Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

nibbleboard.com/recipes/chicken-pot-pie

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Place in a large saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a simmer. Cook until just barely cooked through, about 12-15 minutes.
2. Remove chicken from the saucepan and set aside to cool slightly. Reserve about 1 cup of the cooking liquid, then discard the rest.
3. Add butter, chopped onion, and sliced celery to the same saucepan. Cook over medium heat until soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes.
4. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, bouillon paste, and celery seed. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until a thick paste forms.
5. Slowly pour in the milk and reserved cooking liquid, stirring continuously to prevent lumps. Cook until the sauce thickens and just begins to bubble, about 3-4 minutes.
6. Chop or shred the cooled chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add the chicken and frozen vegetables to the sauce. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat and let cool while you roll the crust.
7. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
8. Roll out the bottom pie crust on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle. Transfer it into a 9-inch pie dish, pressing gently into the edges.
9. Pour the cooled filling into the crust. Roll out the second pie crust and drape it over the top. Trim excess dough, seal the edges together, and crimp with a fork or your fingers. Cut 4-5 small slits in the top crust to vent steam.
10. Whisk the egg with 1 tablespoon milk. Brush a thin, even layer of egg wash over the entire top crust.
11. Bake for 40-50 minutes until the top crust is deep golden brown and filling is bubbling through the vents. If the crust browns too quickly, tent loosely with aluminum foil.
12. Let the pie rest for at least 15-20 minutes before slicing. This lets the filling set so it doesn't run everywhere when you cut into it.

Nutrition per Serving

Chef Tips

• I've found that poaching the chicken in the same pot you'll use for the filling gives you built-in chicken broth — don't throw that liquid away.
• Let the filling cool before pouring it into the crust. If it goes in hot, the bottom crust gets soggy and never crisps up properly. After trying both ways, I always wait.
• No homemade pie dough? Store-bought refrigerated crusts (like Pillsbury) work great. I use them on busy weeks and nobody can tell the difference.
• Rotisserie chicken is a fantastic shortcut — just skip the poaching step and use store-bought chicken broth instead of the cooking liquid.
• Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat individual slices in the oven at 375°F for about 15 minutes to re-crisp the crust.

Storage

Cover leftover pie with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 4 days.