Name: Chicken Pot Pie in a Whole-Wheat Crust in a Pastry Shell
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 8 people
Ingredients: 1 cup whole-wheat flour finely ground; ½ cup pastry flour or all-purpose; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 tablespoons shortening; ½ cup butter; Ice cold water I used 6 tablespoons but that will vary; ½ cup unsalted butter divided; 1 medium onion diced; 3 carrots peeled and diced; 1 ½ cups sliced mushrooms; 1 celery stalk diced; 2 large garlic cloves minced; 1 cup peas fresh or frozen, thawed and patted dry; ½ cup all-purpose flour; 2 cups chicken stock bonus points for homemade!; ½ cup white wine I used chardonnay; ½ cup half-and-half Can also use ¼ cup milk + ¼ cup cream; 2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried; 1 pound cooked chicken I used rotisserie chicken. You can call me a cheater all you like.

For Chicken Pot Pie in a Whole-Wheat Crust in a Pastry Shell, the counter starts with whole-wheat flour finely ground, pastry flour or all-purpose, and salt. Portion it for 8 people.

Count on 1 hour of prep, 30 minutes of cooking, about 1 hour from the first measurement to the plate.

Ingredients Method

What goes in the bowl

Whole-Wheat Pastry

1 cup whole-wheat flour finely ground
½ cup pastry flour or all-purpose
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons shortening
½ cup butter
Ice cold water I used 6 tablespoons but that will vary

For the Chicken Pot Pie Filling

½ cup unsalted butter divided
1 medium onion diced
3 carrots peeled and diced
1 ½ cups sliced mushrooms
1 celery stalk diced
2 large garlic cloves minced
1 cup peas fresh or frozen, thawed and patted dry
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken stock bonus points for homemade!
½ cup white wine I used chardonnay
½ cup half-and-half Can also use ¼ cup milk + ¼ cup cream
2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
1 pound cooked chicken I used rotisserie chicken. You can call me a cheater all you like.

How the cooking goes

Prepare the whole wheat crust

Make sure all your ingredients and mixing bowl are cold! Combine flours and salt.
Quickly chop the butter and shortening into cubes. This will make it easier to work into the dry ingredients.
Cut the shortening and butter into the flour using a pastry blender or two knives, working as quickly as possible.
Once you no longer have pieces of butter or shortening any larger than a pea, you are ready to begin adding water. it helps to switch to a fork at this stage. Pour ice water over flour / butter mixture 1 tablespoon at a time. After each addition, gently mix with a fork. Repeat until your dough is no longer crumbly when you press it together and will hold together in a ball.
Press into a fat dish, wrap in plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator while you prepare the pot pie. You may roll it out at this stage and keep it cold and covered on a rimless sheet pan if you like.

Prepare the Chicken Pot Pie Filling

Warm 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium pot over medium-low heat. Add onions, carrots, mushrooms, celery and garlic; sauté on low heat until softened and slightly browned. Approximately 15 minutes.
If you are using fresh peas, add them at this point and continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes. If you are using frozen, skip the additional cooking. They will be mush and gross.
Remove veggies to a large bowl and keep it to one side.
Warm the oven to 375°F.
Warm the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter in the same pot over medium-low heat, and then add the flour. Stir constantly for about 2 minutes until mixture turns a blond color.
Slowly add the chicken stock in no more than ¼ cup at a time, whisking after each addition.
Beat in wine, half-and-half, and thyme. Cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes until the sauce is thickened. Add the veggie mixture back into the pot along with the chicken and stir to cover with the sauce.

Assemble the pie

Tip into pan and cover with the pastry. Fold and crimp the edges decoratively.
Beat 1 egg yolk and 1 tablespoon cold water. Brush over pastry.
Cut at least 4 slits in the pastry. Make sure they are completely through the pastry or your steam will exit out the sides and your filling will runeth over. Trust me, you know. Whatever you do, just do it quickly because the warm filling will melt the butter in the crust and then it won’t be flakey. Sadness!
Set the baking dish on a rimmed sheet pan and bake 30 minutes or until the crust is your version of perfectly brown. The whole-wheat crust definitely took an extra 20 minutes to brown the way the fiancé likes it.
Cool at least 20 minutes before serving. The filling will thicken considerably after 40 minutes. It’s your choice. It tastes just as amazing either way.