Recipes Chicken "Potpie" with Stuffing Crust 3.0 (5,802) 1 Review For this deconstructed, whimsical take on a potpie, chef Grant Achatz tops a creamy chicken stew with pieces of crust and poached eggs. The crust is a bit like a crisp bread stuffing. Slideshow: Slow Cooker Recipes By Grant Achatz Grant Achatz Instagram Chef Grant Achatz is one of the most awarded and recognized chefs in the world. Known for his innovative, emotional, and modernist style of cuisine, he has been named Best Chef in the United States by the James Beard Foundation, honored by Time Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World, and has given talks and lectures on gastronomy and design at conferences and universities around the world.Grant began working in restaurants as soon as he could walk. His parents owned a diner in Michigan, and he spent his childhood years working alongside his family. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America at age 21, Grant spent a short time at Charlie Trotter's before finding his mentor in chef Thomas Keller at the French Laundry. Grant worked for a total of 5 years at the French Laundry, eventually rising to sous chef. During his time in California, he also spent a year working at La Jota vineyards. A short stage at elBulli in Roses, Spain was exceptionally influential and led Grant to seek out his first executive chef position at Trio in Evanston, IL. It was there that his creativity and desire to innovate flourished. In 2002 and 2003, respectively, Grant was recognized by Food & Wine Magazine as one of the nation's Best New Chefs and named the Rising Star Chef by the James Beard Foundation. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on November 1, 2014 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Active Time: 1 hrs Total Time: 5 hrs 30 mins Yield: 6 Ingredients Chicken Stew 5 thyme sprigs 3 sage sprigs 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter 2 cups all-purpose flour 3 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth 2 cups half-and-half 4 carrots, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds 1 leek, white and light green parts only, finely chopped 1 onion, finely chopped 2 celery ribs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, quartered 6 garlic cloves, minced 1 pound fingerling potatoes, halved 4 bay leaves 2 teaspoons kosher salt 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 cup fresh or frozen peas 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels (from 1 cob) Pepper Crust 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing 11 ounces light multigrain bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups) 4 ounces potato chips (7 cups), broken into pieces 33 Ritz crackers, broken into pieces 1 onion, finely chopped 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon thyme leaves, plus more for garnish 2 tablespoons chopped sage 1/4 cup chopped parsley 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled 1/2 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth 1/2 cup half-and-half 2 large eggs, beaten Poached eggs, chopped thyme and parsley, and grated lemon zest, for serving Directions Make the Chicken Stew Using kitchen twine, tie the thyme and sage sprigs into a bundle. Turn a 6- to 6 1/2-quart slow cooker to low and set the timer for 5 hours and 15 minutes. Add the butter and cover until the butter melts. Stir in the flour and mix with a wooden spoon until well incorporated and a paste forms. Stir in the chicken stock and half-and-half, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Whisk the mixture until smooth. Add the herbs, then add the next 9 ingredients, up to and including the salt. Cover and cook for 4 hours, stirring after 2 hours. Stir in the chicken, peas and corn. Cover and cook until the chicken is white throughout, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Discard the herb bundle. Season the stew with pepper. Meanwhile, Make the Crust Preheat the oven to 375°. Lightly oil a baking sheet. In a food processor, pulse the bread cubes until coarse crumbs form. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the potato chips and Ritz crackers to the processor and pulse until coarse crumbs form; add to the bowl. Stir in the 1/4 cup of oil and all of the remaining ingredients except the poached eggs and garnishes. Spread the mixture on the prepared baking sheet and pat it out to an even 1/4-inch layer with your fingertips. Bake until golden and crisp, about 45 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool. Break into 3-by-3-inch pieces. Serve the chicken stew in bowls, each topped with a poached egg and a piece of crust. Garnish with thyme, parsley and lemon zest. Make Ahead The crust can be stored in an airtight container for 1 day. Rewarm in a 350° oven until crisp. Suggested Pairing Ripe, apple-inflected Chardonnay. Rate it Print