Skillet Chicken Pot Pie
By: Matt Farr @farrbecue
Chicken pot pie is cold weather comfort food at its finest. Julie and I have pulled our favorite parts of other pot pie recipes together into one, perfect combination that leaves minimal mess.
My recipe assumes you’ll be spatchcocking and smoking a whole roaster chicken. If that’s not your style, you’re welcome to substitute with a rotisserie chicken from your supermarket deli – you can skip the prework section below. You’re also welcome to make your own pie crust if that’s your thing! I’m using premade here.
Shopping List:
For the chicken:
· One whole chicken
· Poultry seasoning
For the pie:
· 1 teaspoon kosher salt
· ½ teaspoon black pepper
· ½ teaspoon dried thyme
· ½ teaspoon dried tarragon
· 1 tablespoon olive oil
· 1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped
· 3 carrots peeled and chopped
· 3 celery stalks chopped
· 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
· 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
· 3 oz All Purpose Flour (about 2/3 cup)
· 2 cups chicken stock (homemade if you have it)
· 1 ½ cup low fat milk
· 2/3 cup frozen peas
· 1 egg
· One pack Pillsbury premade pie pie crusts – these are in the refrigerated section at the grocery store, and come rolled up. NOT the pie crusts already in the shape or dish of a pie.
Equipment Needed:
12” Cast Iron Skillet
Small bowl – For egg wash
Brush – For egg wash
Directions:
Prework:
Set your smoker up for indirect heat and preheat to 300 degrees.
Spatchcock the chicken, and rub down with poultry seasoning. Don’t be scared to try this! Its easier than it might look. Here’s a video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pod4x5NJoYI) to walk you through the process if you haven’t done it before.
Cook the chicken on the smoker until the internal temp at the breast reads 165 degrees and the thighs read between 165 and 185. Ideally, this happens close to the same time – the magic of spatchcocking. Remove the chicken and rest on a plate.
Remove the chicken skin and pull the meat from the bones and into strips by hand. You can roughly chop the pulled chicken if you like smaller chunks. Save the skin and carcass for a delicious smoky stock!
For the pie:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Get the pie crusts out of the fridge and let them start coming to room temp.
Put your 12” cast iron skillet over medium heat and drizzle in 1 tablespoon of oil. Once the oil shimmers, add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, salt, thyme, and tarragon, and stir to coat. Allow the veggies to cook until softened, stirring to keep everything moving (about 4-5 minutes).
Add the butter and stir until everything is coated and the butter is completely melted.
Add the flour and stir until there is no dry flour remaining in the skillet. Continue to cook, stirring for 2-3 minutes.
Slowly add both the chicken stock and milk while stirring. Turn the heat to medium high, and stir until the sauce thickens (3-4 minutes).
Remove the skillet from the heat and fold in the peas (straight from the freezer) and about 1 ½ cups of the chicken. Gently stir to combine, being careful not to mutilate the peas. Taste, and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
Unroll one of the pie crusts and gently lay it across the top of the mixture in the skillet. Slash a vent hole (or 3) towards the center of the pie to allow the mixture to release steam.
Combine the egg and a splash of water in a small bowl and mix with a fork or whisk. Brush over the pie crust.
Place the skillet in the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly around the edges.
