Chicken Pot Pie with a Roasted Tomatillo Sauce

Servings: 6  
I call this type of dish a "supermarket special" since most of the ingredients are store-bought and ready to use.  Rotisserie chicken is a real time saver and works as a great base for many main-course dishes.  I love the flavors of tomatillo and chicken, so the sauce is an easy white sauce that I've kicked up by adding roasted tomatillos, serranos, and garlic.  For the vegetables I'm using frozen corn and spinach, along with fresh mushrooms and onions.  It was Rick's suggestion to bake the puff pastry separately so that it would get crisp on all sides.  You can prepare both the filling and the pastry the night before.  The next night, all you have to do is preheating the oven, brush egg wash over the pastry, and dinner will be on the table in no time.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pound tomatillos, husked removed and washed
  • 2 to 3 fresh serrano chiles, stems discarded
  • 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cups diced white onion
  • Salt
  • 8 ounces thinly sliced mushrooms ( I like shiitakes)
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 rotisserie chicken, meat removed from the bones and diced
  • 1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
  • 1 cup frozen corn kernels
  • 1 piece frozen puff pastry, defrosted
  • 1 egg plus 1 tablespoon water for egg wash

INSTRUCTIONS

Lay the tomatillos, serranos, and garlic on a baking sheet lined with foil and place 4 inches below a very hot broiler. When the tomatillos blister, blacken and soften on one side, about 7 minutes, turn them over and roast the other side, 6 to 7 minutes more. Keep an eye on the garlic and serranos since they'll take less time to roast and you'll need to remove them sooner. Scrape the tomatillos along with their juices into a blender or food processor. Add the peeled garlic and serranos, process until smooth.

Heat a large dutch oven or 6 quart stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, once it's hot, scoop in the onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden brown. Stir in the sliced mushrooms, continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes or until the mushrooms have softened and most of their liquid has evaporated. Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter. Once it's melted, stir in flour and continue stirring for 2 minutes to cook the flour. Add half of the milk whisking constantly to ensure that there are no lumps. Pour in the remaining milk and continue stirring until the mixture has come to a boil and the sauce has thickened.

Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the tomatillo puree. Once the tomatillo puree has been incorporated, mix in the chicken, spinach and corn. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if necessary. Scrape the filling into a 13 x 9-inch casserole dish. Let the filling cool completely, cover, and refrigerate overnight..

Roll out the puff pastry into a 15 x 9-inch rectangle and cut into 6 equal pieces. Place the pieces onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. Wrap tightly and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix the egg with 1 tablespoon water and brush the tops of the puff pastry pieces. Place the baking sheet on the upper third shelf and the uncovered casserole dish on the center shelf. Bake for 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the chicken filling is hot. Spoon the filling into bowls and top each serving with a piece of puff pastry. Serve immediately.