Lilly's Chicken Pot Pie

Lilly's pot pie has been a favorite since it first serving in 1999. The February 2001 issue of Bon Apptéit features a two-page "home cooking how-to" article on one of Lilly's most popular luncheon and dinner entrees: Kathy Cary's sophisticated pot pie, which Florence Fabricant of The New York Times once admiringly dubbed "Poulet àMa Façon."

Lilly's Chicken Pot Pie

The Chicken:
1 whole chicken (approximately 3.5 lbs or more)
cold water to cover
2 large onions, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 leek, sliced
1 bay leaf
a small handful of fresh parsley
a small handful of fresh thyme
6 peppercorns

The Filling:
1 large onion, chopped
1 red pepper, cut into strips
1 yellow pepper, cut into strips
1/2 lb. shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1/4 lb. baby green beans, blanched
2 oz. sundried tomatoes
2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
3 Tbsp. olive oil

The Sauce:
8 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. flour
3 cups reserved and strained stock
1 1/2 Tbsp. beef base
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream

The Crust:
1/2 lb. margarine, room temperature
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
(egg wash: 1 egg, beaten)


Cover the chicken with cold water. Add the vegetables, herbs and seasonings. Bring to boil over high heat; reduce and simmer for 40 minutes. Turn off heat and let rest 20 minutes. Drain, reserving liquid, and reduce by 1/2 (or to approximately 3 cups). Pull chicken from the bone and place in a bowl.

Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in skillet and add onions and peppers. Cook until soft. Remove and set aside. Add 2 Tbsp. olive oil to skillet and saute the shiitakes until soft. Put the onions, peppers, shiitakes and rosemary in the bowl with the chicken.

Boil water and blanch the baby green beans for 4 minutes. Remove, drain and rinse under cold water. Add the sundried tomatoes to the water. Simmer 3 miniutes. Drain and chop. Add the beans and tomatoes to the chicken.

Melt the butter and whisk in the flour. Add the reduced chicken stock slowly, then whisk in the milk, beef base, salt and pepper. Toss this carefully with the chicken mixture, taking care not to break up the chicken into tiny pieces. Spoon this filling into a greased 7.5" x 11.75" casserole. Set aside.

In a food processor, place the margarine (which works more easily than butter in this instance) and cream cheese, and quickly pulse together; add the flour and salt. Do not over-process. Set aside and chill. Roll out on floured surface and place over the casserole. Pinch the edges and make a pattern with a fork around the rim. (You will have some extra dough. Refrigerate and save for use in sweet or savory dishes.) Brush the top with egg wash and cut 3 diagonal air vents; bake in the middle of the oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Six servings, or six individual 8 oz. ramekins.