Lattice Crust Chicken Pot Pie

I am under the assumption that The Nudge, if allowed, would eat chicken in any form or style, almost every day. It sure does seem that way. It is always the first thing out of his mouth when asked what he wanted for dinner. Now I like chicken, don't get me wrong but I would eat seafood like he would eat chicken so to keep our food life interesting, I try to be fair.

I secretly smile when Fall comes knocking on our door. If a lottery was the question, "if your spouse could take one meal with them to a desert isle, what would that be?" and the game was running in the cold months, I would win the grand prize. Yesterday, for me, I made a huge baked macaroni and cheese, which I haven't done in at least a year so, and to be fair I asked The Nudge if there was anything he would like. I wasn't all that surprised when I was asked to make a chicken pot pie.

There are a few dishes that are favorites of his but not mine. This is one of them. I am not sure what the appeal is and I thought it was the double crust, requested each time, but when he ordered said pie in a Bermudan Irish Pub and it came with a square baked piece of puff pastry perched on top of what looked like a typical chicken pie filling, I watched him eat the whole thing, in the summer, on one of the hottest days that month. All these years of feeling guilty not making a homemade pastry crust when a puff pastry square would suffice? I have tried different crust recipes over the years and this crust was a hit but required more time than I had.

Been on the run these last few weeks so I planned on an easy crescent top which I have made a few times (not the best but not the worse either) but when I saw the bread sticks I immediately thought of a lattice top. I am pretty sure this has been done already, but not by me and not in this house.

Not sure how well it will taste as a topping, but The Nudge is a huge bread fan so he will flip at that crust, he can tear off a piece, dip it in the sauce and play with his food. What little boy could pass that up? For me, it is all about the filling. I thought I would change things up a bit. I do think peas and carrots are boring and potatoes with a crust? Not in this house.

Butternut squash has the same texture as a boil potatoes, baby limas could easily pass for the peas, and instead of bacon, I made cracklings from the chicken skin. The Nudge loves the skin.

Not wasting a thing, I took a page from Rachaels Week in a Day show and simmered the chicken bones for the sauce, and along the way I chopped some red peppers for color and as a creamy component, an aged Gouda (yum).

This recipe might actually give into him more than once a year.
This was the best pot pie I have ever eaten and obviously the best I have ever made.
I had a feeling one would be too much food, we should have shared.

We have a new rule in this house, as it pertains to his lunches.
Eat what you can and toss the rest. No bringing home half eaten lunches. What the heck would I do with them?
He used to think he was being considerate by bringing home leftovers of the leftovers since I hate to throw foods away, but even I draw the line. Most times, he just eats the whole thing, even when he's full. I know he loved this recipe because his Rubbermaid came back clean.

Lattice Crust Chicken Pot Pie
makes 2 pies

* 1 package refrigerator bread sticks
* 1/2 the meat from one organic chicken, bones and skin reserved
* 3" piece of the neck on a butternut squash, peeled and cubed
* 1/2 cup baby lima beans
* 1/4 red pepper,chopped
* 1/2 small onion, diced
* 1 large garlic clove, minced
* 2 teaspoons Adobo seasoning
* 1 tablespoon flour
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 tablespoon butter
* salt & black pepper
* 1 inch cube aged Gouda cheese
* egg wash

1. Remove the skin from the chicken and cut it into 2-inch pieces. Line a sheet pan with parchment and place the skins on the parchment and into an oven set to 400°. Bake until they are crisp and the fat has rendered, about 15 minutes.
2. In the same oven, add the cubed squash to another sheet pan that has been sprayed with Pam. Season the squash with salt and pepper. The squash will be done at the same time as the cracklings.
3. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet and add the onions, garlic and red pepper. Saute until they are soft. Add the flour and the butter and 3 ladles of broth. Whisk until smooth and when the sauce bubbles, add the limas and the Adobo and then the cheese.
5. Taste for salt and adjust.
6. Split the mixture between two ramekins and make the lattice.

7. Make a cross using two bread sticks that you have twisted. Lift one side off the cross and place one bread stick on either side. Repeat with the other bread stick. You should have three across and one down the middle. Continue to lift the sides of the bread sticks and weave them with the ones already down. If you can't,don't worry just place three horizontal and three vertical across the top of the ramekin.
8. Use an egg wash to coat the dough and season with black pepper and a few more crumbles of chicken skin.
9. Bake in a 375° oven until the sauce is bubbling and the dough is golden brown and wonderful. Sprinkle the top with chopped parsley and serve.