Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps thinly sliced
2 carrots, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
2 tablespoons Madeira
2 cups whole milk
3 cups shredded chicken (from a rotisserie chicken)
1/2 cup frozen baby peas
Eight 1-inch-thick slices of bakery white country bread (about 1 pound), crusts removed

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°.
2. In a large ovenproof nonstick skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the onion, mushrooms and carrots and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over high heat, stirring once, until the vegetables are just softened, about 1 minute.
3. Uncover and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the flour and paprika and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
5. Add the stock and Madeira and cook, stirring, until blended. Add the milk and bring to a gentle boil.
6. Stir in the chicken and peas and season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.
7. Arrange the bread over the chicken mixture, trimming it to fit snugly in a single layer. Brush the bread with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.
8. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the filling is bubbling and the bread is golden. Serve right away.

Serves 6.