Start-to-Finish Weekday Chicken Pot Pie

The Occasion: I didn't plan on making pot pie this week, but I seemed to have all the right ingredients and it's a meal that lasts a few days, so it was perfect for a busy week.

The Recipe: Mostly the same as the one I posted here before, from Taste of Home Annual Recipes 2011. But I wanted to share the step-by-steps this time. Not only is it helpful, but I've shared some tips that help you conserve ingredients and make the most of your hard work!

How it Went: I love this pot pie. Husband doesn't like it quite as much, but it's mostly because he doesn't like biscuits like the ones baked into the top of this. I think it's scrumptious!

What You Need:
2 chicken bouillon cubes
3 chicken breasts
dashes of thyme, black pepper, and coriander
2 russet potatoes
1 C baby carrots
4 stalks celery
3/4 C frozen green beans
2 T butter
6 T flour
1 C milk + 1/2 C milk
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 & 1/2 C Bisquick
2/3 C milk

Your Turn:
In the morning, before leaving for work, boil some water. Put two chicken bouillon cubes in a glass measuring cup. When the water boils, pour two cups over the cubes and stir well to dissolve.

Place three raw chicken breasts in a crock pot. Sprinkle with black pepper, thyme, and coriander, or a blend of poultry seasonings. Pour the two cups of chicken broth on top. Set to low.

Peel 2 russet potatoes, rinse off, and cut into small cubes.

Chop 1 C baby carrots into small cubes.

Wash and dice up 4 stalks of celery.

Bring about 2 inches of salted water to a boil in a large saucepan and add the vegetables you chopped, plus 3/4 C frozen green beans.

When these are tender, after about 10-15 minutes, drain the water into the crock pot with your chicken. All the nutrients are in the water, so don't wash it down the drain.

Now, spoon out the veggies into a large dish, cover, and refrigerate.

Go to work.

When you get home, remove your cooked chicken breasts from the crock pot and place them in your upright mixer. With the paddle attachment, turn the mixer on low. The chicken will shred like a dream!

Set aside 1 C of the crock pot chicken broth. You'll need it. Strain the rest of the broth through a cheesecloth over a funnel into a few jars to be saved for a future soup or something.

Melt 2 T butter in a saucepan. Turn heat to medium-low. Add 6 T flour and whisk to blend until smooth and bubbly. Add 1 C milk and the 1 C broth you saved. Whisk constantly until it boils and thickens. You want it pretty thick, but not quite as thick as a cream of chicken soup from a can would be.

Pour the cream base you just made into a large mixing bowl. Add another 1/2 C milk. Also add 1/2 tsp dried thyme, 1/2 tsp coriander, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and 1/4 tsp salt. Stir well.

To this, add the vegetables you cooked this morning, and 1 and 1/2 C of the shredded chicken. Put the rest away for chicken salad or another casserole or something.

Combine 1 & 1/2 C Bisquick and 2/3 C milk in a bowl and whisk. Distribute evenly in 12 biscuits over the top of the pot pie. 

Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes until filling is bubbly and biscuits are golden brown.

Not only will you have a marvelous pot pie, which is quite a feast, but you've also made yourself about 15 ounces of flavorful chicken broth and a few cups of delicious shredded chicken!