What's for Dinner {25} - Chicken Pot Pie

While babysitting one time, my mom had a few recipes to make for an upcoming event. One of those recipes left me with enough ingredients for what I planned to make - chicken noodle soup. However, I asked Gspice what he might want and it wasn't chicken noodle soup. It was something much more difficult that I was much more afraid to make - chicken pot pie.

Insert a few days of semi-panic feelings here.

Then, when I decided it was probably the last possible day I could use all those ingredients (carrots, onion, celery, chicken, homemade chicken broth) before they went bad/dry, I dived right in. I was really concerned because I still have not yet made a proper roux or bechmel sauce. This was no exception. I was convinced even after putting it in the freezer to make on another day that Gary would not touch it. Why? What was to be lovely creamy pie filling was nothing but soup and the pie crust I put on the bottom was way too small. I could hardly get the two to even close together so nothing would come spilling.

Insert another few days of semi-panic feelings here.

Finally, on April 3, I mustered up the courage to pull it out of the freezer. My bad for not taking it out sooner because it took a really long time to bake. But, much to my surprise, it was absolutely delicious. We even went back for seconds but then soon realized our eyes were bigger than our stomachs...oops.

Glad to put this in the success column!

Chicken Pot Pie adapted from Comfortably Domestic

*2 store-bought, refrigerated pie crusts - I used Pillsbury. Who knew they made these?? Love!
*1 T olive oil
*½ c freshly minced onion
*1 ¼ c thinly sliced carrots
*½ c thinly sliced celery stalks
*2 c red potatoes, cubed (per Gary's request of course)
*Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
*2 c boneless, skinless chicken, cooked and shredded (I may have used more...)
*4 T unsalted butter
*½ c all-purpose flour
*1 ½ c milk
*2 c chicken stock (I used my mom's homemade broth instead)
*½ t dried thyme
*1 c frozen peas, thawed (Gary REFUSED to eat the pie if I added this. So I didn't :( )

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large Dutch oven or sauce pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion, carrots, potatoes and celery in the pan until soft, but not brown. (About 5 minutes.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.

While the vegetables are softening, shred the cooked chicken. Set the shredded chicken aside in a large bowl.

Use a slotted spoon to remove vegetables from the pan, placing them in the bowl with the shredded chicken; set aside.

Heat the butter in the now empty pan (still over medium-high heat.) The butter will foam as it melts. Once the foaming stops, whisk in the flour. Cook the flour/butter for one minute…whisking constantly. Pour in the milk and chicken stock. Continue to whisk until smooth. Add the thyme. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until sauce fully thickens…stirring constantly. (About 1-2 minutes.) ** this is where I failed but kept going...

Taste sauce and adjust salt & pepper, to taste.

Pour sauce over chicken and vegetables in the large bowl; stir to combine.

Roll half of the Pillsbury pie crust on a lightly floured surface into a circle, 12-inches in diameter. **I missed this step entirely!

Gently roll the dough/pastry around the rolling pin to transfer to a 10-inch pie plate. Check that dough is fully touching the bottom and sides of the pie plate. ** Mine was not :) Spoon the warm filling into the pastry lined pie plate.

Roll the other half of the pie crust into a 12-inch circle. Roll the circle around the rolling pin, and transfer it to cover the top of the filled pie. Trim the edges of the pastry, and then fold & crimp the edges. Cut vent slits in the top of the pie. ** Notice my lovely hack job. Brush top with egg wash, if desired.

Bake until crust is fully cooked, top and bottom, and a deep golden brown; about 35-40 minutes. (If edges become too dark, cover with aluminum foil and continue baking until pie is done.)

Instagram comment: My very first attempt at making chicken pot pie. I'm scared...

Let pie rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Instagram comment: Gspice, the pickiest eater I know, gave this an 8. I'll take it