SANDRA'S ULTIMATE HOMEMADE CHICKEN POT PIE

Comfort and delicious food for the soul
doesn't get any better than this...

Yields: (One 10” pie,
or individual ramekins)

Prep: 20 mins. |
Bake: 40 to 45 mins.

Posted by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

***Chicken/Veggie Filling

1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – uncooked, and cut into ½” cube

1-1/4 cup carrots, cut into ½” cubes

1 cup frozen green peas

3/4 cup celery, cut stalks in half, and then into ½” slices

2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½” cubes

Low-sodium chicken broth to cover chicken/veggies
--(Note: Reserve broth while draining)

***Sauce

2/3 cup butter

1 cup onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 teaspoon celery seeds

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1 teaspoon ground thyme

1 teaspoon worcestershire

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

3 cups reserved low-sodium chicken broth

1-1/3 cup milk

***Crust

--2 unbaked pie crusts (For homemade, click here: Pie Crust Recipe (for two 10' crusts)

--1 egg with 2 tablespoons water, beaten (to brush on top of crust before baking)

METHOD

In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, peas, celery, and potatoes. Add chicken broth to cover and boil for 8 to 10 minutes, just until veggies are tender. Remove from heat, drain (reserving broth separately) and also set aside veggies/chicken mixture.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In the saucepan over medium heat, saute the onions in butter until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Whisk in flour, kosher salt, pepper, celery seed, poultry seasoning, thyme, and worcestershire, and then slowly stir in white wine vinegar, reserved chicken broth, and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until sauce thickens (if too thick add more milk), also taste for seasonings, adding more kosher salt and pepper, if needed.  Add the chicken/veggie mixture, and remove from heat and set aside.

Fit the pie crust in the bottom of the pie plate (or individual ramekins), leaving a 1/2" overhang. and place the chicken and sauce mixture over bottom pie crust. Brush edges of the bottom pie crust with egg wash mixture so the top crust adheres.  Cover with top crust, and flute edges with fingers or fork tines to seal. Brush top crust with beaten egg (not edges), and then sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Make a vent hole in middle of top crust by cutting a few small slits to allow steam to escape while baking. Place foil strips around edges of pie crust to prevent edges from burning, and place pie on a foil-lined baking sheet in the event of potential spillovers.

Bake for 15 minutes at 450 degrees.  Remove foil strips, and reduce oven heat to 350 degrees, and continue baking for 40 to 45 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 20 minutes before serving (be very careful, it/they will still be very hot). - Enjoy!

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Tip: After cooking, the pot pie can be frozen.  To reheat, just place in microwave and cook on high for 7 to 8 minutes.