Chicken pot pie with mashed potato topping.

I love chicken pot pie and I love mashed potatoes, so why not top a chicken pot pie with mashed potatoes.  To make this recipe even easier I use a frozen pie crust, that comes already in the pan, as the base for the dish.  I used a Cooks Illustrated recipe as the starting point for the filling, but altered some of the seasoning and ingredients.  Then I make some simple mashed potatoes and top the pie with a layer of the mash before putting in the oven to bake.  It's easy, tasty and great comfort food on a cold winter evening.  Serve with a small side salad and you have a healthy and tasty meal.  

Ingredients:

One frozen pie crust, in a pie pan

11/2 Lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 Can low sodium chicken broth with water added to equal 2 cups
11/2 tsps vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
4-5 baby bella mushrooms, chopped
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4" slices
2 small ribs celery, cut into 1/4" slices
Salt and pepper to taste
4 TBSP unsalted butter
1/2 Cup unbleached all-purpose flour
11/2 Cups milk
1/2  tsps dried thyme
1/2 tsps dried tarragon
3 TBSP dry sherry
3/4 Cup frozen peas
3 TBSP fresh parsley leaves, minced

4 large Yukon Gold potatoes
1 cup milk
4 TBSP butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Adjust oven rack to low center position.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees, or whatever temp the piecrust directions call for.

Following directions on piecrust, thaw crust, if called for.  

Put chicken and 2 cups of combined broth/water into a heavy bottomed soup pan over medium heat on the stove top.  Cover and bring to a simmer.  Simmer for 8-10 minutes, until chicken is just done.  Transfer meat to a large bowl and reserve the broth mixture in a measuring cup.

Increase heat to medium-high and heat oil in now empty pan.  Add onions, carrots, celery and mushrooms and saute until just tender, about 5 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  While vegetables are cooking cut chicken into bite sized pieces.  Transfer cooked vegetables to bowl with chicken and set aside.  

Heat butter over medium heat in again-empty pan.  When foaming subsides, whisk in flour and cook for about one minute.  Whisk in chicken broth, milk, any accumulated chicken juices, and thyme and tarragon.  Bring to a simmer and simmer until sauce fully thickens, about one minute.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in the sherry.  

Pour  sauce over the chicken and vegetable mixture  and stir to combine.  Stir in peas and parsley.  Adjust seasonings to taste.  

In the meantime, peel potatoes and dice into 11/2" cubes.  Boil potatoes in water on high heat until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain potatoes and return to the pot.  Combine the 1 cup of milk and 4 TBSP butter in a microwave proof container.  Heat in microwave until warm.  Mash potatoes, adding warm milk and butter mixture a little at a time, until you get potatoes to desired consistency.  You may not need all of the milk.  I like to use an electric mixer, after the initial mashing to get a smooth consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

To assemble dish, pour chicken in sauce into the piecrust.  Using a spatula, spread mashed potatoes about 1 to 2" deep over the top of the pie.  Put into the oven and bake until crust is golden and mashed potatoes are just beginning to  brown.