C :: Week 2 :: Chicken Pot Pie

Yesterday I made a Chicken Pot Pie.  I'm not really sure why.


It's never really been one of my favorite foods to eat.


Actually I don't really like it.


The ones that you buy at the store are always too salty for me.  And honestly they have no flavor.  And I think it tastes weird if there are peas in it. :)


So I set out to make mine taste a bit different.  And this is how it went...


Ingredient list ::
3 chicken breasts - cooked & diced up
1 cup chopped/chunked carrots :: I think mine was a bit more
1 cup chopped celery :: seriously you don't need more than a cup
1 chopped potato
1 chopped onion :: whatever color you want
1/4 cup melted butter/margarine
1/3 cup flour
1 cup milk :: or if you have half & half or whipping cream, you can use that.  I live in Mexico, and those are not found anywhere, so I just used milk
2 cups chicken broth :: I used 2 cups hot water + a chicken bouillon cube - Mexico has awesome moist ones :)
minced garlic
2 chopped green chiles :: only if you want a different non-bland flavor
salt...pepper...sage...thyme...or whatever spice you want
pie crust :: store-bought or homemade.  I live in Mexico, so homemade pie crust it is.


Here's how mine came together ::

So I cooked up the chicken, almost all the way, then I diced it up.  But I really hate cutting raw chicken, so I cook it up and then I don't get grossed out. :)

Here's the veggies.  Next time if I make this I think I would like to make it using some frozen veggies.

So I sautéed the veggies in the butter in the cast iron.  Next time I would sautee the onions & carrots together first.  Then add the minced garlic, and then add in the potatoes & celery.

After I got the veggies sautéed, I added the flour to coat the little fellows.

Then I added those green chiles.  They are already cooked, so they don't need to be sautéed.

Then add in the milk & chicken broth.  Get it bubbling, to thicken up.  Add some spices, more garlic, pepper, salt, thyme, sage, or whatever you want.  But seriously Chicken Pot Pies always need some extra flavor!

And then go get the pie crusts * or in my case, make them. :)

So my dilemma was going to be, what do I cook it in.  I seriously was considering just throwing a pie crust on top of the jazz in the cast iron skillet & cook it up....  Or my other option was making two pie crusts, and making it in my pie plate.  But I'm not super fond of the bottom crusts of Chicken pot Pies.  I think they are too soggy, and hardly ever cooked well.  So I went with my third option when I realized that my neighbors could use a meal.  So I made theirs in a 2 quart casserole dish, and a little one for me in my amazing Corelle bowl that can go in the oven. 

Here is the neighbors version.  Make sure to cut some slits in  the top.

And this was my version.  Small and perfect for me.  Super good.  And I do believe that I will make this one again.  But next time I'll add an extra chile or two and some extra spices. :)  Sorry folks, I just don't like bland food!

Until next week....

C