Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

Fall is here, days are shorter, cooler and the rain has started. Few things are more comforting on a cold rainy day than some hearty, home cooked food. The rain put a hold on outside projects so my Sunday was now open for an indoor activity. Homemade chicken pot pie fit the bill. Actually, I made the filling 1 day then made the crust and baked the pot pie on day 2.

I had 2 chicken breasts that I browned in a pan the evening before, the remains of a package of chicken breast since that much chicken is always far too much for one meal feeding 2 mouths. The chicken was diced and set aside. All the veggies were also prepped and set aside- potatoes, carrots, celery, mushrooms, onions, parsley, and peas.
In a large pot a couple tablespoons of butter were melted and the onions were added. Crushed garlic, thyme, and salt and pepper were added. A few tablespoons of unbleached flour were added one at a time and mixed well to create a roux which will later thicken the liquid. The mixture was cooked for a few minutes then slowly chicken broth was added to the roux mixing constantly to ensure the flour mixture incorporated smoothly into the liquid.  I used one can of broth then added all of the veggies and chicken then topped off with more liquid. This way, I was sure to have just enough liquid since I was aiming for a thick stew liquid and not a soup. The pot was covered and cooked for an hour or 2.

Buttery, flakey, brown, melt in your mouth pie crust can be so simple. 4 ingredients is all it takes.  I made enough crust for a full size pie and 2 small pies. Here are the measurements I used: 2  ½ cups flour, 1 cup COLD butter, about ½ cup COLD water and a few pinches of salt. The butter should be cubed then added to the flour and salt and cut in until it’s crumbly. I don’t get bent out of shape if some of the larger clumps won’t break down because this is what helps create the flakiness. The cold water is slowly added and mixed. I prefer a fork for most of the mixing. Form the dough into 2 balls and refrigerate for a few hours.

The dough was rolled, the pie pans were filled, the delectable pies baked until golden brown and the house smelled incredible.