Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pies
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Creamed chicken (or 3 cups of Cream sauce along with 4 cups diced or shredded chicken)
2 TBSP butter
1/2 medium onion, chopped
4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
3 celery sticks, chopped
¾ cup frozen peas, thawed
3 TBSP fresh parsley, minced
Favorite pie crust recipe (see below)

Prepare creamed chicken and dough for pie crust. While creamed chicken is simmering, heat 2 TBSP of butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onions, carrots and celery and cook until onions are transparent (or cook vegetables in pressure cooker for 5 minutes). Stir vegetables into creamed chicken along with frozen peas, fresh parsley and season to taste (this mixture should look pretty soupy, it will thicken as it bakes. If your mixture looks too thick, just add a little more milk at this point.

Pour chicken mixture into a round casserole dish, then top with pie crust. Bake at 400° F for 25-35 minutes or until pie crust is golden brown.

Flaky Pastry Dough (enough dough for a top crust only, double if you would like a bottom crust)
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 cup shortening (very cold or partially frozen and cut into cubes)
1/4 cup butter (very cold or partially frozen and cut into cubes)

6 TBSP ice cold water
1 TBSP ice cold water

In a large bowl or food processor, mix together the dry ingredients, then mix in the cold shortening and butter until some of the fat are the size of peas and the rest resemble coarse crumbs. If mixing by hand use your fingers or pastry blender. If using a food processor, just a few quick pulses will do. Don't over mix the fat.

Drizzle 6 TBSP of ice cold water over mixer and mix until the mixture looks evenly moist and starts to form clumps (don't mix into one large ball). Press down on the dough with a spatula to see if the dough will stick together, if it doesn't, mix in 1 TBSP ice cold water. The dough should look rough, not smooth. Press dough into a round, flat disk and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or for several hours. Dough can also be frozen for up to 6 months.


*****
This is such a classic, feel good dinner. I personally enjoy Chicken and Dumplings more (same dish but topped with biscuits instead of a pie crust) but enjoy a traditional Chicken Pot Pie as well.

Proportions are very adaptable, just make sure the sauce isn’t too thick. Enjoy! Recipe courtesy of Joy of Cooking.

For a dairy free meal, prepare creamed chicken using only chicken broth as the liquid (instead of a mix of milk and chicken broth). Cook vegetables in oil instead of butter or steam in pressure cooker. Prepare pie crust with all shortening instead of a mixture of shortening and butter. Still delicious!