Classic Chicken Pot Pie

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the middle. Take the pie crust out of the fridge.
   400°F
2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan or deep skillet over medium heat.
3. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook, stirring now and then, until the onion is soft.
   ⏱ Soften veg: 7 min
4. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant.
   ⏱ Garlic: 30 sec
5. Sprinkle in the flour and stir constantly so it coats the vegetables and cooks out the raw taste.
   ⏱ Cook flour: 1 min
6. Slowly pour in the broth while stirring, then stir in the milk, thyme, salt and pepper.
7. Simmer (how to simmer)

   Simmer Cook liquid just below a boil, with small bubbles breaking the surface now and then. 1. Bring the liquid up over medium-high heat.2. As soon as bubbles rise steadily, turn the heat down.3. Adjust until only a few small bubbles break the surface every second or two.4. Stir now and then and check that it hasn't crept back to a boil. Done when: You see lazy, small bubbles, not a rolling boil. A "bare" simmer has just a bubble here and there. Safety: Steam burns fast: lift lids and foil away from your face, tipping the far edge up first.How to simmer: mistakes to avoid

   , stirring often, until the sauce is thick enough to

   coat a spoon (how to coat the back of a spoon)

   Coat the back of a spoon A simple test for when a sauce or custard has thickened enough. 1. Dip a spoon into the sauce and lift it out.2. Turn it over and look at the back.3. Draw a line through the sauce on the spoon with your finger.4. If the line stays clean and the sauce doesn't run into it, it is ready. Done when: The sauce clings in an even, opaque layer and your finger line holds. Safety: Let the spoon cool for a second before you touch it; custards should reach 160°F.How to tell when a sauce coats a spoon: mistakes to avoid

   .
   ⏱ Thicken: 4 min
8. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the chicken and frozen peas. Taste and add more salt if needed.
9. Pour the filling into a 9-inch deep pie dish and set it on a rimmed sheet pan to catch drips.
10. Unroll the crust over the filling. Tuck or

    crimp (how to crimp)

    Crimp Press the edge of a pie crust or pastry into a pattern that seals it and looks finished. 1. Trim the dough to about a 1 inch overhang and fold it under so it sits on the rim.2. For a fork crimp, press the tines into the edge all the way around.3. For a fluted edge, push the dough between the thumb and finger of one hand with a finger of the other.4. Chill the crust for 20 minutes so the edge holds its shape in the oven. Done when: The edge is sealed all the way around and stands up a little above the rim. How to crimp a pie crust: mistakes to avoid

    the edges against the rim of the dish.
11. Brush the crust with the

    egg wash (how to egg wash)

    Egg wash A beaten egg (sometimes with water or milk) brushed on dough so it bakes golden and shiny. 1. Beat an egg with 1 tablespoon of water or milk and a pinch of salt until no streaks of white remain.2. Brush a thin, even layer on the dough with a pastry brush.3. Keep it off cut edges of puff pastry and off the pan, where it glues things down.4. Sprinkle sugar or seeds on right away, if using. Done when: The surface looks evenly wet with no puddles in the creases. Safety: Raw egg: wash the brush, and your hands, when you're done.How to make and brush on an egg wash: mistakes to avoid

    and cut 4 short slits in the center to let steam escape.
12. Bake until the crust is deep golden and the filling bubbles through the slits, at least 165°F (74°C) in the center.
    165°F⏱ Bake: 30 min
13. Let the pot pie cool so the filling sets before scooping.
    ⏱ Cool: 15 min

Tap an underlined word for how to do it, or see all techniques.

Tips

• If the edge of the crust browns too quickly, cover it with strips of foil for the last 10 minutes.
• Leftover turkey works just as well as chicken.

Storage

Refrigerate in an airtight container within 2 hours, up to 3 days. Reheat covered in a 350°F oven until hot in the center (165°F).

Make ahead

Make the filling up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate. Warm it on the stove before topping and baking so the center heats through.

How long leftovers keep, and freezing and reheating: leftovers and storage. In season: carrots (September to March).