Comfort Me With Chicken Pot Pie (Palos Verdes Style)

I realize that the legitimacy of a chicken pot pie recipe from Palos Verdes is a little circumspect (what do people in Palos Verdes know about comfort food for crisp fall weather and cold winter nights!)...but this recipe will make a believer out of you. Its a little bit of a twist on the traditional chicken pot pie, in that you bake biscuits within and on top of the "pie" in lieu of the pie crust. Comfort food at its finest and perfect for winter weather. Or summer weather if you're Kate and you live in San Francisco. Ginny--I don't think you're allowed to eat chicken pot pie in Florida-might be illegal so you should check with local ordinances. So, really, this recipe is for Erika--my cold weather doppelgänger. We got our first dip into 20 degree weather last night so its very appropriate to post this now.

Recipe here--I give it 5/5 "Noms"

PALOS VERDES CHICKEN POT PIE (Serves 4)

Pie Filling

• 8 teaspoons butter
  
• 8 teaspoons flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup diced carrots, peeled
• 1 cup green peas
• 4 chicken breast halves, skinned, cooked and diced (or a roast chicken from the market)
  
• ¼ teaspoon thyme (so important--love the flavor this adds)
  
• Salt and pepper to taste

Biscuit Dough

• 1 ½ cups of flour
• 2-teaspoon sugar
• 1-teaspoon salt
• 2-teaspoon baking powder
• 4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
• 2 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
• 1-cup milk or half and half
  

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Melt butter in a medium pan and stir in flour. Stir in broth and cook over low heat until mixture is smooth and thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in carrots, peas and chicken. Add thyme and season well with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Prepare Biscuit Dough: Place flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in bowl and stir to mix well. Cut in butter until crumbly. Add cheese. Pour in milk and stir briefly until batter is sticky and holds together.
4. Spoon half of chicken mixture into buttered 2 quart casserole. With spoon, drop half of dough over chicken. Cover with remaining chicken mixture and top with remaining dough.
5. Bake until golden brown, about 30-40 minutes.