Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken pot pie is the pot roast of the poultry world. Everyone has their own recipe, usually based on a family recipe passed on from mom or grandma. It is comforting, warm, and homey. It can be as simple or as fancy as you want. It combines all necessary elements of a meal into one delicious dish (carb, protein, vegetable, gravy). It is a special level of awesome.

My chicken pot pie is pretty basic as far as ingredients go. Chopped or shredded chicken, carrots, peas and onions in gravy, baked under a crust. However, mine strays from tradition slightly in that instead of just sauteing my onions, I let them caramelize to a deep mahogany brown.



It helps to start with everything prepped and ready to go.

That thing on the toaster oven is my chromebook.

Start with the onions in two tablespoons of fat (I like butter, oil works too) on medium high heat, just to get them going. When your onions reach this stage:

Translucent, golden brown on the edges an a little foamy

Turn the heat down to low-medium low (depends on how hot your burner gets). You want to slow the cooking down so you don't go from 'mahogany' to 'burnt' in the blink of an eye. Keep a close eye at this point, because it will happen quickly. Let it go as long as you dare, without getting char, for the best flavor. Your nose is a better guide than your eyes on this one. The instant it gets there, pour in your liquid, and whisk to get the good bits from the bottom of the pan.

Whisk in the flour slurry, and let it reach a slow bubble. Mix add in the carrots, and the chicken if you have room.

Mine does not quite hold all the chicken.

Pour the mixture into a pie plate, add the peas,

Helps to keep them from over cooking.

And top with the crust

The hole lets you see when its bubbling in the center.

Bake at 375 until it is rapidly bubbling in the center.

It was still bubbling when I took this picture. You can see a bubble bursting if you look closely.

Its best to let it rest for 15 minutes, before cutting into it and enjoying. Depending on appetites, it will serve 4-8.

Enjoy!

~PhysicsGal

Chicken Pot Pie
1 pie crust
1 cup onions
1 1/2 cups carrots
2/3 cup pea
Shredded meat from one small chicken (about 3 cups)
2 cups chicken stock, milk or mix
2 tablespoons butter or oil
1/4  cup flour
2 tsp thyme
salt, pepper to taste

Start with the onions in two tablespoons of fat on medium high heat, then reduce to low heat until they are mahogany. Pour in 1 1/2 cups of liquid, scraping pan to get up any stuck pieces. Mix remaining liquid and flour to make a slurry and whisk in. Bring to a boil, add thyme and adjust salt and pepper. Add carrots and chicken. Pour into pie plate, top with peas and pie crust with a large hole in the center.

Bake in a 375 oven for 45 -60 minutes. Let cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.