Chicken Potpie With Shiitake Mushrooms and Red Peppers

From the November 1989 issue of Cook’s magazine, the Quick from Scratch section. Per Karen McCoy-Tack, “The flaky topping on this contrasts nicely with the tender pieces of chicken thigh and vegetables that are coddled in a tarragon-flavored veloute… Store-bought frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed and trimmed to fit your casserole dish, make a quick crust for potpies. If you have leftover cooked chicken, pork, or beef on hand, substitute it for the chicken thighs. Add 1 ½ cups of cooked meat to the saucepan after you add the broccoli. Although this recipe makes one large potpie, the filling can also be divided among four 8-ounce ovenproof casseroles.”

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1  ounce  dried shiitake mushroom
• 3  tablespoons flour
•  salt
•  ground black pepper
• 1  lb chicken thigh, boneless, skinless, cut into large dice (3 thighs)
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1⁄2 cups  chicken stock or 1 1⁄2 cups canned chicken broth
• 1  teaspoon dried tarragon
• 2  cups broccoli florets
• 1 (4 ounce) jar  roasted red peppers, drained and sliced thin
• 1  sheet frozen puff pastry, from 17-ounce package, thawed

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400°F.
2. Soak dried mushrooms in ¾ cup warm water until softened, about 15 minutes. Using a fine sieve, strain liquid from mushroom, reserving the soaking liquid. Thinly slice the mushrooms and set aside.
3. Prepare frozen puff pastry sheet by trimming to size of casserole top, leaving a 1-inch border.
4. Mix flour, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Dredge chicken pieces in the seasoned flour. Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add chicken pieces; sauté until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add stock, reserved mushroom soaking liquid, and tarragon; bring to boil and simmer until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Add broccoli; simmer until bright green, about 3 minutes. Stir in red bell peppers.
5. Pour chicken mixture into a 2-quart casserole dish. Place puff pastry sheet over filling and rim of dish; flute edges to seal. Make three ½-inch slits in center of pastry; brush pastry with cold water. Bake until pastry is golden brown, about 10 minutes.
6. Serve immediately.