Poule-Au-Pot (Chicken Pot Pie)
Submitted by att29
Poule-au-pot is the French farmhouse chicken pot pie: poached chicken in aromatic broth, layered with paper-thin potatoes under a rustic parsley pinwheel biscuit topping. Sunday comfort with a French twist.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
1 hrsPoule-au-pot translates roughly as “chicken in a pot," and it’s been a French farmhouse staple since Henry IV declared every peasant should have one on Sundays. This version layers the poached chicken with paper-thin raw potato slices and tops it with a striking parsley pinwheel biscuit, a jelly-roll trick that creates gorgeous green-flecked spirals across the top.
Browning the chicken in butter before poaching is the first flavor layer. Those lightly-browned edges release into the broth during the long simmer and deepen the consommé's character. A whole clove-studded onion, bay, garlic, and celery leaves are classic French court-bouillon aromatics, they perfume the broth without stealing the show.
The gravy uses skimmed chicken fat to make the roux, not butter, an old-school move that gives the sauce incredible savory depth. Building it with three cups of strained chicken broth rather than milk or cream keeps the dish light and lets the chicken flavour shine.
The parsley pinwheel is the signature. Rolling the dough jelly-roll style with buttered parsley produces cut rounds that show off a beautiful green spiral on every bite.
Pro Tips
- Slice the potatoes paper-thin (⅛ inch or less), a mandoline works best, thick slices won’t cook through in 30 to 40 minutes.
- Skim the fat off the cooled consommé carefully, you need 3 tablespoons of pure fat for the roux.
- Don’t over-knead the biscuit dough, work it just until it holds together or the topping turns tough.
- Place the pinwheel rounds cut-side up, the spirals should be visible.
Variations
Ingredients
Directions
Cut the chicken into individual pieces and brown lightly in the butter. Add the boiling water, carrot, onion, celery leaves, cloves, garlic, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, then simmer over low heat until the chicken is tender.
Place the cooked pieces of chicken in a casserole and top with the potatoes, sliced paper-thin. Make a gravy with 3 cups of the consomme left after the chicken has been cooked, 3 tablespoons of the fat from the top of the consomme and 4 tablespoons of flour. Salt and pepper to taste and pour over the potatoes and chicken.
Then top the chicken, potatoes and gravy with a parsley pinwheel, which is prepared in the following manner:
Stir together the flour, salt and baking powder. Cut in the shortening with 2 knives, until the particles are the size of peas. Add the milk gradually. Toss lightly with a fork until all the flour has been dampened, then knead quickly into a round ball. Roll on floured board into an oblong shape ⅛ inch thick.
Butter top of dough and sprinkle with the minced parsley. Roll the same way you would a jelly roll. Cut in 1½ to 2” lengths. Place cut side on top of casserole in an attractive design. Bake at 425 degrees F for 30 to 40 minutes, or until top is golden brown.
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