Homemade Chicken Potpie

Not to toot my own horn, but this was the perfect Thanksgiving Kick-Off  I could ever do. ;)  Using my much loved recipe book from The Food Nanny, I attempted this daunting task of making my very own homemade Chicken Potpie.  Note: At first it seemed daunting, as I have never made pastry dough before--or even a pie!--but it was surprising SIMPLE.

 My family, especially my husband, loved this meal.  Such a guy's meal right? Meat and potatoes hugged with flaky pastry dough.  I mean come on.  My kids helped me make everything, that's me rolling the pastry dough and my daughter (5) taking the picture!  I loved everything about this meal, and I hope you will too!  Give it a try, it's really not as hard as it looks and delicious!

ingredients

PASTRY for a double-crust pie:

2 1/2 cups flour

1 t salt

3/4 cup shortening

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) chilled butter, cut in small pieces

4 to 6 tablespoons ice-cold water

FILLING

2 small bone-in chicken breasts (about 1 pound)  *I didn't have bone-in, so I just used regular de-boned chicken breasts

3 Yukon gold or russet potatoes, diced

2 carrots, sliced crosswise

2 t chicken bouillon granuels

1/2 t salt

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup cold water (or broth)

1/2 cup frozen peas

instructions

1. To make the pie crust, stir the flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the shortening and butter with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle with the ice water, a tablespoon at a time, and stir with a fork to moisten all the dough. Gather the dough into a ball with your hands. Divide the dough in half. Roll out one half on a lightly floured surface and fit it into a 9-inch pie dish (deep-dish is ideal). Roll out the other half and set aside.

2. Put the chicken breasts in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat, cover, and simmer until tender, about 18 minutes. Remove the chicken to a cutting board or plate.

3. Add the potatoes and carrots to the hot broth and return to boiling. Decrease the heat, cover, and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, tear or cut the chicken off the bones into bite-size pieces, discarding skin, fat and gristle. Remove the vegetables from the simmering broth with a slotted spoon and set aside with the chicken pieces.

4. Measure the broth and add water, if necessary, to make 2½ cups. Return to the pan and simmer, stirring in the bouillon and the salt.

5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

6. Stir the flour into the cold water in a small bowl or measuring cup. Stir into the broth and increase the heat to medium. Stir constantly until the broth thickens.

7. Add the chicken to the broth along with the potatoes, carrots and peas. Stir to combine. Pour the filling into the pastry-lined pie dish. Cover with the top crust, seal and flute the edges, and cut a slit in the top for the steam to escape. Bake 40 minutes, or until the crust is light brown. Serve immediately.