Gluten Free Mini Chicken Pot Pies

Here in Minnesota we love little casserole pots as they can turn a typical casserole dinner into a slightly more fancy affair (you could also use ramekins.) If you don’t care much for that and you are cooking for a larger family, simply double the recipe below and use a regular casserole dish, which should serve 8 people, along with some greens on the side.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 skinless, deboned chicken breasts, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 6-8 white mushrooms, quartered
• Several sprigs thyme
• 4 slices bacon, diced
• 1 large carrot, peeled and diced very small
• 2 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2.5oz frozen peas (70g)
• ½ Tbsp arrowroot powder
• ¾ cup chicken stock
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large egg yolk, whisked
• 1 sheet gluten-free puff pastry

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large pan and brown the diced chicken until golden on the outside. (They may not be cooked in the center, but that’s okay for now.) Remove the pieces with a slotted spoon and set aside.
3. Add the diced bacon to the same pan along with the carrots and shallots. Cook over moderate heat until the carrots have softened slightly. Add the garlic and mushrooms and stir the mixture well, cooking until the mushrooms start to caramelize.
4. At this point, return the chicken to the pan, then run your fingers along the thyme sprigs to add the leaves. Stir in the fresh peas, then sprinkle the arrowroot powder over the mixture and stir well to evenly coat. Pour in the chicken stock and cook over a moderate heat until the mixture thickens. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then divide the mixture between four mini casserole pots (or ramekins). Grease the rims.
5. Thinly roll out the sheet of gluten-free puff pastry on a floured surface (you can use rice flour to dust the surface) and press or cut out circles slightly larger than the diameter of the pots you are using (approx. 1.4oz/ 40g weight each disc). Gently place the pastry disc on top of each pot and use a fork to decoratively press the pastry down onto the rim. Brush the pastry with the whisked egg yolk and use the tip of a knife (or a chopstick) to make a hole in the center of each pastry.
6. Place the pots on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
7. Handle them carefully as they are very hot and serve with a large side salad.

Source: realfoodrn.com