Chicken Pot Pie

Yet another dinner my kids won't eat.  I'm sure with all these comments of what my kids won't eat you are all thinking "Wow, she must really be a lousy cook!"  Well, YOU ALL WOULD BE WRONG.  You should see Taco Salad night.  While hubby and I enjoy a nice big salad with all the fixin's  The kids eat everything separate, meat, beans, cheese, lettuce, chips, etc.  all separate on their plates.    You see, this dish requires several ingredients to be mixed together (see illustration below).  Oddly they like my homemade Chicken soup with almost identical ingredients.  'Sigh'

I am reluctant to part with this recipe.  I am sort of selfish that way, which is why it is odd that I would start a food blog.  But I am going to let you in on this one.  This recipe is one of my favorites.  It tastes a bit like Mimi's pot pie, if you are familiar with that restaurant.

I am admitting that for this recipe I use frozen pie crusts.  OK, I said it, maybe softly, but I did.  It's just hard to spend the time it would take to do a home made crust for regular dinners.  I do not like frozen crust with pie but for this savory dish it lends a flavor that comes out alright and that I wouldn't like on a sweet pie.  I also stick with Kroger brand.  I tried one other brand and didn't like it as well.

Ingredients

• 2  -9 inch deep dish unbaked pie crusts
• 1 egg, beaten
  
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
• 1 cup sliced carrots
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 1/2 cup sliced celery
• 1 small potato cubed small
  
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2/3 cup milk 

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Take one pie crust, leave the other in the freezer and brush with beaten egg.  No need to thaw.  Cover edge of crust with tinfoil or shield and bake for 5 minutes.   This will help keep the crust from getting soggy.

Combine chicken, carrots, potatos, peas, ( I use less than a cup, it's just too much for me. And for that matter, I never measure any of the other vegis either.) and celery. Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside. I usually use chicken I have previously cooked, so I add the chicken after the carrots have softened a bit.

In the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Slowly stir in chicken broth (I just use the broth that was made while boiling the vegis and chicken earlier. But you may need a stronger broth.) and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and set aside.

Place the chicken mixture in bottom pie crust. Pour hot liquid mixture over. Save any extra that doesn't fit for use as a sauce.

Here is the filling, before the top crust.

Remove the other crust from freezer and invert over top crust.  If it's not still frozen it won't come out of the pan.  Let it sit a minute to thaw then seal edges.  If you don't let it thaw it just breaks up, but that is ok then you don't have to - Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.  If you want you can brush the top with more egg mixture.
 
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly.