Homestyle Chicken Pot Pie

Several weeks ago, I had two blog readers request this recipe from me within twenty-four hours…so I guess it’s time to write this one down the next time I make it.  I’ll base the amount of ingredients below on what I think would fill a large, round, deep dish pie plate or a medium size Pyrex baking dish, so increase the ingredients as much as you want for whatever casserole dish you are using.  If you have too much filling for the size of your serving dish, just save the extra and serve it over toast or biscuits…two meals in one!

FYI…I don’t have a recipe for this, but at least you will now know the ingredients I use.  Sometimes I add fresh mushrooms and/or frozen corn.  If you love an ingredient, add more.  If you don’t like something, leave it out!  Please read through the entire “recipe” before you begin.

CHICKEN POT PIE

1 whole boneless chicken breast (about 1 lb.)  I sometimes use legs/thighs
Chicken broth to cover chicken  (About 2 Cups of broth)
1/2 medium onion, finely diced
1 tsp. Poultry Seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp dried parsley (or 1 T. fresh)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
2  carrots, peeled and diced
1-2 stalks of celery, diced
1/2 to 1 C frozen corn
1/2 pkg Portabello mushrooms (optional) wiped clean and sliced
1/2 to 1 cup frozen peas
Approx. 1/2 C milk or half & half
2 T. butter
2 T. flour
1 egg
1 or 2 rolled refrigerated  pastry crust (bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before unrolling)
(If you are making a 9×13 pan you will need two crusts…just lay them side to side and overlap them when you roll them out.)

METHOD

GENTLY poach the chicken breasts in the chicken broth just until tender,  (Add an additional stalk of celery and a piece of onion to the chicken as it cooks and discard when chicken is done.)  SAVE THE BROTH.   DON”T OVERCOOK or the chicken will be tough and stringy!  After chicken is removed from the cooking liquid, dump the diced potatoes, carrots and celery (and frozen corn if you’re using it) into the cooking liquid and cook just until tender.  (You may need to add more broth/water to barely cover vegetables.) When cooked, set aside.  Again…save the liquid! That’s where ALL the flavor is! And that cooking liquid will become the sauce for your pie.

In a large skillet, saute onions and garlic in butter until softened.  Then add and saute the mushrooms if you’re using mushrooms in the dish. Whisk in the flour and stir for several minutes. Then pour the vegetables and broth mixture into the flour mixture and stir quickly to prevent lumps. Add in the diced, cooked chicken, frozen peas, parsley and half and half and cook for about two minutes or until the sauce begins to thicken.  If the sauce is too thick, add more milk.  Too thin? Mix more flour with milk and add, stirring quickly to prevent lumps.

Pour mixture into greased casserole dish or pie pan.  Roll out pie dough and top the filling with crust.  Crimp the edges and cut slits in crust to allow steam to escape.

Beat the egg in a small bowl and brush the entire surface of the crust with the egg wash.  Sprinkle the entire crust with coarse Kosher salt and place the dish on a rimmed baking sheet (cover baking sheet with  tin foil if you want) to catch spills.  Bake in a 375-400 degree oven until crust is golden and filling is bubbling through the slits in the crust.  Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes to allow the filling to “set”.

ENJOY!  (I hope this comes close to the “hands on” way I make it…I need someone to follow me around my kitchen and MEASURE while I cook!)