It’s February 13 and we are just coming to the end of snowstorm #?  Too many to count this year and while normally I am a gal that thinks fondly of winter, the sheer misery of more snow to shovel pushes me back to the comfort of food – and comfort food in particular.  So, after some time reacquainting myself with a shovel, and following a full day at work I might add, I sat down to think about what was on hand and how it might be configured into comfort for my crew. My 18 year old loves “chicken pea pot pie” (as she likes to call it) but I told her that I did not have chicken on hand – except that I did.  I realized I had a few chicken thighs in the fridge and so I started searching for chicken pie recipes with dark meat and then I realized I didn’t have peas either.  I came across something by Anne Burrell which caught my eye because it included roasted butternut squash and having just watched Ina Garten make individual chicken pot pies I decided to “roll my own” – leveraging the foundation from my tried and true recipe, inspiration from Anne and a few reminders from Ina. So, here it is: Chicken Pie – New & Improved for 2014.

CHICKEN PIE – NEW & IMPROVED FOR 2014
Serves 4-6

Ingredients
1 large onion, medium dice
2 celery ribs, medium inch dice
3 carrots, medium dice
1 garlic clove, minced
2 packages boneless, skinless chicken thighs (8 pieces minimum)
1 butternut squash, 1 inch cubes
1 quart chicken stock
1 package chicken bouillon (I like Herbox)
1/4 c. flour
6 tbsp unsalted butter
4 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp dried sage
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 package puff pastry (2 sheets)

To Make
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Toss butternut squash pieces with 1 tbsp olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Spread on 1/4 sheet pan and roast, uncovered, for 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, lay chicken thighs on another 1/4 sheet pan, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast in same oven as squash for 25 minutes.  Heat chicken stock and chicken bouillon in medium saucepan until simmering.  Meanwhile, in large wide bottom pot, add butter and remaining 2 tbsp olive oil.  Once melted, add onion, celery and carrots and sauté for 15 minutes.  Add garlic and sauté for one additional minute.  Sprinkle flour evenly over vegetables and continue cooking over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.  Add warm stock and stir, simmering until thickened.  Add 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper, along with 1/2 tsp dried sage, and stir until combined.  Slice chicken into pieces and add it, along with the  roasted squash, to the thickened vegetable mixture and stir to combine.  Transfer to rectangular casserole dish (approx 13×9).  Roll out both sheets of puff pastry and cut one into long strips and one into shorter strips and lay over casserole in lattice formation.  Bake for 30 minutes, until pastry is puffed and golden.  Let rest for 10 minutes prior to serving.

To Serve
Cut through pastry to make even portions and serve in wide soup bowls.