I always found chicken potpie predictable and boring! The crust is traditionally a pie crust and I find it too heavy and not particularly flavorful. I found that a corn-bread crust is a wonderful alternative and it seems to fit beautifully with the creaminess of the filling. Besides I am a HUGE fan of anything cornbread! The cornbread puffs up and the top is crusty on the outside and soft and tender on the inside!
CHICKEN POTPIE WITH CORN-BREAD CRUST
4 to 6 servings
INGREDIENTS
FILLING
2 cups chopped potatoes
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken stock, homemade or store-bought organic chicken broth
2 cups chopped roasted chicken breast
1/2 cup frozen baby peas
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Cracked pepper
Dash of Tabasco sauce
CORN BREAD CRUST
3/4 cup cornmeal
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1-1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup low-fat milk
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large egg yolk, slightly beaten
Boil the potatoes and carrots until tender but not soft and set aside.
Spray a 2-quart casserole with cooking spray or coat lightly with butter.
For the filling, heat a large saucepan until hot, and the oil, butter, and onions. Saute onions until they are soft, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and mix. Slowly pour in the chicken stock whisking well with a wire whisk. Still using the whisk, cook the mixture over medium heat until thickened and bubbly, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chopped chicken, peas, cooked potatoes and carrots, salt, pepper to taste, and Tabasco. Cook on medium heat until the mixture is heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn into the prepared casserole dish, spreading evenly.
Pre-heat the oven to 400 F.
For the crust, in a bowl combine cornmeal, flour , baking powder, sugar, and salt. In a small bowl combine the milk, oil, and egg yolk. Add to the dry ingredients, and mix until uniform but a bit lumpy. Spoon the batter evenly over the filling.
Bake until the top is golden brown, about 22 to 25 minutes.
As you can see from the photo’s I used ramekins to make individual servings. Place 12 ramekins on a baking sheet. Spray butter flavored cooking spray all over the insides and fill the ramekins three-quarters of the way up with the chicken mixture. Top with 2 tablespoons of the cornbread batter and spread to cover the filling. Bake at 400 F for 10 to 12 minutes or until the corn bread is puffed up and golden.
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