This is a great weeknight dinner option. It’s creamy, filling, packed with veggies, and the best part is you can just throw everything in the slow cooker and forget about it. Using squares of puff pastry baked separately keeps it easy and worry free. Plus – you don’t have to worry about the pastry getting soggy when reheated because you just bake it as needed.
Start with a base of onions, celery, flour, white wine, chicken stock, and herbs. I made a little bundle of bay leaves and thyme wrapped in cheesecloth so that I could fish it out easily.
Place boneless, skinless chicken thighs on top of the base mixture and allow to cook for 5-7 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high.
After the long cooking time, stir the mixture and the chicken will fall apart into shreds. Add frozen mixed veggies and cream and cook to heat through. Bake your puff pastry separately and place on top of servings. If you only have two people eating (like us), wait to bake the other 2 pieces of puff pastry until you are about to eat your leftovers. That way they will be just as fresh and crispy as the first batch.
Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Pot Pie
adapted from Real Simple and Real Simple
serves 4
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 8)
1 sheet puff pastry (half a 17.3-ounce package), thawed
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
1/2 cup heavy cream
In a 4-6 qt slow cooker, toss together the celery, onion, and flour. Add the white wine, chicken broth, and herbs (see my note above on wrapping these). Place the chicken on top and season with 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.
Cover and cook until the chicken and vegetables are tender, on low for 5 to 7 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.
Thirty minutes before serving, heat oven to 425° F. Cut the puff pastry into quarters (giving you 4 squares). Place on a baking sheet and bake until golden, 8 to 10 minutes.
Ten minutes before serving, add the frozen vegetables, cream, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the chicken mixture and stir to combine. Cover and cook on high until heated through, 5 to 10 minutes more. To serve, place the chicken mixture in bowls and top with the pastry rounds.