Chicken Pot Pie

O Chicken pot pie...I have never really enjoyed you. The whole idea of an entire meal being shoved into one pan doesn't really excite me, or my hubby for that matter. Somehow, Paula Deen always pulls through. Maybe it is the butter and cream that is ALWAYS in her recipes, but they come out delicious and beyond my expectations each and every time. I decided to make them in mini shells and it was even more fun!

Chicken Pot Pie
Printable Version

2 pie crusts

1 egg, beaten

2 cups leftover cooked chicken

salt and pepper

2 TBs EVOO

1/3 cup butter

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

4 cups cream

1/4 cup chicken base

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 small yellow onion, minced

1 cup frozen green peas, cooked

1 cup chopped carrots

Pinch fresh grated nutmeg

Directions

Special equipment: 4 (2-cup) individual baking dishes

Crust:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut 8 circles, 4 larger, 4 smaller, out of the 2 pie crusts. Do not grease dishes. Place larger circles in the bottom and up the sides of the individual baking dishes. Bake for 5 minutes, or until dough has risen and turned light golden brown. Set aside until ready to assemble pies. Leave oven on at 350 degrees F.

Filling:

Season chicken with seasoned salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and saute until cooked through. Remove from heat and cut into chunks. Alternatively, you may use precooked chicken.

In a large saucepan, melt butter and then slowly add flour, stirring until consistency of peanut butter, but not brown like a roux. Slowly add cream and keep stirring. Add chicken base, garlic, and onion and stir until thickened. Add peas, carrots, nutmeg, if using, and cut up chicken. Remove from heat. Fill 4 individual dishes that have the pre-cooked shells in them with chicken mixture and then top each with a small, uncooked circle of pie crust. Bake for 15 minutes or until top crust is brown and filling is bubbling.

Serves 4.

Recipe Adapted from : Paula Deen