Chicken Vol-a-Vent

Let’s be real: vol-au-vent sounds like the name of a designer perfume. But really it’s just a pot pie that studied abroad and smoked way too many cigarettes. It’s a French puff pastry that’s decided it’s too fancy for your weeknight dinner. I mean, how could it not be with a name that translates to “flight of the wind”? It’s practically floating above us mere mortals.

But hey, before you roll your eyes too hard, let’s give this bougie little pastry a chance. Inside that golden, flaky shell is a creamy, savory filling that’ll make you forget its pretentious name and remind you why the French just get food. Whether you’re serving it at a dinner party to impress your friends or just trying to up your "Netflix and chill" game, vol-au-vent is here to bring a touch of culinary snobbery to your kitchen.

And you know what? Sometimes, it’s fun to act a little fancy. So let’s embrace the drama and enter the world of puff pastry royalty. Grab your wine, and let’s cook like we own a château.

Chicken vol- a- vent

Stock

4 bone in chicken thighs, skin removed for another use

1 large carrot, split

3 leek green tops

2 pieces of celery, halved

2 sprigs parsley

3 sprigs thyme on the 

2 bay leaves 

8 peppercorns 

1/2 onion studded with 3 cloves

1/2 cup dry white wine 

8 cups of water 

Combine everything in a large pot and bring to a simmer (do not boil) skim scum as it rises

Remove chicken thighs after 1 hour, shred the meat and return the bones to the stock to simmer another hour at least. Strain, into a clean pot and continue to reduce until you have 2 cups of concentrated stock, keep warm.

Sauce Suprême

45 grams, (3T) unsalted butter

30 grams, (3T) all purpose flour

2 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup heavy cream

Kosher salt to taste 

Pinch of cayenne

Pinch white pepper

Pinch of fresh nutmeg

1/2 lemon, juice 

Melt the butter, and the flour and cook for 3 minutes on medium low heat whisking constantly, you do not want any deep color here. Pour in the reserved warm stock and whisk until smooth, bring to a simmer to fully expand the starch, pour in the heavy cream, add salt, cayenne, pepper and nutmeg reduce flame to a gentle simmer and cook for about 10 minutes whisking often until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Stir in the lemon, adjust seasoning as necessary. Strain into a clean pot, set aside covered 

Filling 

2 pieces of celery, strings removed and diced 

1 large carrot, peeled and diced

2 cups baby Bella mushrooms, quartered 

1 shallot, minced fine 

2 tablespoons butter

Freshly shelled peas, blanched and shocked in ice water

Melt butter in a sauté pan over medium heat, add the vegetables cook about 4 minutes until sweated out nicely. Add the reserved sauce suprême and cook covered about 8 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked through. Stir in the reserved shredded chicken and peas, set aside to keep warm

Puff Pastry

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

2 sheets frozen puff pastry

1 egg beaten with a bit of water (egg wash)

Layer 2 sheets of thawed puff pastry and press together with a rolling pin. I do this because most commercial puff is way too thin and wont give you the desired puff you are looking for. Roll out to a 1/4 inch thickness. Cut 4 inch rings into th pastry, then a slightly smaller ring that you press until just before it cuts through. Brush with the egg wash, score with a knife and bake about 18-20 minutes undisturbed. 

Assembly

Remove the center if the pastry with a knife and reserve. Fill the shell with the Suprême mixture and top with freshly minced parsley and the reserved top. Enjoy at once