Is there anything better on a chilly night than the stick-to-your-ribs, creamy deliciousness of chicken pot pie?  Ummm… no.  This pot pie is great for a weeknight family dinner or make a couple to serve for company (Easter’s right around the corner).

Is there anything better on a chilly night than the stick-to-your-ribs, creamy deliciousness of chicken pot pie? This recipe will not disappoint!

I originally found this recipe on All Recipes and have been tweaking it over the years to make it my own.  I still make adjustments on the fly – toss in some extra spices or potato here or there – the but the heart of the recipe is now just about perfect.

First, cut up the chicken into bite sized cubes.  The perfect pot pie shouldn’t need a knife to eat.  You’ll need about 4 cups.  This is a great way to use up leftover chicken from a roast chicken dinner or rotisserie.  I personally prefer a mix of white and dark meat for flavor, but that’s your call.  Set the chicken aside.

In a deep dish pie plate, bake the bottom pie crust as directed on the package.  Be sure to poke it with a fork or use a pie chain to keep it from bubbling up.  You don’t want to give up 1 inch of space for pot pie deliciousness.

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In a medium-sized pan (or skillet) melt the butter with the onion (powder in my case), slowly whisk in the flour and remaining spices.  It will get a bit crumbly in the pan, but that’s okay.  Just make sure it’s all mixed in.

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Pour in the broth and milk, little by little, whisking until smooth after each addition.  The mixture will turn paste-like at first, then to the consistency of mashed potatoes, then it will get silky smooth.

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Once smooth simmer the sauce for 10-15 minutes until it reaches the thickness you like.  I’ve tried just about every level of thickness and I personally prefer it the consistency of a chowder, but it’s all about personal taste.

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While the sauce simmers, I recommend you brush a little egg white on the bottom of the crust.  Done just before filling this can help the crust from getting soggy.

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Fill the bottom crust with a layer of chicken, then veggies, then more chicken.  You can easily rebalance this if you prefer more veggies or want to add a couple of potatoes or turnips.

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Pour the sauce into the pie plate over the chicken and veggies.

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Fill the dish almost to the top.  You may have some leftover sauce (which is great on fried or oven-fried chicken).  If the sauce is thicker you may have to jiggle the pie plate a little to get it to work its way down to the bottom.

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Cover with pie crust and trim the excess off the edge.  Make a few slices in the center for heat to escape, and brush with egg white or milk.  Egg white will give the crust a nice shine, but milk will help it brown better.

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Bake at 350º for 45 minutes, then let cool.  Serve piping hot.

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Yum!

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Bonus Recipe!  Use the excess pie crust dough to make Mini Berry Pies!

Pot Pie