Pop Goes the Chicken

A long time I had a conversation with a twitter friend about chicken pot pie. She had made it for the first time I believe and didn't like the results. I told her I had a pretty good recipe and promised to share it. I then broke my wrist and didn't do a whole lot of blogging. then despite my best intentions I never did post my recipe.

Then my Health Nut sister decided to make chicken pot pie. She complained about it taking so long (she did it the hard way) and I think about the taste...so for my sister (who rarely reads my blog) and the friend on twitter I cant remember I am posting my recipe.

Chicken Pot Pie

I don't think Chicken Pot Pie is all that flavorful. In fact I think its kind of dull in flavor. But I love eating it regardless...I think the secret is using herbs and spices you enjoy.

• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup milk
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, diced
• 3 celery stalks, diced
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• salt and pepper to taste
• rosemary, thyme, marjoram and basil, powdered or fresh (what ever and how much you like)
• 1 cup frozen peas*
• 1 cup frozen corn*
• 2 cups chicken, cut into cubes
• 2 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup flour 
• 1 egg
• 2 frozen pie crusts thawed**

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Cook chicken in a large frying pan with a little olive oil and salt and pepper. Once completely cooked remove from pan and set aside.

3. Heat chicken stock and milk in a sauce pan. Simmer over medium-low heat then cover to keep warm.

4. Melt butter in the same pan you used to cook chicken (be sure to scrape up all the good bits on the bottom of the pan...yummy). Add carrots and celery and cook until they start to get soft.

5. Add onions, garlic and herbs/seasoning to the pan. Cook until onions start to turn transparent. Add salt and pepper, peas and corn and cook until vegetables are no longer frozen.

6. Add the chicken to the vegetables and stir. 

7. Sprinkle the flour over the chicken and vegetables and stir until well combined.

8. Pour in the chicken and milk mixture. Stir until flour has dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside.

9. Take one pie crust and place in a the bottom of a 4 x 4 pan. This will require you to do a little "mushing to make it fit". Just make sure the bottom is covered and part of the sides.

10. Place chicken and vegetable mixture in pan on top of pie crust.

11. Roll out the second pie crust and place on top of the mixture tucking the edge of the crust around the chicken and vegetable mixture...be careful you don't want to burn yourself like I do every time I make it.

12. Beat the egg and brush over the top of your pie crust. Cut a few slits into the top crust to help with "venting"

13. Bake for 20 minutes. 

14. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.

This doesn't take as much time as you may think it does and for some reason just looking at it makes me happy...and hungry.

*If you have fresh peas and corn then you should use them instead of the frozen ones....it really does make a lot of difference in flavor.

**This is the secret short cut my sister didn't use. She attempted to make her own pie crust and she didn't like the taste of the pie crust...I'm not sure what she did to it, pie crust is super easy to make. I make a really good pie crust (ask my mom).  I would share it but to be honest I have no idea what the recipe is, its one of those things I just know how to make by looking at it. Its weird I know. And to be honest I prefer store bought pie crust because I am a lazy cook.