Chicken Pot Pie

I'm home sick today (blah). I spent most of the day sleeping which is the best medicine. But I also made a chicken pot pie to feed George when he gets home from work tonight. I texted him at lunch: "Beef or Chicken Pot Pie?" "Chix" he quickly responded.


When I had enough energy, I got into the kitchen, ten steps away from my sick bay, and got to work.

I take certain, necessary shortcuts in cooking. Pie crusts is one of them. I use store brand ones to save $$$- this week it's Wegman's because they were $1.99.

But I'm getting ahead of myself, we need to get the roux started first.

Roux consists of butter, flour and if your choose, cornstarch. The last ingredient is not necessary but I just like it for some extra glue if you will.

To make enough roux for 1 9inch chicken pot pie, take 1 1/2 sticks of SALTED butter to about 4 heaping tablespoons of flour (I used white flour but last time I used wheat and it came out the same) and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch.

Put the butter in at room temp. and melt on medium heat with flour/cornstarch on standby when the butter begins to soften. You have seconds before the butter melts. Then quickly stir with a spatula (best tool for this job).

Reduce the heat or turn off. Then lets get the chicken and veggies ready.

Since I was a sickie today, I cheated and had the pre-chopped veggies in a bag for soup . I put that in a skillet with a little chicken stock just to keep the pan from drying out. That warms up the onions and celery.

Chop of 3-4 chicken skinless breasts and put into the roux with some more chicken stock and warm up the roux again on LOW heat and don't burn that pan (Mine's currently soaking-opps!)

Yes, this means you now have two burners going at the same time but it's only for a few minutes. When you smell the veggies crisping up, STOP. They are ready to go into your pie pan.

Line the pan with one pie crust and put some of the veggies in. Then a little of the chicken and roux mixture. Then repeat until everything's all in the pie pan. Top with the second pie crust. Mark some vents at the top with a fork or a knife.

Then bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes and dinner's on!