Old Fashioned Chicken Pot Pie

This is the ultimate comfort food in my opinion.  Just oozing with delicious juices, melt in your mouth pastry, and a whole lot of goodness in the ingredients.  I usually make chicken pot pie after roasting an entire bird.  With all that leftover meat and broth, it’s a whole other meal in itself.  But this time, I had some chicken breasts in the freezer waiting to be used, so I cooked the chicken when making the gravy.  Winter is still wintering away, but there has to be a light at the end of that long, dreary tunnel.  In the meantime, let’s just enjoy more comforting foods like the above, and remember that spring is around the corner.  This recipe was given to me by a dear friend and ex-neighbor, Susan Dixon.  When I first tried it at her house, I just had to replicate it.  I’ve since adapted it and put my own mark on it :).  This is hubby’s favorite dish, so when he knows there’s chicken pot pie on the table, I gain extra brownie points 🙂

Ingredients (6 to 8 servings)

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 3 large shallots minced
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 tsp dried sage
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon Herbes de Provence
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken  broth ( I usually make my own)
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 1/2 cups baby carrots halved lengthwise
• 3 cups chicken breast meat
• 1 (10oz) package mushrooms quartered
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup pearl onions
• 1 bay leaf

Method

1. Melt butter in large deep skillet over medium low heat.  Add shallots, celery and carrots – cook for four minutes.
2. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Stir in flour, sage, thyme, bay leaf, mushrooms, Herbes de Provence.
4. Increase heat, add chicken, broth and milk.
5. Bring to a boil, stirring to break up any lumps of flour.
6. Add peas, pearl onions and frozen corn.
7. Pour into a baking dish or casserole.
8. Preheat oven to 350 deg.  Cover with pastry.  Brush with egg.
9. For the pastry, I used 2 cups flour, a teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup oil and 1/4 cup 2% milk.   Form ball, and roll between 2 pieces of wax paper, turning it in a circular direction each time to form a circle.
10. Bake uncovered for 50 minutes or until top is golden brown and filling is hot and bubbly.

There you have it.  A rustic, flavorful, hearty chicken pot pie.  I’ll guarantee you’ll go back for more :).

I’m off to party at Fiesta Friday #57.  Thanks Angie for hosting these great soirees; just so much fun visiting and taking in all the talent out there.