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Chicken and Rice Pot Pie

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on November 9, 2011

Time

30 minutes

Yield

Serves 6

Chicken and Rice Pot Pie

Ingredients

1 (9½ by 9-inch) sheet puff pastry, thawed overnight in refrigerator4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 ½ pounds), cut crosswise into ½-inch piecesSalt and pepper 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour 1 cup instant white rice 1 ¾ cups low-sodium chicken broth ½ cup heavy cream 1 cup frozen peas and carrots 3 scallions, sliced thin

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut puff pastry in half, then cut each half into thirds. Bake on parchment-lined baking sheet until golden brown and crisp, about 15 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook half of chicken until no longer pink, 1 to 2 minutes per side; cut into cubes and transfer to medium bowl. Repeat with additional 1 tablespoon butter and remaining chicken.
  3. Add flour and remaining butter to empty skillet and cook until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in rice, broth, and cream and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, covered, until rice is nearly tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in peas and carrots, scallions, and chicken, along with any accumulated juices. Simmer until sauce is thickened, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Top with puff pastry. Serve.
Chicken and Rice Pot Pie

Chicken and Rice Pot Pie

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

30 minutes

Yield

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 (9½ by 9-inch) sheet puff pastry, thawed overnight in refrigerator
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 ½ pounds), cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 cup instant white rice
1 ¾ cups low-sodium chicken broth
½ cup heavy cream
1 cup frozen peas and carrots
3 scallions, sliced thin

Ingredients

1 (9½ by 9-inch) sheet puff pastry, thawed overnight in refrigerator
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 ½ pounds), cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 cup instant white rice
1 ¾ cups low-sodium chicken broth
½ cup heavy cream
1 cup frozen peas and carrots
3 scallions, sliced thin

Ingredients

1 (9½ by 9-inch) sheet puff pastry, thawed overnight in refrigerator
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 ½ pounds), cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 cup instant white rice
1 ¾ cups low-sodium chicken broth
½ cup heavy cream
1 cup frozen peas and carrots
3 scallions, sliced thin

Why This Recipe Works

Cooking the pastry topping and creamy filling separately allowed us to get our Chicken and Rice Pot Pie on the table in less than 30 minutes. It also kept the pastry from getting soggy. We were sure to pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels before we cooked them in the skillet. This ensured they browned more evenly. Instead of making our own puff pasty, we found it far more convenient to buy it frozen from the supermarket.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut puff pastry in half, then cut each half into thirds. Bake on parchment-lined baking sheet until golden brown and crisp, about 15 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook half of chicken until no longer pink, 1 to 2 minutes per side; cut into cubes and transfer to medium bowl. Repeat with additional 1 tablespoon butter and remaining chicken.
  3. Add flour and remaining butter to empty skillet and cook until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in rice, broth, and cream and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, covered, until rice is nearly tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in peas and carrots, scallions, and chicken, along with any accumulated juices. Simmer until sauce is thickened, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Top with puff pastry. Serve.

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