Chicken and Garden Greens Potpie
Star chef Cortney Burns serves up this herb-packed chicken potpie in a sauce of creamy cauliflower and sweet fennel.
Chicken and Garden Greens Potpie
Photo Credit : Megan Haley/styling by Ann LewisThis herb-packed chicken potpie from chef Cortney Burns has a sauce of creamy cauliflower and sweet fennel in place of the more traditional béchamel. And if you use Cortney’s Gluten-Free Pie Crust, the dish is ideal for those on special diets.
Yield:
6 small individual pies or 1 large pieIngredients
1 recipe double-crust pie dough
½ large head cauliflower, chopped into florets
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice
2 stalks celery, cut into ½-inch dice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
½ medium head fennel, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon ground fennel
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon white rice flour, plus more for rolling out the crust
½ cup chicken stock, plus more if needed
3 scallions (whites and light green parts), thinly sliced
2 tablespoons lightly packed fresh parsley leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons lightly packed fresh dill leaves, chopped
1½ tablespoons minced chives
1½ teaspoons lightly packed fresh thyme leaves, chopped
Zest of 1 lemon
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
Instructions
Divide the pie dough so that one disk is one-third of the dough and the other is two-thirds. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. (If the dough is store-bought or has already been refrigerated, let it rest in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.)
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°. Combine half the cauliflower with all the diced carrot and celery in a medium bowl. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and ¾ teaspoon salt. Toss to coat.
Spread the vegetables into a square or small rectangular baking dish. Sprinkle the chicken thighs with ¼ teaspoon salt and black pepper to taste. Lay them over the vegetables, skin side up. Bake until the chicken is cooked through and registers 155°F to 160°F on an instant-read thermometer, 40 to 50 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. When the butter stops foaming, stir in the remaining cauliflower along with the onion, fennel, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring regularly, until the vegetables are soft and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and spices and cook for another minute. Stir in the rice flour.
Add the stock into the pan, bring to a gentle simmer, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Continue to cook until the vegetables are very soft and velvety, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the scallions, herbs, and lemon zest and allow to cool for about 5 minutes, then puree in a blender until smooth. If the puree is very thick, add up to ½ cup stock to create a thick but pourable sauce.
Pull the chicken from the bones and roughly chop or shred by hand. Drain any excess liquid from the vegetables. Fold the chicken and vegetables into the cauliflower puree.
Flour a counter and rolling pin with rice flour. If you’re making individual pies, divide the larger disc of dough into six equal pieces and, working with one at a time, lightly flour the top and roll into a circle ¼-inch thick, flouring more as needed to prevent sticking. Alternatively, you can make one large round for a single pie.
Preheat the oven to 425°. Gently transfer each crust into a 5-inch pie pan or transfer the large, single crust to a 10-inch deep-dish pie pan. Prick holes in the bottom of the crust with a fork. Refrigerate or freeze until chilled through, 15 to 30 minutes.
Press a square of parchment paper into each crust and add pie weights. Arrange the crusts on a baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the edges are golden and the crust is set. Carefully remove the weights and parchment and bake another 3 to 5 minutes to let the bottom dry out a bit. Reduce the oven to 400° and let the crusts cool completely.
Add about ½ cup filling to each crust, or transfer the full batch of filling for a single pie. Divide the remaining crust into six equal pieces and flour your surface, rolling pin, and dough with rice flour. Roll each piece into a 6-inch circle. Top the pies and use the tines of a fork to crimp the edges, which will help them meld to the bottom crust. Refrigerate or freeze for 10 or 15 minutes to chill the crust again.
Lightly beat the egg with the water and brush it over the crusts. Use the tip of your knife to cut four small slits in each crust so steam can escape. Set the pies on a sheet and bake until the crust is nicely golden, 25 to 30 minutes for small pies or 35 to 40 minutes for a large pie. Serve warm or at room temperature.
