Old Fashioned Chicken Pot Pie

Last week, I took several chicken pot pies to moms with new babies. (I couldn’t help it! I figured if I was gonna make a mess..I might as well do it times three.)

I had a lot of fun decorating the crusts. There’s something about pie dough and cookie cutters that always distracts me! (Thanks Secret Sister if you are out there.)

Here’s the recipe from Better Homes and Garden’s Cookbook that  I use:

• 1 10oz pkg frozen mixed veges
• 1/2 c. chopped onion
• 1/2 c. chopped mushrooms (we leave those out.)
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/3. cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/4 t. sage (we skip the sage)
• 1/8 t. pepper
• 2 cups water (I use chicken broth from cooking the chicken.)
• 3/4 c. milk
• 1 T. chicken bouillon granules (if you don’t use chicken broth)
• 3 cups cubed cooked chicken
• 1/4 c. snipped parsley
• Opt.: We add a few diced potatoes – canned, baked, or boiled.
• Pastry for Double Crust Pie (see below)

So the way I do this is to start the chicken simmering in the pot first, or even better, cook it in the Crockpot the night before. Be careful not to overcook it in the Crockpot. This is one time you don’t want the meat falling apart tender. 

Chop it in bite size chunks and set it aside. Save the broth.  (You can substitute canned chicken meat.)

  Then start the frozen peas and carrots or mixed veges in the steamer basket or microwave. Set these aside when cooked.

 

Start a couple of potatoes in a small pot. Our family ADORES having diced potatoes in their pot pie. :o)

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Now make the sauce. In a saucepan, cook the onion and the mushrooms in butter until tender but not brown. Stir in flour, salt, sage, and pepper.  Stir until it is a smooth paste.

Add the water, milk, and bullion (or broth) all at once and cook and stir until thick and bubbly.  Cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes more. Don’t do this on high. It will burn!

Now stir in all the veges, meat, and potatoes, and parsley. Heat until bubbly. Put the whole mixture into a 9 x 18 baking dish or a casserole.

 

Now make the pie crust. Here’s the recipe for a double-pie crust.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 t. salt
• 2/3 c. shortening
• 6 to 7 TBs. cold water

In a mixing bowl stir together the flour and salt. Cut in shortening till the pieces are the size of small pieces. (I chill it for a few minutes afterwards.) The little pieces of chilled shortening covered in flour make little ‘pockets’ which makes the crust flaky.

Sprinkle 1 TB of the water over part of the mixture; gently toss with a fork and push to the side of the bowl. Repeat till it is all moistened. Then form it into a ball.

 

 

Now roll out the dough on a floured surface with a rolling pin into a rectangle shape. I think this works much better on a thin plastic cutting sheet or pie sheet. Then you can just pick up the dough and lay it over the pan.

But you can also roll up the dough very carefully and loosely over the rolling pin, then roll it back out. Don’t worry! I always have cracks and splits in my crust and I just patch it all up.

Then comes the fun part. Crimping the top edges. First pinch the dough all around into a vertical straight edge.

Then push with one finger tip from the inside of the crust edge into your thumb and forefinger pressed together on the outside of the crust and you will make a little divot or point.

Keep pushing points all the way around. It looks so pretty!

 

Now cut out whatever shapes you like in the left over crust to decorate the top and cut some slits to let out steam.

Pop it into the oven for 10 to 12 minutes and bake at 450. 

Or you can just leave it uncooked and freeze it to serve later or take to a friend.

I always think the little ones must have a fun time when they see their dinner all covered with fun shapes. My kids so looked forward to getting bits of cooked pie dough to nibble on while the casserole was cooking.

I even had two tiny pie tins that I used to cook leftovers in for them to eat :o)

(Just like Beatrix Potter’s The Pie and the Patty Pan.) 

Guess I’ll have to wait till the grandkids visit to do that again.

 (Pretty smooth how I worked that in..wasn’t it? LoL!)

Enjoy!