Bring on the Chicken Pot Pie

I wish I could say this is easy to make but it takes a little bit of time.  Well, at least the first time you make it from scratch.  It's was worth it, though.  This recipe makes about 4 individual chicken pot pies.

Pie Filling Ingredients:

1 lbs of Roasted Chicken cut into small chunks

1 Cup of each Pearl Onions, Celery, Carrots and Potatoes

32 Ounce container of Chicken Broth

6 Tbs of Unsalted Butter

6 Tbs of Flour

1 1/2 Tbs of chopped Parsley

1/2 tsp of Dried Thyme

Salt and Pepper to taste

I like to make sure I have all my ingredients measured out and in prep bowl so when I start working everything is ready and at my finger tips.

The first thing you are going to want to do so start the dough.  It has to cool and set for a while.  Here is what you'll need.

Dough Ingredients:

1 1/4 Cup of Flour

1/2 Cup (1 Stick) 

1/4 tsp of Salt

3 to 4 Tbs of Cold Water

In a large bowl whisk together the salt and flour.  Cut in the butter until it looks like oatmeal.  Sprinkle with 3 Tbs of the water and toss with a fork until the dough holds together when squeezed in your hand. Add water a teaspoon at a time if you need more water.  Form into a ball and flatten into a 6 inch disc.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Then remove and let rest for 15 minutes before you roll it out.  This allows the dough to fully hydrate and keeps it from cracking.

While the dough is cooling cook the filling.

Melt the butter over medium low heat and add the celery and onions in a saucier.  Cook them until they are soft and remove from the butter. 

 While the celery and onions are cooking.  Cook the Carrots and Potatoes in salted water for about 15 to 20 minutes and remove and set aside.  Remove the saucier from the heat and add the flour and whisk until well integrated.  Put back on low heat and whisk for about 3 minutes until the mixture is smooth.  Remove from the heat once more and whisk in 1 cup of the chicken broth.  Whisk well to eliminate the lumps.  Put back on medium heat and whisk in the remaining broth bring to a boil.   The mixture should be thickening.  Turn off the heat and add the remaining ingredients to this mixture.  

This needs to cool before you put on the dough top.  You can put bowl in a larger bowl with ice and let the filling cool while you are rolling the dough out.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Flour a surface and cover the dough with flour.  Roll out the dough until you have enough dough to cover 4 individual pies.

Fill the pots with the filling and cover with the dough.  You can decorate the pies with the leftover dough.  I made some little chickens.  Make sure the dough is sealed around the edges.  Cut vents in the dough.  

Place the pies on a cookie sheet and place in the oven and cook for 40 to 45 minutes.  The Crust should be lightly browned when done.  Let the pies cool for 10 to 15 minutes before you serve.  Enjoy!!!!