Better Chicken Pot Pies

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour for lid

1/2 teaspoon sea or table salt for lid

13 tablespoons unsalted butter diced, for lid

6 tablespoons sour cream or Greek-style yogurt for lid

1 tablespoon cider vinegar for lid

1/4 cup cold water very, for lid

1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water, for egg wash

salt to taste, for filling

freshly ground black pepper to taste, for filling

3 1/2 to 4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken parts (breasts, thighs, and drumsticks)

1 to 2 glugs olive oil for filling

2 medium leeks white and light green parts only, cut in half lengthwise and then into 1/2-inch slices

1 large onion diced small

1/4 cup dry sherry optional

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth for filling

1/4 cup milk or heavy cream for filling

1 bay leaf for filling

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme for filling

3 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature, for filling

4 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour for filling

1 cup green peas fresh or frozen

2 large carrots diced small (about 1 cup)

2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley chopped

Equipment

Dutch oven

Pastry blender

Directions

In a large, wide bowl, combine flour and salt. Add butter and cut into flour mixture until it resembles little pebbles. In a small dish, whisk together sour cream, vinegar, and water. Combine with butter-flour mixture using a flexible spatula until a craggy dough forms. Knead dough a few times into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in fridge for 1 hour or up to 2 days.

Generously season all sides of chicken parts with salt and black pepper. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven. Brown chicken in two parts until golden on both sides. Transfer to a plate.

Heat more olive oil in the same pot. Add onions and leeks, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until softened, about 7 minutes. Pour in sherry (if using) and use it to scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Simmer until mostly cooked off. Add milk or cream, chicken broth, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer.

Nestle browned chicken into the pot. Cover and gently simmer for 30 minutes, until chicken is fully cooked and tender. Transfer chicken to a cutting board to cool slightly. Discard bay leaves. Skim fat from the surface of the sauce and reserve.

In a medium bowl, mash butter and flour together with a fork until a paste forms. Pour one ladleful of filling over it and whisk until smooth. Add a second ladleful, whisk again. Return butter-flour-filling mixture to pot, stir to combine, and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes.

Add carrots and peas to stew and simmer for 3 minutes, until firm-tender. Shred or dice chicken, discarding bones and skin. Return chicken to stew and re-simmer for 1 minute. Stir in parsley.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Divide chilled dough into quarters. Roll each quarter out into rounds to cover 4 2-cup ovenproof bowls with a 1-inch overhang. Cut vents into rounds. Ladle filling into bowls, filling only to 1 to 1 1/2 inches below rim. Brush edges of bowls with egg wash. Place a lid over each bowl, pressing gently to adhere. Brush lids with egg wash. Bake until crust is bronzed and filling is bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes.