0 Chicken Pot Pie

When I first told my husband that I was making chicken pot pie, he got a sad look on his face...he actually thought I was gonna pull out the miniature frozen ones and bake them for dinner! I am delighted to say that he was very pleased with the 'family style' pot pie...chunk full of chicken, potatoes, carrots....


I am sure that there is a lower calorie version of this, but hey, this is family, right? Families need to eat together to stay together, right? Now you are on to my secret agenda for cooking!

What to do with the extra pie dough? Make a mini-pie or do what I do...make pie crust cookies! This is what my mom always did: roll out the extra pie dough onto a pie tin, score into sections, and sprinkle cinnamon/sugar mixture on top. Bake for 6-9 minutes or till golden brown.

This recipe is easily adaptable...add any veggies you like, or don't like (peas, for instance). You could, if you wanted to spend extra time, make those individual size pies...

Chicken Pot Pie
(4x6 printable recipe) (full page recipe)
adapted from Better Homes & Gardens

Pastry for 2 pie crusts (recipe below)
2 small potatoes, cubed
2 med. carrots, sliced
-or-
1-10 oz. pkg. frozen mixed veggies
1/2 c. chopped onion (medium)
1/4 c. margarine or butter
1/3 c. all purpose flour
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. thyme
1/8 t. pepper
2 c. chicken broth
3/4 c. milk
3 c. cooked chicken, cubed (2 boneless chicken breasts)
1 T. dried parsley

Prepare pastry for double crust pie; set aside. (crust is better if it has rested in the fridge for an hour or more)
Cook frozen veggies according to direction; or cook potatoes/carrots/other veggies by boiling, steaming, microwaving, or pressure cooking till fork tender.
In a medium saucepan, cook onion and butter till tender. Stir in flour, salt, thyme and pepper. Add chicken broth and milk all at once. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Stir in drained veggies, chicken, and parsley. Cook till bubbly.
Assemble 1 pie crust in a 2 qt. pie or baking dish.
Pour mixture onto pie crust. Place 2nd pie crust on top and flute edges of pastry and cut slits in top for steam.

Bake in a 450 degree oven for 12-15 minute or till golden.

Pie Crust Double
(4x6 printable recipe) (full page recipe)
From Better Homes & Gardens

2 c. all purpose flour
1/2 t. salt
2/3 c. shortening
6-7 T. ice cold water

Stir together flour and salt. Using a pastry blender or food processor, cut in shortening till pieces are pea-sized.
Pastry blender:
Sprinkle 1 T. of water over part of the mixture; gently toss with a fork. Push moistened dough to side of bowl. Repeat, using 1 T. of water at a time, till dough is moistened.
Food Processor:
Turn on to low setting. Through feed tube, add water until pastry forms a ball. Turn off immediately.

Divide dough in half. Form each half into a ball. Flatten into a 6" disc and wrap in plastic wrap.
Put dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to chill.
On a lightly floured surface, dust the top of the dough and rolling pin with flour.
Roll from center to edges into a 12" circle.
To transfer pastry, wrap it round the rolling pin; unroll into a 9" pie plate, being careful not to stretch pastry. With a table knife, trim pastry even with pie plate.
Put filling in pie crust.
Roll remaining dough into a 12" circle.
Cut slits in the center to allow steam to escape while baking.
Place pastry on top of filling; trim to 1/2" beyond edge of plate. Fold top pastry under edge of bottom pastry and slightly flatten.
Crimp edge of pastry as desired.

Bake as directed in the individual recipe.

Cover crust edge with foil during last 10 minutes to prevent over browning.