Gluten-Free, Vegetarian Chicken Pot Pies

Back in our carnivorous days, this recipe from Sunset Magazine was one of our favorites. Single-serving chicken pot pies, full of steamy vegetables and a savory sauce, was a delicious winter-time feast. Since then, we have forsaken the meat and the gluten-full flour. Based on those wonderful Smart Strips, the faux chicken strips from Lightlife, we have recreated this dish to fit our dietary needs. I believe that none of the flavor was lost.

For the biscuit topping, I used this recipe from the Gluten-Free Cooking School. The only change I made was to replace the egg with a flaxseed "egg". I must admit that this recipe created a dough that was too wet, but that just may be something peculiar about my ingredients. Next time, I will decrease the amount of liquid.

Ingredients

2 ½ c chicken broth
3 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
4 T olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
12 small cremini or button mushrooms, finely chopped
1 t chopped fresh thyme
5 T gluten-free flour, like brown rice flour
1 c milk
¼ t nutmeg
2 t salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 t finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 ½ c Smart Strips chicken, chopped
¼ c frozen sweet peas

Steps

1. In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring chicken stock to a boil. Add carrots, potatoes, and celery. Lower heat to medium and cook until vegetables are tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain vegetables, reserving stock; set both aside separately.

2. In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook 5 minutes. Add fresh thyme and the gluten-free flour and cook 2 minutes. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly, until combined, then add stock and cook, stirring often, until mixture thickens, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with nutmeg, 1 tsp. salt, and pepper to taste. Add parsley, "chicken", cooked vegetables, and peas and divide filling evenly among 6 or 7 ovenproof containers (8 to 10 oz. each), leaving the top ¼ inch unfilled.

3. Preheat oven to 425°. Make the biscuit dough according to the recipe. Drop the dough on top of the chicken mixture evenly, lightly smoothing down the tops.

4. Put potpies on a cookie sheet and bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling, 17 to 22 minutes.