Chicken Pot Pie with Buttermilk Topping

I mentioned this recipe once before during my recap of Thomas Keller's chicken and dumplings soup. It is from Cook's Illustrated. I really think it is a great recipe, and the buttermilk topping is probably a lot healthier than the puff pastry or pie crust versions of pot pies.

First I made the topping which is basically a biscuit recipe that you cook on top of the filling. Then we went out to the Recovery Room and watched some football (Go Lions!). You can skip this step if you want. I also stopped by the New Scotland Wine Shop and got some sherry from the nice old lady for my sauce. It is convenient they are open late on the weekends.

Then I cooked my skinless, boneless chicken breasts in chicken broth. Of course bone-in chicken is way more flavorful, but we didn't have any on hand, and of course you aren't going to roast a chicken specifically to make pot pie. Put the chicken in a bowl after about 10 minutes.

Then I added in my carrots, celery, and onion.

Give that about five minutes, and put those in a bowl with the chicken breasts. Then add some butter. Melt that down and wait until the foaming stops. Whisk in some flour, chicken broth, accumulated chicken juices, thyme and milk. At this point our friend showed up and wanted us to babysit his guitar while they went away for the holidays. This diversion gave my sauce some time to bubble away and thicken up.

 Add some sherry and sat and pepper. Pour the sauce in with the veggies and chicken. Add in some frozen peas and parsley.

Plop all that into a baking dish and top with your desired pastry. Then, 400 degrees for half an hour.

 Ta-da! One of my favorite foods. Gives you a whole ton, and it is super delicious. I do think is funny I feel nostalgic for the frozen 99 cent ones I had as a kid so I go through all of this to get that same result. But, whatever, it is a great food I think!