Winter Survival

This past week, our local meteorologist warned of an impending “Arctic Blast.” We pulled out our coats and braced for snow but said “blast” did little more than take us from 80 degrees and sunny to 50 degrees and sunny. Such is the drama of a Texas winter.

In no way am I complaining. I moved here for the ability to wear flip-flops through Christmas and drink margaritas al fresco in January. But, as my family sits snowbound up north, I almost (but not quite) envy their freedom to hibernate without guilt. Here, curling up and stealing away from the world for the day is inexcusable. It’s beautiful outside! There are paths to be hiked, kayaks to be paddled! Besides, cozying up to the fire would do little more than cause a heatstroke.

Knowing that the “Arctic Blast” was all the winter I was going to get, I donned a sweater and set off to make the epitome of comfort foods: Chicken Pot Pie. It’s a down comforter of a dish that never fails to wax nostalgic of almost every childhood. In the past, I’ve enlisted Marie Callender to do the job, but this time I let memory recreate the dish for me.

Chicken Pot Pie is a free-for-all kind of recipe. Throw in whatever herbs or vegetables you have around that you think might go well. It’s a great way to use leftovers and it stretches chicken a long way. I used puff pastry for the crust because I love the flakiness and the simplicity, though any pie crust will do. Using a roux as the main thickening agent for the filling allows for less cream to be stirred in later, making the pie lighter overall.

For those of you up north enduring a multi-month, and very real, Arctic Blast, make your hibernation tolerable and indulge.

Chicken Pot Pie

Olive Oil
2 bone-in, skin on chicken breasts
1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped into bite sized pieces
2 cups button mushrooms, quartered
2 cups celery chopped
3 tbs chives chopped
2 cups frozen peas
4 tbs butter
4 tbs flour
6 cups chicken stock
¼ cup cream
3 tbs lemon juice
Salt and Pepper
Puff pastry

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Rub the chicken breasts with olive oil and place on a baking sheet in. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until done. Allow the chicken to cool before shredding the meat into bite-sized piece.

Meanwhile, coat the chopped sweet potato with olive oil and a little salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet in the oven with the chicken. Roast until tender.

Heat a few tablespoons olive oil in a large sauté pan. When hot, add mushrooms and sauté until tender, about 8 minutes. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a large saucepot. Over low heat, whisk in the flour and continue to whisk until the roux begins to give off a nutty flavor, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Add the chicken, the vegetables and the chives. Bring the soup back to a simmer. Stir in the cream and adjust the seasonings to taste with lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Turn the oven down to 350 degrees. In the mean time, ladle the filling into individual ovenproof soup bowls. Roll out the puff pastry and cut pieces large enough to cover the serving containers. Place the pies on a sheet tray and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the puff pastry is golden brown and crispy.