Chicken Pot Pie

Psst, do you know how easy and delicious homemade pot pie is? No? Read on, because once you've made your own, store bought will never measure up. ;o)

ingredients

• Pie crusts - (homemade or refrigerated), I usually use Pillsbury® Refrigerated Pie Crusts (I try to keep at least 2 packages of 2 in the freezer for quick throw togethers.
• 2 cups cooked chicken breast (or dark, your preference), cut into cubes, or torn into chunks (great to do ahead of time and freeze! If using pressure cooker to cook, add various veggies for flavor and enough water to make enough broth!)
• 1 cup frozen peas (keep in freezer until ready to add)
• 2 cups carrots, chopped (great to do ahead of time and freeze!) - steam until slightly undercooked
• 1/3 cup onions, chopped (great to do ahead of time and freeze!)
• 1/3 cup celery chopped OR 1/8 cup dehydrated chopped (dehyd: use as is) (great to do ahead of time and freeze!)
• 2 russet potatoes, peeled, cubed (boil until slightly undercooked, drain and set aside)
• 6 tablespoons butter, unsalted
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, and 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 14 ounces chicken broth (you remembered to save it from cooking chicken, right?! ;o))
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 can cream of chicken or celery soup
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder - optional
  

directions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prepare pie crust for 9-inch glass pie plate. If using refrigerated crusts, follow package directions. TIP: use non-stick cooking spray on pie plate.
• Prepare potatoes and steam your carrots, both slightly undercooked.
• In 3-qt casserole dish (or similar), melt butter over medium heat. Add onions and cook until just translucent. Add steamed carrots and celery, stir, cook until onions slightly browned (carmelized). Keep stirring. Add flour, salt and pepper (if using garlic powder, add this too). Keep stirring. Cook for 2 minutes. Slowly add chicken broth a little at a time. Keep stirring. Add milk slowly. Stir. Cook until bubbly and slightly thickened. Remove from heat.
• Add chicken, potatoes and frozen peas. Gently stir.
• Spoon into prepared pie crust. Top with 2nd crust, folding top edge over the bottom crust, press together and then flute the edge. If too much extra top crust, trim a little off with scissors before folding under. Cover edges with foil. Make slits in the top of crust.
• Bake 35-45 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbling. Remove from oven, let rest 10-15 minutes.

I also use same amounts, but use more crusts, and cut them to make individual pot pies. Options are endless. Don't care for veggies that we've used, use whatever your family likes. Like turkey or pork better, use that instead of chicken.

When I first started making this, I didn't cook the onions and stuff... it turned out okay. But, the flavor boost of cooking them so makes it worth while.