Chicken with Cider Pot Pie Skillets | Rachael Ray

Preheat oven to 375°F with rack at center oven. 

Prepare chicken by deboning and removing skin, then chopping or pulling meat.  

Place a pile of small cast iron skillets on stove next to skillet if you’re making individual pies. 

 Heat a large deep skillet or, if making this dish in one pan, a large cast iron skillet  over medium to medium-high heat. Melt butter and when it foams, add onions, celery, bay, thyme and zest, season with salt, then let them sweat and soften a bit 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often, then add apples and stir a few minutes more. Sprinkle flour over the pan and stir a minute or 2, add cider and stir to fully incorporate, add stock and simmer at a low bubble to thicken, about 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to simmer, add heavy cream, if using, add nutmeg and pepper to taste, thicken a bit, stir in chicken, add Dijon and remove from heat. 

Roll out dough a bit on floured surface and cut as needed to top small pans or 1 large pan. 

Beat egg with a splash water for egg wash. 

Fill small pans, if using, with filling. 

Cover pans or pan with dough and lightly brush with egg wash and cut a few vents in pastry. Bake until pastry begins to puff, about 18 to 22 minutes. If using cheddar, remove from oven, top with cheddar and bake until deeply golden brown, about another 4 to 5 minutes.  

Serve individual pans on larger plates as under-liners or on trivets—those skillets are hot! Serve a large pan from center table, scoring the pastry as you serve into shallow bowls. Top with parsley.