Chicken Pot Pie

Life is busy, the air is cool, the leaves are changing...'tis the season for good old fashioned comfort food and this chicken pot pie recipe from my friend Becca is just the ticket.  I often think that pot pie filling is rather bland, but not this one.  It was perfectly seasoned and added just the right creamy goodness to the veggies.  Now if I could just figure out how to get this 65 degree weather to stay around all winter!  :)

 Click here for printable recipe.

The ingredients:

FILLING: 
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. celery seed
1-3/4 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup milk
(2) 9-inch unbaked pie crusts (recipe below)

CRUST (the best pie crust recipe ever): 
1 cup shortening
2-1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 egg + enough ice water to make 1/2 cup liquid

Directions:
FOR CRUST:  Cut shortening into flour and salt until mostly the size of peas (DO NOT OVERDO--you want some bigger chunks of shortening still left).

Make a well in the center and add the egg/ice water mixture,

then stir together with a fork until dough barely starts clinging together.

Being careful not to overwork the dough, use your hands to combine the rest of the dough (this should be no longer than about 15 seconds of handling with your hands).  Makes 2-3 crusts depending on how thick you like your crust.  Roll out on generously floured surface.

 

Place into 9-inch pie plate and set aside to make filling. 

FOR FILLING:   Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, peas, and celery.

Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes.

Remove from heat, drain, and set aside.  In a saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft.  Stir in  flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed.  Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk.  Simmer until thick.

Remove from heat and set aside.  Place the chicken mixture in bottom pie crust.

Pour hot liquid mixture over. 

Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough.

Make several slits in top crust to allow steam to escape.  Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly.

Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

 Enjoy!