Cooking is never a chore for me. I love cooking. It helps me reduce the accumulated stress of working in the newspaper industry. I am not the type of person who returns from the office and logs back into her work email. After driving back to home, I slip into my Pajamas (a tank and full sleeve top with my hair tied up). Then I start cooking while watching Netflix or Hulu while sipping apple cider, tea or diet coke. As I don’t drink alcohol, I prefer to drink something other than water while cooking. For me, cooking is like meditation. The more I cook, the better I feel, and even better is taking photos of the dishes I make. But the best is when my husband compliments and savors the dishes I cook.
When I go home, all of my time is for food, photography and my husband. I never compromise on that. This gives me the energy to work the next day. My husband never refuses to try something new (regardless of the cuisine, whether it be Hungarian, German or Greek). So, I try to give an hour a day to explore different recipes and learn more about it. When I like something I save the recipe in Evernote or email it to myself. Also, as he knows I love cooking, he buys me whatever cooking gadget or props I ask. :heart_eyes:
When we went to the supermarket last week, I found a rotisserie chicken looking at me and it said with watery eyes, “Please take me home.” I could not deny its request. After coming back home, the first thing that came to mind was what to do with the chicken I just bought. After browsing for an hour on Pinterest I found that chicken pot pie can be made quickly. So I went back to the grocery store again and got pie crust for my planned dish.
I used rotisserie chicken and store-bought pie crust but you can use any cooked chicken or homemade pie crust. This recipe has quite a few steps, but–trust me–the result is worth every step. I guarantee that in the end you will pat your back for making it. The love and effort you put into this dish will be revealed in its flavor. Do not attempt to make this pie if you are tired, bored and do not want to cook. We get take-out or eat out when I do not want to cook (this is in addition to our routine Friday date nights). Cooking can’t and should not be forced. If you are tired, watching tv or trying to rest save the energy for the next day.
The chicken pot pie was a joint effort between me and my husband. This requires patience and passion, so please check my notes at bottom.
A few important tips from a first time baker:
1. DO NOT RUSH. Pie can’t be made on a busy weeknight. It requires patience and practice. I made my first chicken pot pie at 11 am on Sunday. It did not come out so well. I tried again–same result. Only with my husband’s help my third attempt succeeded. He has a lot more patience than me.
2. Thaw the pie crust (if you are using refrigerated) as directed on the package. My first pie crust broke it in the middle because I thawed it for less than 15 minutes (contrary to the instruction on the box). So, again, you need patience.
3. Egg wash is necessary for the brown color. Do not replace with egg whites.
4. This is a tip from Debbie Blanke: make your pie filling extremely wet. Dry ingredients will cause it to crack, which is what happened in my first attempt.
5. Pie crust should touch the filling. In my second attempt, I made it hang, which is why it broke after baking for 10 minutes. Make sure your pie crust touches the filling tightly. No matter what you do, it should not hang.
Recipe for Easy Chicken Pot Pie
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and diced
- 14-15 green beens, washed and diced
- 1/2 cup peas
- 1 1/2 cup shredded chicken from Rotisserie Chicken
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoons flour
- 1/2 cup half and half
- 1 teaspoon crushed black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried parseley
- 1 refrigerated pie crust
- 1 egg beaten with water
1. Preheat the oven to 425F. Thaw the refrigerated pie crust as directed.
2. Prepare the vegetables as directed. In a thick bottom pan heat oil. Add onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes in medium-high heat. Stir continuously to make sure it does not get burnt.
3. Add carrots, green beans and peas and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes. Its ok if your vegetables are not totally done.
4. Add shredded chicken and cook for 1-2 minutes.
5. Add chicken broth, flour and stir to coat well for about 1-2 minutes in medium-high heat.
6. Add half and half and all spices. Cook for 2-3 minutes in medium-high heat. Consistency of this pie mixture will be thick and creamy [This is important]
7. Set it aside in a pie dish.
8. Put the pie crust on top. Press the dough so that the edges stick to the outside of the pan. Use a knife to make a cross (no religious connotation intended).
9. Mix egg with water and brush over the surface of the crust.
10. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until crust is a deep golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
Hi Dolphia,
I made this once in a casserole dish but used non-dairy creamer instead of
the 1/2 & 1/2. Then I put a thin layer of cornbread batter on the top and baked it.
It was delicious. Ask your hubby if he remembers this dish which he devoured.
Mom