We like to use leftover roast chicken for pot pies. If you don’t have any leftovers (roast more chickens!), you can always cook up some boneless breasts or roast bone-in breast in the oven at 375 for 30-45 minutes or until they read 165 on a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast. If you’re looking for something to cook on the weekend and have ready for easy dinners during the week, roast chicken breast is really versatile. You can have tacos, hearty chicken soup, pasta is chicken and pesto, BBQ chicken sandwiches. I could go on, but let’s get back to pot pies! Pot pies are hearty and comforting. You can make a large pie for the family, or a few smaller pies and put the extra in the freezer to bake up later when you need. For these pies we used peas from the garden, carrots from Manheim Farms in Whately, and fresh milk from Wholey Cow Farm in Conway. Chicken Pot Pie
3 cups shredded or cubed cooked chicken (we like using leftover roast chicken)
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup peas
(½ cup sliced celery) optional
(1/3 cup sliced onion) optional
¼ cup butter
¼ cup flour
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
Ground sage or poultry seasoning
1 ½ cups whole milk and/or half and half
(Leftover gravy if you have any from your roast chicken!)
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, Chopped
1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water
2 unbaked pie crusts, we like the King Arthur Flour all-butter pie crust substituting lard for half of the butter
Preheat the oven to 425. Roll out the pie dough and lay the bottom crust in the pan. Bring the carrots to a boil. Add the peas and cook three minutes, or until the carrots are just tender. If you’re in a rush you can use a frozen peas and carrot mix, and add it in at the end. Sauté the onions and celery in the butter until translucent. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for a few minutes. Add the bay leaf. If you have leftover gravy from your roast chicken, add it here. Slowly whisk in the milk. Bring to a simmer. Stir in the sage and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and add the drained vegetables and chicken. Add the parsley and stir until combined. Pour or spoon the filling to the pie. Dampen the edges of the pie crust before adding the top crust. Make sure to cut some air vents. Brush the crust with the egg. You can put the unbaked pie in the freezer for 30 minutes for a crisper crust, but it isn’t necessary. Or you can freeze unbaked pie for later. Tightly wrapped and frozen they keep well. Bake the pie at 400 for 15 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 350 and bake another 30-45 minutes, or until the crust is browned and the filling is bubbling. Cool at least 10 minutes before serving. If you make your own pot pies, send us pictures at underlinefarm@gmail.com so we can share.
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