Chicken Pot Pie

Let's see how many times I do a Chicken Pot Pie post now until next April.

This is a family favorite. I have been making this recipe since Feb. 2010. I found it on RealSimple.com. Over the years the only thing I have changed is the amount of milk I use to make the sauce. Be forwarned. This will boil over in the oven.

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients -
1 pound meat from roasted chicken
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 onions, chopped
4 carrots, diced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups 1 percent milk
1 10-ounce package frozen mixed vegetables
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 9-inch pie crust

Method -
Heat oven to 400° F.
Remove the chicken meat from the chicken carcass. Save those bones for stock!
Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. 

Add the onions and carrots and cook, stirring, until they begin to soften, 6 to 8 minutes (do not let them darken). 

Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
Add the wine and cook until evaporated, about 5 minutes. 

Add the milk and simmer until the sauce thickens 2 to 3 minutes. 

Stir in the chicken, peas, thyme, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Transfer to a shallow 1 1/2- to 2-quart baking dish.
Lay the crust on top, pressing to seal. 

Cut several vents in the crust. 

Place the pot pie on a baking sheet and bake until bubbling and the crust is golden, 30 to 35 minutes.

The crust is the Pate Brisse recipe from The Silver Palate cookbook, which I got as a shower gift for my wedding. This is the only crust recipe I use.  

Pate Brisee -

Ingredients
1-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt
1 pinch granulated sugar

5-1/2 Tbsp (2/3 stick) sweet butter, chilled

3 Tbsp vegetable shortening, chilled
1/4 cup ice water

Method-
Sift the flour, salt, and sugar together into a bowl; add butter and shortening and cut them into dry ingredients with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture is like coarse meal.
Sprinkle on and blend in enough of the ice water to make a workable dough, mixing water in lightly with a fork.
Turn dough out onto your work surface and, using the heel of your hand, smear the dough away from you, about 1/4 cup at a time. Scrape up the smeared dough into a ball, wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
I love this crust!

The crust was decorated with leaf cutouts and a squirrel. 

An autumn theme!

Parmesan Pasta With Chicken and Rosemary

I am back! Finally feeling well enough to get back to blogging. Not that blogging is exhausting but... Enough excuses for my absence. What did I make for dinner?  Parmesan Pasta With Chicken and Rosemary from RealSimple.com. This was a perfect work night dinner. It came together in 15 minutes, did not fill the sink with too many dishes and was delicious!

From RealSimple.com, Parmesan Pasta With Chicken and Rosemary

Ingredients -
12 ounces orecchiette (about 3 cups)
1 2- to 2 1/2-pound rotisserie chicken
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
3/4 cup grated Parmesan (3 ounces)
kosher salt and black pepper

Method -
Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve 1 ¼ cups of the cooking water. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.

Meanwhile, using a fork or your fingers, shred the chicken, discarding the skin and bones.

Toss the pasta with the chicken, rosemary, reserved pasta water, ½ cup of the Parmesan, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

Cook, stirring, over medium-low heat, until the sauce has thickened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup of Parmesan.

Stuffed Artichokes and Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Yeah I know it is an odd combo. I saw the artichokes on sale and had to make them. The soup was already planned for tonight's dinner.

The stuffing for the artichokes is similar to what my mom used except I did not use mushrooms. I sauteed diced carrots and onions and the artichoke stems. I mixed breadcrumbs, parsley, Parmesan cheese, olives, olive oil, salt and pepper and added the sauteed vegetables. Not bad but not as good as Mom's. This will require more practice. And more stuffing. There was just not enough. I was reading a recipe by Lidia and it suggested baking them. My mom put them in a pan with water and steamed them. Next time...

The soup recipe comes from SkinnyTaste.com. It was quite different from anything I have tried before. A slurry? Isn't that from the 5th Dimension song Stoned Soul Picnic? Oh sorry that was surry down!

It did taste just like chicken pot pie... but I did miss the crust!


My version of Chicken Pot Pie Soup, from SkinnyTaste.com

Ingredients -
2 tbsp flour (to make gluten-free use 2 tbsp cornstarch instead)
1 cups water
2 cups fat free milk
1 large celery stalk, chopped
1/2 medium chopped onion
1 carrot chopped
1 chicken bouillon
fresh ground pepper
pinch of thyme
10 oz frozen classic mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, green beans, corn)
1 potatoes, peeled and cubed small
8 oz cooked rotisserie chicken, diced small
salt

Method -
Create a slurry by combining 1/2 cup of the cold water with flour in a medium bowl and whisk until well blended. Set aside.

Pour remaining water and milk into a large pot and slowly bring to a boil. Add celery, onion, mushrooms, chicken bouillon, thyme, fresh pepper, frozen vegetables and return to a boil. Partially cover and simmer on low until vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes. Remove lid, add potatoes and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add chicken, and slowly whisk in slurry, stirring well as you add. Cook another 2-3 minutes, until soup thickens, adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve. We did a cup of water the the broth to thin it out a little.