Iron Chef Cat Cora Cooks Up Chicken Pot Pie!

Iron Chef Cat Cora stopped by PIX Kitchen to make a heart healthy Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry! It's a tasty recipe that keeps the flavor, and cuts the fat and cholesterol!

Cora spoke about being the first female Iron Chef on the Food Network and how she prepares for those intense showdowns. She also reveals if the Iron Chef and challenger are told what the "secret ingredient" will be beforehand.

Cora is working on The Big Fat Truth campaign, an educational campaign to take on the myths and reveal the truth about dietary fats and the important role that sources of vegetable-based fats, such as soft spreads, play in our diet.

For more on Cora, visit www.catcoracooks.com and for details on her campaign, log onto www.bigfattruth.org.

COOKING DEMO, RECIPE AND PICTURE AFTER THE JUMP...

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Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry
Servings: Makes 6 pot pies (in 8- or 10-ounce ramekins)

Ingredients
2 cups chicken stock
8 thyme sprigs plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
4 TBS Country Crock Spread, melted
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup diced (1/4 inch) carrots
1 cup sliced (1/4 inch) celery
1 cup fresh or frozen peas, if frozen don't thaw
1 cup diced (1/4 inch) zucchini
½ cup dry white wine
2 cups shredded roasted chicken (skin removed)
3 TBS Country Crock Spread, melted
3 TBS flour
Salt and pepper to taste
2 sheets puff pastry, thawed and refrigerated

Directions
1. Place ramekins on a baking sheet and set aside. Remove pastry from the refrigerator and spread out a piece of parchment over a flat cool surface. Using one of the ramekins as a template, place it over the puff pastry and cut it into the shape of the ramekin, leaving 1-inch overhang on all sides. Place pastry rounds on a plate and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to use.

2. In a large pot, combine the thyme sprigs and chicken stock (but set aside the chopped thyme for later). Bring the stock to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Remove the thyme sprigs and discard them just before using stock.

3. Pour 2 tablespoons of the Country Crock Spread into a large sauté pan and place over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the carrots and celery, and sauté for another 2 to 3 minutes. (If the pan needs more butter spread, add the remaining 2 tablespoons.) Add the peas, zucchini, and chopped thyme. Sauté for another 2 to 3 minutes until zucchini is just cooked.

4. Pour the wine into the pan to deglaze it, right on top of the vegetables. Allowing the wine to come to a boil and reduce the liquid by half. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chicken. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and set aside.

5. In a large saucepan, melt Country Crock Spread over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour slowly, and stir constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon until the butter and flour make a thick paste or roux. Continue to stir until the mixture turns golden and begins to bubble slightly over medium to low heat. Immediately ladle 1 cup of the hot chicken stock into the flour mixture whisking well after each addition to eliminate lumps. Continue to whisk and incorporate all of the stock over medium-high heat until the sauce is bubbling and has thickened to the consistency of a thick soup. Remove from the heat. Taste and correct seasoning.

6. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

7. Pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetable mixture and gently combine with a wooden spoon. Fill each ramekin about 3/4 full of the chicken-vegetable mixture. Get the pastry rounds from the refrigerator and place a round on top of each ramekin. Press the overhanging inch of pastry firmly against the side of each ramekin all the way around.

8. Place in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the pastry has puffed and turned golden brown. Serve immediately but warn the children that it's very hot.