Nikkia Rhodes' Chicken Pot Pie
Nikkia Rhodes is one of our 2021 Cooks of the Year.
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Recipe Summary
This recipe for Chicken Pot Pie comes from 24-year-old Kentucky native Nikkia Rhodes, who has made it her mission to train a new generation of cooks. Working again with the LEE Initiative, Rhodes helped establish the McAtee Community Kitchen and took on the responsibility of running it, with help from her culinary students. "I am an example of how people can have a positive impact on your life," she says. "If I can show my students how to find their talents and then use them to serve others and better their communities, that is the best part of my job."
With a homemade crust and a well-spiced filling, Rhodes' Chicken Pot Pie is an elegant take on the Southern classic. This recipe helps you focus your energy in all the right places: A homemade crust really elevates this pot pie, and using rotisserie chicken is an unfussy shortcut to a supple, flavorful filling. A chill in the refrigerator allows the dough to hydrate, reducing the risk of overworking and resulting in flaky, tender pastry. The creamy filling, loaded with onion, carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, and rotisserie chicken, is just thick enough to hold when sliced.
This chicken pot pie with rotisserie chicken can be made ahead and baked off at a later time—just store it wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 2 days after assembling.