My Chicken Pie



Horrible picture of a beautiful pie, I know.... The batteries in my 'real' camera were dead, so I used my cell phone. I swear, every time I upgrade my phone I have poorer picture quality with the camera and more dropped calls..... 'smart phone,' my butt.

Anywho, there was a request for the recipe for the chicken pie so here it is:

Mama's Chicken Pot Pie

1 (2-3lb) broiler/fryer

      (I usually just use a large pack of chicken thighs)

1 onion, quartered

1 stalk celery, cut into large pieces

1tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried rosemary

1 tsp salt

1 bay leaf

Combine all the above ingredients in a large dutch oven (or stock pot), cover with water & bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat & simmer for about an hour.

Remove chicken from broth, strain broth & reserve 1 1/2 c. of it. (I usually take out the 1 1/2 c. for the recipe and then freeze the rest for use in recipes that call for chicken broth; it's so much better than canned!)

Cool chicken, remove from bones and chop meat.

Now, on to the vegetables:

1 c. chopped celery

1 c. chopped onion

1 c. chopped carrot

1 c. chopped potato

about 6 sliced mushrooms

1/3 c. butter

1/2 c. flour

1 1/2 c. half & half

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

pastry for pie

    (I'll admit that I mostly use the roll-out refrigerated kind)

1 egg

1 Tb milk

Saute all the vegetables in butter until crisp-tender.  Add flour, stirring until smooth (about 1 min).  Add reserved broth and half & half & stir constantly until thick and bubbly.  Stir in salt, pepper & chicken.  Remove from heat.

Spoon mixture into pastry & cover with another pie crust.  Trim, seal & flute edges.  Cut slits in top

Combine egg & milk & brush over pastry

bake at 400* about 30 min or until golden brown.

*** I like to make a 'gravy' to spoon over the slices of pie.  I just make mine by melting some butter, adding some flour & some rosemary or thyme & stirring constantly about a minute or two.  Add some broth and some milk & some salt & pepper.  But you can go without or use your favorite chicken gravy.

If you make this, I'd love to hear your opinions!