Cozy Samgyetang Chicken Pot Pie

There’s an elephant in the room. And a donkey. If you’re tired of election coverage, consider this your official permission slip to turn off the news, put down your phone, and go make something super comforting for yourself and your family. Like this Korean chicken pot pie, loosely inspired by the famous, super nourishing ginseng ginger chicken soup, samgyetang.

What you might now know is that samgyetang is traditionally made with ginseng, Korean dates, garlic, and ginger which are known to strengthen and heal the body. So even though it’s tempting to listen to the voices around us telling us to panic or worry or work ourselves into a frenzy, remember to hold onto the things that strengthen you. Maybe it’s your loved one, your family, your best friend. Maybe it’s a walk with the dog, a breath of fresh air, the smell of an all butter pie crust browning in the oven.

Ginseng is the key ingredient in samgyetang and it symbolizes strength and longevity. So whatever may be happening in your world right now, eat chicken pot pie and see if that doesn’t make things seem just a little bit better.

Samgyetang Chicken Pot Pie (6 servings):

For the chicken stock:

• 1 whole chicken, about 3-4 lbs
• 3 jujubes (dried Korean dates)
• 2 sprigs of fresh ginseng (dried ginseng packet works here too!)
• 14 cloves garlic
• 1 inch nub ginger
• 2 large Korean green onion (daepa) or 1 yellow onion

For the filling:

• 1 TBSP butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, cut into medium chunks
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2” piece of ginger, microplaned
• 1/2 cup sweet rice flour
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 TBSP sesame oil
• 2 jujubes

For the pie crust:

• 1 serving of pie crust (store bought is a great option!)
• 1 egg for egg wash
• 1 TBSP sesame seeds

Step 1. In a large stock pot, submerge the chicken in cold water along with the rest of the stock ingredients. Bring to a boil and then simmer with the lid on over medium low heat for about an hour. When chicken is fully cooked, carefully transfer to a large bowl and when it’s cool enough to handle, pull off the chicken meat by hand, shredding into smaller pieces and set aside. Return the chicken carcass to the simmering stock as you prepare the rest of the recipe!

Step 2. Roll out the puff pastry dough to about 1/2” inch thick. If creating a lattice top, cut the dough into wide strips and form the criss-cross pattern. Work on a sheet pan while creating the lattice top to make it easy to handle. If creating a classic puff pastry top, simply roll out and cut the dough into shape, measuring an extra inch beyond the edge of the skillet as the dough will shrink as it bakes. Place dough on a sheet pan and keep cold in the fridge. In a small bowl, whisk egg and a little milk or water for the egg wash and set aside.

Step 3. Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a cast iron skillet, heat a glug of olive oil and the butter over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, garlic and ginger and season with a touch of salt and pepper. Cook for a couple minutes until the vegetables begin to sweat and soften. Stir in the rice flour and cook for another minute. Then add 4-6 ladles of the chicken stock until the mixture is thick and bubbling. Add as much shredded chicken as you want, along with the frozen peas and a glug of sesame oil, adding more stock as necessary. Taste and season up with salt and pepper. Top with sliced jujubes and turn off the heat.

Step 4. Place the chilled puff pastry dough on top of the chicken mixture in the skillet. If creating the classic puff pastry top, cut slits in the dough for air vents and tuck in the extra overhang dough inside the edge of the skillet. Brush with egg wash, sprinkle with flaky salt and sesame seeds and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until browned. Enjoy immediately! :)