Photo: Ben Fink

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 (3-pound) roasted chicken, boned and shredded
• 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
• 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. dried tarragon, crushed
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 1 1/2 cups fresh peas, blanched
• 1 1/2 cups carrots, diced and blanched
• 2 russet potatoes, diced and blanched
• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
• Egg wash (lightly whisk together 1 whole egg and 1 tsp. water)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the chicken, bell pepper, and shallots, and cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. Stir in the flour, salt, tarragon, and black pepper. Add the milk and cream, and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is thick and bubbly, about 10 minutes. Add the wine, peas, carrots, and potatoes and stir until heated thoroughly, about 5 minutes.

Transfer the hot chicken mixture to a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish. Place the puff pastry over the top of the casserole dish. Brush the edges of the puff pastry with the egg wash and press against the side of the casserole dish, then cut slits in the pastry to allow steam to escape. Brush the top of the puff pastry with egg wash—this will help the puff pastry brown evenly. Bake for about 35 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Serve immediately.

Reprinted with permission from The Casserole Queens Cookbook by Crystal Cook and Sandy Pollock, copyright © 2011. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.