Chicken Pot Pie
Chicken pot pie is the holy grail of comfort food, especially when all we've been getting is winter's wonderful slush storms. But really, what's not to love about chicken and veggies smothered in a creamy gravy, topped with a buttery-flaky pie crust? (The answer is nothing.) This choose-your-own adventure recipe that can be adapted for beginners or dorm room gourmands. You can use frozen vegetables, a store-bought rotisserie chicken and pre-made pie crust (we did), or, if you're an advanced cook, cook your own chicken and make a homemade pie crust. Either way, goodness is guaranteed.
Prep Time: 25 min
Cook Time: 30 min
Total Time: 55 min
Servings: 4-6
Photo by Caty Schnack
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 yellow onion, minced into tiny pieces
3/4 cup frozen or fresh vegetables (we used a packaged mix of carrots, peas and corn; add celery if you'd like)
3 cups cooked and shredded chicken (about 1 store-bought rotisserie chicken)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
A splash of white wine (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste (start with about 1/2 teaspoon salt & 1/4 teaspoon pepper)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/3 cup half-and-half or cream
1 unbaked pie crust
1 egg
2 tablespoons water
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat.
Photo by Caty Schnack
2. Add onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add veggies and cook about 7 minutes (if fresh, cook about 3-5 minutes), stirring occasionally.
Photo by Caty Schnack
3. Add the cooked chicken and sprinkle flour on top. Stir until combined and cook about 1 minute.
Photo by Caty Schnack
4. Add the broth, wine (if using), salt, pepper, thyme and rosemary. Cook until thickened, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
Photo by Caty Schnack
5. Stir in half & half (or cream). Cook about 5 minutes until the mixture is thickened and slightly bubbly. It'll probably start smelling amazing. After 5 minutes, taste the mixture and adjust seasoning as necessary.
Photo by Caty Schnack
6. Pour the mixture into a baking dish—a 9″ pie plate works great, but you can also use a cast-iron skillet for a rustic look–or a 9×9 or 8×8 square baking dish. Roll out the pie crust and lay it over the baking dish.
Photo by Caty Schnack
7. Press the dough to the sides of the pan and trim any excess. The dough should cover the chicken mixture completely as well as about 1/2″ up the sides of the pan. Pierce the dough several times to create air vents. Next, in a small bowl, mix together egg and water with a fork. Vigorously mix until combined. Brush the egg wash on top of the crust with the back of a spoon (or a pastry brush if you have one.)
Photo by Caty Schnack
8. Bake about 25-35 minutes, or until the crust is golden.
Photo by Caty Schnack
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