26 February 2011

Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

OK, so it's not technically a pie. But, I don't have any pie-like containers to make a pie or pot pie or whatever else is pie shaped so sue me. :)


So if you're interested in the recipe, here it is (I got this recipe from my Whole Living magazine, but it is not on the website to my knowledge):

1/2 cup hulled barley
1 cup water
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (8 oz each)
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 onion, finely diced
2 carrots, thinly sliced
4 oz. shitake mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
1/4 cup white wine
2 tbsp. flour
3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
6 sheets whole-wheat phyllo dough
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
Sea salt, for sprinkling

1. Bring barley and water to a boil in small pot. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until barley is tender and water is absorbed, about 50 minutes. Let cool.
2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper and saute until golden and cooked through, 5 - 6 minutes per side. Transfer to plate and let cool slightly. Shred.
3. Heat pan with chicken juices over medium and add onion, carrots and mushrooms. Saute until tender, 6 - 8 minutes. Deglaze pan with wine.
4. Whisk flour into chicken stock. Add to pan. Bring mixture to a boil and cook until slightly thickened. Stir in barley and shredded chicken. Let cool slightly.
5. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Using a 1 1/2 cup oven-proof dish or ramekin as a guide, cut phyllo to make tops (keep covered with a damp towel). Spoon mixture into four ramekins. Brush each sheet with oil and place on top of filled ramekin. Cut vents into tops. Sprinkle with sea salt.
6. Transfer to rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden and bubbling, about 30 minutes.

Obviously I don't have any ramekins. Also, I didn't find whole-wheat phyllo dough because I forgot to look for it everywhere I should and found crappy phyllo dough when I went out today that I didn't buy. I also didn't realize I was out of carrots until I started making this dish, not to mention not having mushrooms, so I used celery and green beans in their absence. Since I didn't have the specific dough they called for, I made this version:

In a medium bowl, stir together 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in 1/3 cup shortening until dough pieces are pea size. Sprinkle 1 tbsp. cold water over part of the mixture; gently toss with a fork. Push moistened dough to side of bowl. Sprinkle an additional 3 to 4 tbsp. cold water over remaining flour mixture, one tbsp. at a time, tossing with fork until all dough is moistened. Form into a ball. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 13X9-inch rectangle. Using a sharp knife, cut slits in pastry to allow steam to escape. (From my awesome Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook.)

And there you have it! Everyone loved it (I think) though in my opinion, I made it a bit too salty. I try not to overly salt things for the girls, especially since those of us who want extra salt (Steve) can just add it while eating. This is not too work intensive, but is probably best done when someone else is watching your children. :)

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