishes with chicken pot pie filling.
35. Arrange cut out dough pieces on top of pie filling.
36. Mix egg yolk with 2 teaspoons of water and brush on top of dough.
37. Place dishes on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper
38. Tent pies with tin foil so crust doesn’t burn while baking.
39. Place in center of oven and bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.
40. Turn oven temperature down to 345 degrees. Remove tin foil and continue baking until crust is golden brown and filling starts to bubble out.
41. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.