How I spent my Saturday!

HOMEMADE CHICKEN POT PIES

By Glenda Reando

This takes 4-6 hours to make, a lot of steps and work involved. Some steps can be done the day or two before like the chicken stock and pie crust mix can be made ahead of time and stored for use in this recipe. It so worth the finished chicken pot pie.

STEP 1: MAKE HOMEMADE CHICKEN STOCK

1 Whole Chicken
1 Large Onion
2-3 Large Carrots
4-5 Large Stalks of Celery
1 Red Pepper
2 Bulb of Garlic Smashed (I like garlic)
Salt and Pepper
2-3 Sprigs Fresh Thyme

Cut the breast out of the chicken for use in step 2. In a large stock pot place all the vegetables (vegetables do not need to be peeled just cut and break into pieces) and chicken cover with cold water and add salt, pepper, and thyme to taste. Cook under medium high heat until water boils then turn down to simmer and simmer for 1-2 hours. Let cool, and then separate liquid stock from chicken and vegetables. Separate chicken from bones and fat and save the meat. Throw out all the bones, fat, and vegetables.

NOTE: You can this step and just buy chicken stock but I like to make it myself it tastes so much better and you control the salt content and flavors.

 

 

STEP 2: POACHING THE CHICKEN BREASTS
5-6 Chicken Breasts (white meat does best in chicken pot pies

Pack chicken breast into a large pot. Cover with water or chicken stock with 5-6 tbsp. of white wine. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the chicken steep for 40 minutes. Do not remove lid during cooking and steeping. Let it soak until ready to use. If you used chicken stock drain and add chicken stock back into the stock made in step 1.

STEP 3: PRE-BOIL THE POTATOES
3 Large Potatoes

Peel and cut the potatoes into bite size cubes, then place in pot with water, salt and cook until almost done  but still firm (halfway). The potatoes will finish cooking in the pies themselves later. Drain 2 cups of the potatoes water to use in step 5 then rinse the potatoes in cold water and leave in cold water to stop the cooking and set aside. 

 

 

STEP 4: SAUTE THE VEGETABLES FOR THE CHICKEN POT PIES

Olive Oil
1 Large Onion, diced
5-6 Large Stalks of Celery, sliced
4-5 Large Carrots, diced
1 Bulb of Garlic, pressed
1 Red Pepper, diced
1 Bag Frozen Peas
Fresh or dry thyme to taste, chopped
Fresh or dry parsley to taste, chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste

Dice the onion and carrots; slice the celery in little half moon shape. Peel and press garlic through a garlic press or chop finely. Sauté the onion, celery, carrots, thyme, salt, pepper and garlic in the olive oil until softened. Remove from pan. Set aside. Have ready 1 bag of frozen peas.

 

STEP 5: MAKE THE ROUGE FOR THE FILLING OF THE CHICKEN POT PIES

6 Tbsp Oil or Butter
12 Tbsp Flour
1 cup Milk or Cream
4-1/2 cups Chicken Stock
2 cups Potatoes water from step 3
Salt and Pepper
Dash of Red Pepper

In a large stock pot melt the butter or heat the oil over medium heat add flour and whisk cooking for 2 minutes to get the flour taste out. Whisk in milk, chicken stock and potatoes water and stir until mixture comes to a boil and is thick. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper. You want to have a lot of rouge this makes or breaks the pies. Without enough they pies will be dry so add less vegetables if needed.

 

STEP 6: ADD CHICKEN VEGETABLES AND POTATOES TO THE ROUGE

Add the chicken, potatoes, and other sautéed vegetables to the rouge and mix together, cook over a simmer for a few more minutes to combine all the flavors then remove from heat. This should be a soupy consistency.

STEP 7: MAKE THE PIE CRUST MIX

12 c. Flour
2 Tbsp. Salt
2 lb. Crisco (about 4-2/3 cups)

In medium bowl combine flour, Crisco and salt. With a pastry blender or two knives (using scissor fashion), cut Crisco into flour, or use a food processor and pulse to mix, until mixture resembles a coarse crumbs.

 

NOTE: Can be store in a covered container. Secret to making a flaking tender pie crust is to not handle the dough to much after adding the water so the less poking and padding the better. Every time the dough is re-rolled it will become tougher. (I usually don't use the already rolled dough unless absolutely necessary)

STEP 7: ROLL OUT THE PIE CRUSTS

Bottom of Pie Crust: Take 3/4 cup of the pie crust mixture and 2 Tbsp of cold water in smaller bowl and mix lightly with a fork, on lightly floured surface roll out dough with a rolling pin that is lightly floured, into a circle 2 inches bigger than pie pan and about 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick; gently roll pastry circle onto rolling pin; transfer to pie pan and unroll, easing into bottom and side of pan. Press gently into bottom of pan and sides of the pan. 

 

 

 

STEP 8: FILL THE PIE WITH THE FILLING FROM STEP 6

 

STEP 9: SEAL THE TOP AND BOTTOM CRUST TOGETHER

Top of Pie Crust: Take 1/2 cup of the pie crust mixture  and 1 Tbsp of cold water in another bowl and mix lightly with a fork, on lightly floured surface roll out dough with a rolling pin that is lightly floured, into a circle 2 inches bigger than pie pan and about 1/8 to 1/4-inch-inch thick; gently roll pastry circle onto rolling pin; rub top edge of the bottom pie crust with cold water then place on top of pie and unroll. Press the bottom and top crusts together where water was placed. Trim crust with edge of pie pan. Press edges together gently one more time to even out even out pie edge. Brush the top of each pie with cream or beaten egg. 

 

 

STEP 10: BAKE AT 350° DEGREES UNTIL PIE CRUSTS ARE GOLDEN BROWN

 

 

Now all I need is a back massage a bath and a large chocolate shake! These pies are delicious but they are a lot of work only because I like the pie crusts all around not just on top! Enjoy! My husband loves these I only make a few times a year though.