This Chicken Pot Pie Casserole is rich and delicious and is ready in under 30 minutes! Get ready to be blown away by the flavor of this comfort food classic
4chicken breast halves, or 2 cups leftover cooked chicken
Seasoned salt and pepper
2tablespoonscooking oil
1/3cupbutter
1/3cupall-purpose flour
1quart(4 cups) heavy cream
4tspchicken base(sold near the bouillon) See Notes**
1tablespoonminced garlic
1/2small yellow onion, minced
1cupfrozen green peas, cooked
1cupchopped cooked carrots
Pinchfresh grated nutmeg, optional
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Season chicken with seasoned salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and saute until cooked through. Remove from heat and cut into chunks. Alternatively, you may use precooked chicken. Once cooked, remove chicken from pan and set aside.
Meanwhile, Cut each sheet of frozen puff pastry into 1-inch strips. On a large cookie sheet, weave strips into a lattice large enough to cover the 8-inch x 8-inch pie dish. Brush the beaten egg onto the lattice square. Bake for 10 minutes, or until dough has risen and turned light golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside until ready to assemble the casserole.
Into the same large skillet, melt butter and then slowly add flour, stirring until consistency of peanut butter, but do not brown like a roux -- you want it to remain a golden color. Slowly add cream and keep stirring. Add chicken base, garlic, and onion and stir until thickened. Add peas, carrots, nutmeg (optional), and cut up chicken. Remove from heat. Pour the hot mixture into an 8-inch x 8-inch oven-proof pan or pie dish and top with the pre-cooked lattice square. Bake for 5 minutes or until bubbly. Any remaining pie filling may be frozen.
Notes
Use fully cooked chicken. Rotisserie chicken works well and saves time.Do not add extra liquid. The vegetables release moisture as the casserole bakes.Let the casserole rest 5 to 10 minutes after baking. This allows the filling to thicken properly before serving.If the filling seems thin before baking, stir in 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water.If biscuits brown too quickly, loosely tent with foil and continue baking until cooked through.For a puff pastry topping, bake at 400 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes until golden and crisp. Cut small vents in the pastry before baking.To freeze, freeze the filling only. Add fresh biscuits or pastry after thawing and before baking.Ensure the center is hot and bubbling and biscuits are fully cooked before removing from the oven.