Our paper chain that’s helping us countdown to Christmas tells me there are just 2 days to go. My how the time has flown! I still have presents to wrap and groceries to buy but we decided to spend tonight in as a family. It’s bitterly cold, as in the single digits, and I was craving something warm and comforting for dinner.
I’ve always heard great things about the Pioneer Woman’s Pot Pie but I’d never tried it before due to my huge dislike for peas. I grew up eating pot pies but would meticulously remove every pea from my plate. How my mother tolerated my dissection of all food is beyond me!
Anyhow, I’ve been experiencing a craving for pot pie so I thought that I’d search for a recipe without peas. To my surprise, Pioneer Woman uses celery instead of peas in her filling. Why, oh why had I waited so long to investigate this?
I’ll just tell you now, this is going into my recipe rotation and will be my new go to recipe when anyone I know has a baby. This chicken pot pie is the epitome of cozy comfort food. It’s hearty and filling which made us all momentarily forget that it’s below freezing outside! My kids inhaled the chicken pot pie then Bennett proceeded to eat out of Currey’s bowl and then came to finish off mine as well. I love when my kids devour a meal with veggies!
The filling is made in about 30 minutes then the pot pie bakes another 30 minutes. I used a store bought pie crust and rotisserie chicken to make dinner prep even easier. If you are making turkey for Christmas, you could easily use the leftovers in a turkey pot pie. Your whole family will thank you.
ingredients
4 Tablespoons Butter
1/2 cup Finely Diced Onion
1/2 cup Finely Diced Carrot
1/2 cup Finely Diced Celery
3 cups Shredded Cooked Chicken (or Turkey)
1/4 cup Flour
3 cups Low-sodium Chicken Broth, Plus More If Needed
Splash Of White Wine (optional)
Salt And Pepper, to taste
Chopped Fresh Thyme To Taste
1/4 cup Half-and-half Or Cream
1 whole Unbaked Pie Crust
1 whole Egg
2 Tablespoons Water
instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375.
- In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, carrots, and celery stirring occasionally. Cook until the onions are translucent and the celery and carrots are tender.
- Stir the chicken into the vegetables and then sprinkle the flour over the top. Stir the mixture again, until the flour is completely combined with the chicken and vegetables. Cook for 1 minute, then pour in the chicken broth (and wine if using). Continue cooking until thickened. Season with salt, pepper, and thyme.
- Add the half-and-half or cream, then stir the mixture and let it bubble up and thicken, about 3 minutes. If it seems overly thick, add in a little more broth. Remove from heat.
- Pour the filling into a 2-quart baking dish. Roll out the pie crust on a floured surface and then lay it over the top of the dish. Press the edges of the dough so that they stick to the outside of the pan. Using a knife, cut small vents over the surface of the dough.
- Mix the egg with 2 tablespoons water and brush it all over the surface of the crust. (You will have some egg wash left over.)
- Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet covered with foil and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbly. If the crust becomes too brown, cover loosely with foil for the remainder of the baking time.
- Serve and enjoy!
Recipe from The Pioneer Woman