For me, there's something about the perfect golden of pan-fried chicken. Something about the crisp of the skin and tender dark meat that makes up the leg. Something about the way it glistens when it's just done. And there's something about a chicken pot pie too. And so when I asked
Alice to take part in my
for the love of pie series and she and
Maria set on the path to make just that, I was instantly smitten. I love how it turned out. Like so many of the photos Alice takes these days, and as I'm learning, much of Maria's food, I wish I were in the room when it was happening. And with that, I give you
FOR THE LOVE OF PIE — a series that celebrates the simple things, With
Alice Gao +
María del Mar Sacasa and their Chicken Pot Pie with Cheddar Biscuit Topping.
xo, N 
WHO: Alice Gao and
María del Mar Sacasa WHAT: Chicken Pot Pie with Cheddar Biscuit Topping
WHERE: New York, NY
WHY: Alice My earliest memories of chicken pot pie are from the frozen aisle at the supermarket. For me, they were always a huge treat because our normal dinner fare was Chinese food. I still consider them an indulgent treat nowadays. Maria’s version with a biscuit top makes them feel more accessible. Maria My mother makes the most luscious chicken pot pie: a double, flaky, cream cheese-laced crust with a velvet cream sauced filling full of poached chicken, mushrooms, carrots, and her special “sazón,” as we say – a gift for cooking deliciously. The pie was made mostly on special occasions, and leftovers were often fought over. For many years, I made that very same pot pie, but as I became a more confident cook, I started changing things here and there, making a version of the dish that I hope will be as beloved as my mother’s. This recipe is constantly in flux. While I most commonly make this pie during the cold months for its hearty nature, I do like to root around farmers’ markets and use whatever I find there to make a year-round dish—we need a hearty, comforting meal, regardless of the weather, no? This version contains ramps, those ephemeral gifts of spring, as well as emerald green fresh peas. For a more rustic backbone, the chicken is browned in a skillet, and the vegetables sautéed in the same pan to make sure all the brown bits rendered are not wasted. The topping is cheddar biscuits, that are perfect for sopping up the sauce.
BEST SERVED WITH: A herb salad and a chilled glass of white wine.
ONE OR TWO THINGS: Alice The cool side of a pillow in summer. Long shadows.
Maria I love the smell of a new book and of an old one. A long lunch that stretches out into dinner. The sound of wind in palm trees.
Ramps are wild onions available briefly during the spring. The small bulbs have slender pink stalks fade into green at the top. Their flavour is unmistakably sharp. Green garlic is garlic that has been harvested young, prior to the cloves maturing. It is similar in appearance to scallions, but has much more assertive flavour. Should you not be able to find ramps or green garlic, substitute with 3 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped. Using warm milk will help it incorporate into the butter and flour mixture (roux) more easily. For easy assembly, prepare the biscuit dough up to 1 day in advance and store it, tightly wrapped in plastic, in refrigerator. When chicken filling is about 15 minutes away from being done, bake the biscuits. Serves 6. [amd-zlrecipe-recipe:14]
Photos: Alice Gao Food: María del Mar Sacasa