Chicken Pot Pie Muffins | DIY Food Gift Basket Idea | Chef Ryan Scott

Spray the muffin tin with cooking spray. Roll out each puff pastry sheet to form a 9-by-15-inch rectangle. Cut each sheet into 6 squares and press a square into each muffin tin cup, pressing into the corners. Lightly pierce the inside of each pie shell all over with a fork and then freeze the shells for 10 to 20 minutes to firm. Take a 12-to-14-inch sheet of aluminum foil and crumple into a smooth loose ball, big enough to press down into a dough cup to hold it down during baking; tuck in any sharp edges of foil so as to not poke a hole in the shells, and repeat with more foil.

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Place the muffin tin on a baking sheet and bake until cooked through and golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Immediately brush the insides with a thin layer of beaten egg to seal the dough and prevent sogginess. 

Cut off and reserve about two-thirds of the neck from the butternut squash and set aside. Halve the remaining squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Rub the squash halves and potatoes generously with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange on a foil- or parchment-lined baking sheet and roast until easily pierced with a knife, about 45 minutes. Peel the reserved squash neck and cut into small dice. 

In a large high-sided pan, melt 1 tablespoon butter in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add pearl onions and cubed squash and cook on high for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the mushrooms, garlic, Brussels sprouts, salt, pepper, sage, celery salt, and thyme, and continue cooking for another 5 minutes or so, until the veggies are caramelized. Add white wine, if using, or water and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, then add broth and frozen peas and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until vegetables are cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes more.

In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch and ¼ cup water. Stir into the simmering gravy, increase the heat to medium-high, then bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and cook for 30 seconds to cook off the starch. Remove from heat and stir in the pulled chicken.

When the butternut squash and potatoes are completely cooked, carefully peel off the skins with a paring knife. Place the peeled squash and potatoes in a food processor and puree until smooth. Heat the butter and cream together (Ryan uses a microwave until the mixture is hot to the touch) and mix into the pureed vegetables with a healthy pinch of salt. Puree until completely smooth.

To assemble the pot pies, spoon the chicken filling into the egg-washed pie shells. Transfer the butternut puree to a piping bag fitted with a star tip, then pipe decoratively onto each “muffin”/individual pot pie. Sprinkle the tops generously with parmesan, then broil the pies until nicely browned, 3 to 5 minutes.