Annie's Chicken Pot Pie

Good morning y'all!

Every morning as I get the household moving for the day, I am always trying to decide what to prepare for supper. For some people, that decision comes at about 5:00 p.m. However, for me, it comes about 5:30 a.m. This could be because I love my life to be planned out nicely, or it could be because whatever we are having for supper has to have time to thaw before I can prepare it, or I run around like a chicken with my head cut off, stressing over what to make, until I throw my hands up in utter distress and discombobulation saying, "Y'all are having a frozen pizza." I like to pretend it is the former.

One of my favorite cold weather recipes is my  chicken pot pie recipe. It seems to be the boys' favorite as well, since there is always much rejoicing when they see the golden brown crusts on top of a hot, steaming pot pie, being taken from the oven.

I used to be very scared of making pot pies. Perhaps it seemed overwhelming. Perhaps I didn't want to commit to a one-dish supper. I am not sure what my issue was, but I sure am glad I overcame it. So are the boys.

The recipe is, as Little Bug would say, easy peasy....

Preheat over to 400 degrees
Throw 1/2 stick of butter in a large skillet to melt
Add chopped celery, onions and carrots. (As many as you care for.) Saute.
Add chopped chicken. (As much as you have on hand) I like to boil a chicken, set aside the broth and dark meat for soup and use the white meat for pot pie, but to each his own.
Simmer.
Add 1/4 c. flour, sprinkling evenly over mixture. Lightly stir.
Add 3 tsp. chicken stock (or three bouillon cubes) and 2 cups of water. Stir.
Add 1 cup milk, 1 tsp kosher salt. 1/2 tsp pepper. Stir.
Add  green beans and  peas (once again as many as you like).
Divide mixture evenly into two sprayed pie plates.
Cover with pie crust.
Make slits in crust. I like to do four inch long slits radiating from the center with a heart in the middle. Not that the boys notice, but I do, and it makes me happy. That is what matters.
Dribble 1 capful of milk on top of pie crust. Use fingers to spread it evenly on crust. This will give your crust a nice, brown color and crisp texture. Trust me. You will thank me later.
Place each pie plate on a cookie sheet and pop into oven. One on each rack. Set timer for 15 minutes.
When timer beeps, change pie plates places in oven and set timer for 13 minutes.
When timer goes off again, remove pies from oven. Set timer for 10 minutes. Those pies did a lot of work and need some time to rest.
Once the last timer goes off, pies are ready to be devoured. Trust me, 2 pies are barely enough for 5 people here, and I am sure that a third would be totally eaten as well. :)


I am hereby giving you permission to buy the pie crusts at the store. To buy canned or frozen chicken and vegetables at the store as well. Who cares if you have to purchase some of the ingredients ready made? I don't, and neither will your family. What they will see is a delicious supper, made by someone that loves them.

Remember, there is no contest for who is the best homemaker or cook. Do whatever works for you, in your situation. We all walk different roads in life, but sometimes it really feels good to come up alongside others and visit for awhile, doesn't it? 

~Annie