Chicken Pot Pie

Making pot pie from scratch is something I will be teaching all 3 of my children once they are old enough..... this is an important recipe to know how to make. I love the smell of the filling while it is cooking and then the combination of the filling and the crust baking in the oven is so comforting.....don't you think??


Don't be intimidated by the LONG directions....once you make this you will see that it really isn't as hard as the LONG list makes it seem!!

If you do not have the time to make the crust from scratch or just don't feel like you have mastered it (and trust me on some days I feel that way too) go right and use a store bought crust, I like the rolls in the refrigerated section. The texture will be a bit different then the crust recipe I provided you with but it will still do the trick.

 If you do like making crust from scratch and have the time then go right ahead or if you want a recipe to practice with use my recipe it is tried and true. Just remember crust is tricky no matter how many times you might have already made crust. If the humidity is too high or your hands are too warm are both reasons for crust sabotage so do not discouraged if your first crust is not magazine worthy....some of my first crusts were not presentable or tasty at all!!




Chicken Pot Pie

Crust:
1 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3 TBS cold butter
1/3 cup milk ( I use lactose free milk)

***this is enough for one crust, double if you want to top your pie with a crust***

Filling:
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup chopped onions
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3/4 cup chicken broth
2/3 cup milk ( I use lactose free milk)
3 cups cooked chicken, either shredded or cut into bite-size cubes
1 bag (16 oz.) frozen mixed veggies or peas & carrots


Directions:
Lightly grease your baking dish (either deep dish pie pan or a 9x9 square pan work well)
Preheat oven to 425F (if baking right after assembling)


Filling

Start with a clean pan or stockpot. Heat pan with your butter until the butter is melted and starting to bubble. Once the butter is bubbling stir in flour, onions, salt and pepper. Cook again until bubbly, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and whisk in broth and milk. Return over heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until mixture has thickened. Add chicken and veggies; stir to combine and remove from heat.



Crust

Combine dry ingredients and cut in butter until it resembles small peas. Add milk all at once and stir just until moisten. Scoop mixture out onto a floured surface and knead about 8 times. The dough should be ready to roll.

**** There are 3 different ways to make and bake a chicken pot pie****
1. Filling with top crust only
2. Bottom crust only
3. Top and bottom crust
If you are baking and serving I suggest pre-baking your crust just for a few minutes, no more then 5 minutes, this will help prevent the bottom from being under baked or soggy when you add the filling. BUT before baking lightly brush the pie crust with butter.

If you are making a top crust I suggest just prepping the dough to the point of rolling it out, then store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to roll it out. When you roll out the dough make sure to roll it a bit larger then the bottom crust, to make sure you are able to seal the edges to the bottom crust.



NOW TO PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

1. Filling with top crust only: Pour filling into prepared baking pan and top with your rolled out crust. Cut a 2 slits into the top to allow some of the steam to release while baking. Bake 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

2. Bottom crust only: After pre-baking crust; pour filling into crust and bake for another 20 minutes.

3. Top and Bottom crust: After pre-baking crust; pour filling into crust, top with top crust. Seal the edges of the bottom crust together with the top crust by pinching the crust together and then pressing down with a fork. Cut 2 slits into the top to allow steam to release while baking. Baking 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.



****This can freezes well too....let the filling cool completely before adding to your baking dish with either of the 3 crust options. Cover in plastic wrap first then add another layer of foil to prevent freezer burn. When you plan on baking and serving DO NOT thaw first, take it out of the freezer while you are preheating the oven to 425F. Unwrap and bake; time will then increase to about 1 hour, give or take depending on how long it was stored in the freezer. I recommend not freezing longer then 3 months though. You will know when the pie is ready once the filling is bubbly and/or the crust is golden brown****