Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie is one of those comfort foods that most of us remember eating when we were kids. Maybe your mother slaved over the stove for hours to prepare this delicacy for you, maybe you bought the frozen Marie Calendar's version just last week, or maybe you've never even tasted the deliciousness that is Chicken Pot Pie. Either way, you should really try making this some time.

Now, let's get real here. I am no baker. I hate baking. Mostly because I'm not very good at it. Most people tell me to just practice more and I'll get better. But what happens when I don't feel like practicing? I buy the frozen, pre-made pie crusts at the grocery store. Is that cheating? Maybe so, but it still tastes good to me!

So, whether you choose to make your own crust, or buy it from the store, here is a delicious Chicken Pot Pie recipe that you should make tonight.

PS: If you ever want to make chicken and waffles, or chicken and biscuits, or biscuits & gravy, or something equally as Southern. This is a great basic white gravy recipe.

Chicken Pot Pie

The Ingredients:

- 2 large chicken breasts, poached (basically you just boil them in water with a little salt until they're no longer pink)

- 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables

- 1 onion, diced

- 2 stalks celery, chopped

- 1 stick of butter (yes, I know, that seems like a lot, but you can thank me later when your taste buds are rejoicing)

- Salt & Pepper, to taste

- All Purpose Seasoning, to taste

- 1/3 cup all purpose flour

- 1 can of Chicken Stock

- 2.3 cup milk

- One box prepared pie crust (two nine-inch crusts)

The Materials

- 1 pasta pot (for poaching the chicken)

- 1 sauce pan for cooking the veggies and chicken together

- 1 sauce pan for making the gravy

- A baking dish or pie plate for the final outcome

- A wooden spoon for mixing

- A wisk for...wisking

- A butter knife to trim your crusts with

- A fork to poke holes in the crust

- Measuring cups...for measuring

- A knife for knifing...wait

- A cutting board

The Directions:

1. Poach the chicken in boiling water with a bit of salt for flavor. I poached my chicken the night before, which dramatically sped up the prep time tonight when I got home from work. If you choose not to poach the chicken ahead of time, I would just dice it up and cook it with your veggies. Either way, be sure to add a good amount of salt and pepper for flavor.

2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. If your oven runs super hot, like mine, you might want to set it at 400. I got some burned edges on my pie with a 425 degree oven.

3. Melt two tablespoons of butter in one of your sauce pans and once it's melted (not before) add your onion, celery, frozen veggies, and a good amount of salt, pepper, and all purpose seasoning. This is where you also want to chop up your previously poached chicken and/or put in the raw chicken that you have also diced. Either way, you're dicing.

4. Heat this mixture through and while it's working, start on your gravy...

5. Melt five tablespoons of butter in your other saucepan. Once the butter is melted, add 1/3 cup all purpose flour and WISK, WISK, WISK! You don't stop wisking until the gravy is done. Yes, your arm might fall off, but don't stop or you'll have lumptastic gravy. Nobody likes that. Once you have the butter and flour incorporated, add the chicken stock and milk (separately) 1/4 cup at a time. Make sure you wisk the liquid into the flour/butter mixture completely before adding more liquid.

6. After you have incorporated all of the liquid into the butter/flour mixture, add salt and pepper to taste and keep wisking until you have a somewhat thickened, gravy-like consistency. Use your best judgement on this. It might take a while to get it where you want it to be, but be patient, it's worth it. If you feel like the gravy just isn't tightening up the way you want it to, add a teaspoon of flour until you get what you want. I usually just prefer the patience method.

7. Spray the bottom of your pie plate or casserole dish with pam. Put one of your crusts in the bottom of your dish and poke it a few times with a fork.

8. Pour your chicken and veggie mixture into the baking dish and then pour the gravy over it. Be sure to leave a little space at the top for everything to party down in the oven.

9. Top the chicken and veggie mixture with your other pie crust and cut off the excess around the edges. Make a few slits in the top pie crust to let steam escape. If you don't do this part, you will have chicken pot mess in your oven.

10. Bake in your preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until the top of the pie is golden brown.

11. Let stand for about 10 minutes, if you're able, before cutting. This will ensure that the pie stays together and doesn't run all over your plate.

Enjoy! Let me know if you have any comments about the recipe or other suggestions for pot pie alternatives. I've been thinking very strongly about make an Indian inspired, samosa-esque pot pie. I'm thinking it will have curry in the gravy, chicken, cauliflower, potatoes, peas, and other Indian yumminess. I'll let you know if I end up making it.