Pretty Damn Good Chicken Pot Pie

Peel the potatoes and carrots. Finely dice 1/4 cup each onion, carrot, and celery for the gravy, then keep them together. Peel, smash, and finely chop the garlic, then keep it separate. Cut the remaining celery into 1/8-inch slices. Cut the remaining carrots and potatoes into 3/8-inch cubes. Trim the green beans and cut them into 1-inch pieces. Keep the larger vegetables separate from the finely diced vegetables because they are used at different stages.

Remove any membrane or tendon from the chicken while keeping as much meat as possible. Cut the chicken into strips about 1 inch wide, then set it aside.

Prepare 4 cups of chicken broth from the broth base, or measure 4 cups of chicken stock. Measure the flour, salt, pepper, wine, oil, butter, and optional heavy cream. Set out a large saucier pan or stockpot, a kitchen strainer or sieve, a large bowl, an instant-read thermometer, and a 9 1/2-inch pie dish. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Pour the prepared chicken broth or stock into the saucier pan or stockpot. Add the larger pieces of carrot, celery, and potato. Set the pan over high heat and bring the liquid to a boil. Cook until the carrots and potatoes are fork-tender. Strain the liquid through a kitchen strainer or sieve into a large bowl. Set the vegetables aside and reserve all the cooking liquid.

Arrange the chicken in a single layer, packed closely together in the center of the pan. Pour the reserved hot cooking liquid over the chicken and add the green beans. Make sure the chicken is completely covered. Add more prepared stock if needed. Set the pan over high heat, return the liquid to a boil, and cook for about 10 minutes. Check the thickest pieces with an instant-read thermometer and make sure they have reached 165°F. Strain the liquid back into the bowl. Set the chicken and green beans aside to cool, and reserve the cooking liquid.

Return the pan to the stove over medium heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat the bottom. Add the finely diced carrot, onion, and celery. Season with salt and pepper, then cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mixture is soft and translucent. Add the garlic and stir continuously for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the butter and stir until melted and fully incorporated. Add the flour and stir until no dry flour remains. Immediately pour in the wine to deglaze the pan, then reduce the heat to low. Add the reserved cooking liquid a little at a time, stirring until fully combined after each addition. Return the heat to medium and bring the gravy to a simmer. Stir frequently until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon but is not sludgy. If you are not lactose sensitive, stir in the optional heavy cream now to add richness and bring the gravy’s flavors together. Shred the cooled chicken into bite-size chunks by hand. Add the chicken, green beans, and remaining cooked vegetables to the gravy, then stir until evenly combined.

Roll out the bottom crust and fit it into the pie dish. Keep the top crust refrigerated while you work. Spoon the filling into the bottom crust and spread it evenly. Roll out the top crust, place it over the filling, and crimp the edges closed. Cut three vent holes in the top. Lightly beat the egg with the milk, then brush a thin layer of the egg wash over the crust.

Bake at 425°F for 25 minutes. Remove the pie and cover the crust edges with a pie shield or aluminum foil. Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F and bake for another 20 minutes, until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling through the vents. Let the pie rest for 15 minutes before serving. The filling will still be very hot.