Southwestern chicken pot pie

 

     The black beans are an unexpected touch in that version of this favorite.

Makes 6 servings

Cornmeal pastry

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup yellow cornmeal
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• ¼ cup cold water

Filling

• 4 green onions, cut diagonally into ½-inch pieces
• 2 carrots, pared, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1½ cup milk
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 3 cups cooked chicken meat, cubed
• 1 can/15 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can/10 ounces corn kernels with red and green peppers, drained
• 1 can/4 ounces chopped green chilies, drained
• Pinch of salt

Cornmeal pastry

1. Combine flour, cornmeal and salt in medium-size bowl.
2. With pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs ; sprinkle cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, over mixture, tossing lightly with fork after each addition until pastry is moist enough to hold together.
3. Shape pastry into ball ; cover with plastic wrap aned refrigerate until needed.

Prepare filling

1. Cook green onions, carrots and chili powder in butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Add flour ; cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute or until smoth and bubbly.
3. Stri in milk and chicken broth ; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens, 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Stir in chicken, black beans, corn kennels, green chilies and salt ; spoon chicken mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish.
5. Roll pastry out on lightly floured surface with floured rolling pin into rectangle 1 inch larger than baking dish ; center pastry over filling.
6. Fold overhang over pastry ; press to form decorative edge.
7. Using sharp knife, cut decorative vents in pastry ; bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and chicken mixture is heated through.

BON APPÉTIT