Homemade Roasted Vegetable + Brown Sugar Chicken Pot Pie wit Cognac Cream Sauce

Homemade Roasted Vegetable + Brown Sugar Chicken Pot Pie wit Cognac Cream Sauce

I have to say this, and I've probably said it before, but I'm not a fan of casseroles of any dish resembling the sort. That really just makes me a food snob, but that's okay. The first step it's admitting you have a problem. And I just do not like casseroles. HOWEVER, I do love Chicken Pot Pie. Homemade Chicken Pot Pie. With my recipe, it is far more in depth that any 'ole classic dish. I start off by rubbing some bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts with a brown sugar compound butter. I love the concept of mixing savory + sweet. It gives the chicken the perfect sweetness and caramelized skin. Also, the meat is perfumed by the brown sugar and adds just the slightly bit of molasses-y goodness to your cream sauce. 

brown sugar roasted chicken breasts.

Then, the filling is stock FULL of lots of roasted veggies like buttered leeks, carrots, celery, shallots, garlic, cubed sweet potatoes, sweet green peas, gourmet mushrooms, and fresh herbs. The creamy gravy or sauce is pretty standard to begin with... using milk, butter, flour, and chicken stock. But all of the ingredients come together and meld beautifully after some cognac and softened cream cheese are melted in. The cognac cooks out, but leaves a wonderful depth of flavor, while the softened cream cheese smoothes and rounds the sauce out, so it feeling like you tasting culinary velvet (if that's even a term). Once your filling is perfectly creamy, add in all of your brown sugar chicken pieces & roasted veggies. Now all you gotta do is pour it all into a prepared casserole dish and lay over some puff pastry (brushed with an egg wash), and just bake it until it is puffy, golden brown, + buttery. Y'all are really going to enjoy this, especially on a cold, rainy day like we have in Atlanta today!! Enjoy :)

puff pastry crust gorgeousness 

For the Brown Sugar Roasted Chicken:

4 Bone-In & Skin-On Chicken Breasts

4T Softened Butter + 2T EVOO

¼C Light Brown Sugar

Salt, Pepper, & Chicken Seasoning (to taste)

For the Chicken Pot Pie:

1 Stick of Unsalted Butter

2 Leeks, Cut in Half & Sliced

3 Large Carrots, Diced

3 Hearts of Celery, Diced

2 Large Shallots, Diced

4 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

1 ½lbs Sweet Potatoes, Peeled & Cut into 1inch Cubes

½C Cognac

2C Chicken Stock + 1C Milk

5C Brown Sugar Roasted Chicken or Leftover Turkey

1C Fresh Sweet Green Peas

1T Fresh Parsley + Fresh Thyme

1t Fresh Sage

8oz Mixed Gourmet Mushrooms, Roasted

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

1 Sheet of Puff Pastry, Thawed

1 Egg Yolk + 1t Water (for the egg wash)

Directions:

1. For the Brown Sugar Roasted Chicken Breasts: In a bowl, mash together the softened butter, olive oil, and brown sugar until a compound butter is formed. Wash and dry the chicken breasts and then toss them rub and coat them with the compound butter until completely covered. Heavily sprinkle the tops of the breasts wit salt, pepper, and chicken seasoning. Roast the chicken breasts in a pan in the oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Once they have cooled, remove the skin and pull the chicken into shreds, and then set aside.

2. Reheat the oven to 425 degrees.

3. For the Chicken Pot Pie: In a stockpot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add in the sliced leeks and cook until softened and translucent. Next, toss in the carrots, celery, shallots, garlic, and diced sweet potatoes. Season with some salt & pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender for about 10-15 minutes. Stir in the cognac, and then add in the flour and cook about 1-2 minutes until it has thickened and a slight roux has formed. Pour in the chicken stock and milk. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer for about 3-5 minutes, mixing until the filling thickens. Add in the pulled chicken, roasted mushrooms, sweet peas, fresh herbs, and seasoning (to taste). Transfer the chicken Pot Pie filling into your preferred serving vessel.

4. When ready to bake, whisk together the egg yolk and 1 teaspoon of water. Cut thawed puff pasty one inch larger in diameter than the chosen serving dish/vessel, and cut out a ½-1″ hole in center for venting. Center cut puff pastry over dish and crimp down around edge of dish to seal. Brush top of pastry with egg wash.

5. Bake in 425°F oven on baking sheet for 10 minutes, then cover lightly with aluminum foil and continue baking for another 30-35 minutes until the filling is bubbling and the pastry is brown and puffy.

6. Scoop into bowls and serve immediately while it is still hot.