Chicken Pot Pie

who can forget the stouffer brand frozen pot pies? growing up i ate like a hog. i would eat a frozen pot pie as an after school snack. a snack, that is before dinner. have you ever turned over one of those boxes? its horrifying and if memory serves me there is more that one serving to that ball of heart attack. no seriously its scary. i took a looksee at the official stouffer website and someone actually left a comment on the pot pies asking the company to include and addition packet of gravy to go along with the frozen pie so that they could pour it on after it was cooked. yikes! more gravy? is the 83% of your daily value of saturated fat not enough? yeah maybe you are right lets try and top the 100% mark, get it all done with in one meal. don't be a gravy topper people, its just not worth your heath.

so needless to say; josh loves a pot pie. that request probably came from him. but there was no way he will ever live to see me pop a frozen pot pie in the microwave. or cook anything in a microwave for that matter. so i scrounged around and found an ina garten recipe that looks pretty darned good and set out to tweak it for my use. in other words - lighten it up.

it a favorite around this tiny apartment, not so much with me - but josh literally lights up when i mention pot pies. the secret is the crust. the secret is always the crust. i hate saying it because you always here it and it just mounds a huge "pressure to preform" on the cook, but really - don't screw up the crust!

CHICKEN POT PIE

Filling:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breast

olive oil

salt and pepper

2 1/2c chicken stock

1 chicken bouillon cube

6 tbs butter

1c chopped onion

6 tbs flour

4 tbs whole milk

1c diced carrots

5 oz frozen peas

1c pearl onion

1/4c minced fresh parsley

*preheat oven to 350 F

* rub chicken with oil and season with salt and pepper

* cook for 30-35 minutes, just to cooked thru

* let cool then cut into 1/2" dice

* in a large pot melt butter

* add onions and cook to tender, about 10-15 minutes

* add flour, stir constantly for 2 minutes

* add in heated stock and bouillon, simmer for 1 minute

* add 2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper and milk, stir to combine

* add chicken, carrots, peas and parsley

* spoon into your "pie pan" of choice. i use 12 oz ramekins

Crust:

1 1/2c flour

3/4 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 c shortening

1/4 c cold butter, cubed

1/3 c ice cold water

*mix all the dry ingredients

*cut in the shortening and the butter with your hands

* add in the water and stir just to combine - do not over stir! you do not want to develop the gluten.

* form into a ball, wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes

* remove from frig and roll out

* place over your "pie pan".

* beat on egg with 1 tbs water - brush all over your prepared dough

* sprinkle w/ salt and pepper

*bake the whole thing in a preheated 375 F oven for 1 hour, the insides will bubble and most likely ooze out. let cool a few minutes before attempting to nosh.