Deconstructed Chicken Potpie

You never know how the lack of items in your fridge will strike up inspiration. This recipe literary cleaned out my fridge of every vegetable and the last protein I had before food shopping the next day. I think the night before I made lentils and rice with poached eggs and a handful of kale because we had nothing else. When I’m down to the wire with groceries, going to the store for “just a couple things” always means spending too much. So I suck it up for another night until I can go on a real trip and watch the baggers stare at me as I shove in three weeks of groceries into the small cart.

But every once in awhile those bottom of the pantry meals turn out to be something like this deconstructed chicken potpie. Luckily not only was this convenient and pretty simple, it was also really freaking good.

I love chicken potpie, with the flaky crust on top, but I feel like the crust never lives up to my expectations and instead is quite soggy.

So the perfect solution: make the delicious inside and simply serve over roasted potatoes or even rice...with the side of homemade popovers. I mean, deconstructed still means including. I had to have a delicious crusty popover to replace the crust that lives in my dreams. Not to mention they are so like one of my childhood favorites: Yorkshire Puds. 

This is a meal of convenience so I used one of my favorite quick meal helps: gravy packets. I know you think I'm crazy but the right gravy packet is the perfect solution for a rich, thick sauce without sitting down and actually making gravy.

When I make gravy, I make gravy, when I need a quick sauce addition:  I turn to the package, whether it's a sauce or a meatloaf, nothing is easier, yet still flavorful. Therefore, extra salt is not really needed unless by personal taste. Also, these popovers are so easy that you can do it while you are cooking the rest of the meal, so each component is ready at the same time, hot and fresh.

I hope the convenience and pantry staples of this meal will inspire you to make it tonight for yourself or your family. Trust me, not only will they go back for seconds, so will you.

Deconstructed Chicken Pot Pie

makes 4 dinner portions

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, chopped into cubes

5 Yukon gold potatoes

4 large carrots, peeled and chopped

4 stalks celery, chopped

1 cup frozen peas

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

Parsley finely chopped

1 packet chicken gravy

1/2 packet mushroom gravy

1 cup water

1 cup milk

3-4 oz. dry red wine like a rich Cabernet Sauvignon

Salt pepper

Garlic powder

Olive oil

1 tbsp. butter

Directions:

In a large skillet, begin to sauté half of the garlic, the onions, and celery over medium heat. Once onions are browned, add carrots and continue to sauté and stir until carrots are soft. Add cubed chicken and brown on all sides until no longer pink in the middle, adding more oil if needed. Stir in frozen peas and cook for 1 minute.

Add water and milk to pan and bring to a simmer. Whisk in both mushroom and chicken gravies, as well as pepper. Simmer until sauce begins to thicken and stir in wine and butter. Taste sauce and add salt or garlic powder if needed. Serve over crispy potatoes and sprinkle with remaining parsley.

Meanwhile, cover potatoes in plastic and microwave in a large bowl with 2 tbsp. water for 10 minutes until easily pierced with a fork.

Once potatoes are soft, working in batches, transfer potatoes to wide frying pan with olive oil and fry until crispy and slightly browned. Lightly season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder and toss with half the parsley. Set potatoes aside until ready to serve.

Savory Popovers

(Adapted from Kitchen Aid recipe)

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup 2% or whole milk

2 tbsp. butter, melted

2 eggs

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Extra butter and flour to grease

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Prepare 8 custard cups or 8 cups of a muffin tin by greasing with butter or cooking spray. Flour each cup so popovers won’t stick.

Using a stand mixer or beater mixer. Add all ingredients together in large metal bowl. Beat mixture with wire whisk attachment on 4 or beater for medium for 15 seconds. Stop and scrape bowl of batter. Beat again on 4 (or medium) for another 15 seconds.  Let batter rest for 5 minutes.

Pour equal amounts of batter into each prepared cup until about 2/3 full.

Once oven is heated, add cups and bake for 15 minutes at 450. Turn heat to 350 and continue to bake for 20-25 minutes longer. Try not to open oven door while baking, as this will cause popovers not to rise (though they are perfectly good anyway)

Pull popovers out once golden brown on top. Using a sharp knife, make a small slit in the side of each popover to release steam. Transfer to wire rack, then plate. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

The Cuisiner