Chicken Pot Pie for One

• 1 small, bone in, skin on, chicken breast
• cold water to cover
• 1/2 medium sized carrot
• 1/2 small onion, peeled
• 1 6-inch piece of celery with the leaves 
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
• 1/2 small bay leaf

• 1/2 medium sized carrot, peeled and cubed
• 2 TBS frozen peas
• 2 TBS frozen corn
• 4 whole green beans sliced into 1/2 inch lengths

• 1/2  TBS butter
• 1/2  TBS flour
• 1 TBS minced onion
• 1 TBS minced celery
• 1/4 cup (60ml)chicken stock
• 1/4 cup (60ml) milk
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1/4 tsp summer savory

• 3 TBS all purpose plain flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 (1/2-inch) cube of cold butter
• 1 (1/2-inch) cube of cold lard
• 1 tsp ice water (or as needed)

1. First cook your chicken. Put the chicken breast into a saucepan along with the other ingredients and just barely cover with cold water.  
2. Bring to the boil, then simmer, covered.  Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until cooked through and the juices run clear.  Remove from the heat and remove the chicken from the saucepan, setting it aside to cool.  
3. Reserve 1/4 cup (60ml) of the stock it cooked in, discarding the remainder. 
4. Add your carrot to a small saucepan of boiling water, cook until crispy tender.  Add the frozen vegetables. Remove from the heat and set aside for a few minutes, then drain well and cool.
5. For the sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan.  Add the onion and celery.  Cook over low heat to soften, stirring frequently.  Do not allow to brown.
6. Whisk in the flour.  Mix together the stock and milk. Slowly whisk this into the flour/butter mixture.  Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture comes to the boil and thickens.  Leave to simmer for several minutes.  Add the salt, pepper and summer savoury.  Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Keep warm.
7. Remove the chicken from the bone, discarding both the bone and the skin. Cut into 1/2 inch cubes.  Put into a bowl along with the cooked and drained vegetables.  Pour the sauce over top and mix well to combine.
8. Pour this mixture into a small oven-proof dish capable of holding it all and place the dish onto a small baking sheet.
9. Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6.
10. Measure the flour and salt for the pastry into a bowl.  Drop in the butter and lard and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse sand.  Stir in the water (you may need extra) to make a soft dough.
11. Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured board and shape into a flat round, then roll out  with a rolling pin, 1/4 inch thick to a round large enough to cover your baking dish.
12. Place the pastry on top of the filling in the dish and crimp the edges all around.  Vent in a few places with a knife.
13. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.

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