Chicken Pot Pie

James and I are off to go on a boat ride (read: Duffy in the canals and harbor at Naples) and we're going to be having dinner on the boat. I made a chicken pot pie for tonight. The inspiration is my Mom's recipe that EVERYONE loves. This particular version is nothing like it because the day I invented it I happened to have NONE of the ingredients I needed to do it the "right" way and had to improvise. I was asked for the recipe so I wrote it down but please remember that I don't measure or do anything the same way twice. Feel free to improve it as you go.

Chicken pot pie Recipe

Filling:

Ingredients:

Chicken

Potatoes

Carrots

Peas (frozen)

3 tbsp olive oil or butter

3 tbsp Flour

2 cups Milk

2 cups Chicken Broth

2 tsp dried Thyme

Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions:

Cook chicken in desired method. Chicken should be fully cooked. I tend to season it and bake

it (425 for 30 minutes) but you could easily use a rotisserie chicken from the store, boil it, grill it or use leftovers. Whatever is easiest for you is what’s best. Cut into bite size pieces and set aside.

Cut Potatoes and Carrots into bite size pieces and cook. I roast them in the oven (400 for about

40 minutes...at the same time the Chicken is cooking. I prep the veggies and put them in the oven, then prep the chicken and put it in) but you could also boil them.

Leave the peas in the Freezer. You’ll want to mix them in right from the freezer just before you

put the pie in the oven.

While the Chicken and Veggies are cooking make the sauce. Add the Olive Oil or Butter to a

large sauce pan and heat it/melt the butter over medium heat . Add the flour and whisk them

together to make a paste (roux). Cook the roux for 3 minutes to remove the raw flour taste. You

will need to whisk continuously to keep it from burning. Add the broth and milk and whisk until

the roux is completely incorporated. Bring the liquid mixture to a simmer and add the thyme, salt and pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce leaves a trail on the back of a spoon when you run your finger down the back (about 15 minutes depending on how high you have the flame). It just needs a light simmer to thicken up. I did discover a helpful hint though. Once you add the sauce to the pot pie it does NOT continue to thicken. In fact, it thins out some. So, reduce it until it's just a bit thicker than you want it to be and it will be perfect.

Pour the sauce over the chicken and veggies and stir to combine. Place mixture in a 9x13 glass

pan and make the biscuits.

Biscuits

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups Flour

2 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Baking Soda

¾ tsp Salt

6 tbsp (2/3 stick) Butter (cold)

1 cup shredded cheese

1 ½ cups Buttermilk (well shaken)

Instructions:

Pre heat your oven to 450.

Whisk together the Flour, Baking Powder, Baking Soda and Salt. Cube the butter and with a

pastry cutter, fork or your fingers incorporate it into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse

meal. Mix in the cheese. Then add the buttermilk and stir until just combined.

Mix the frozen peas into the pot pie filling mixture. Layer the biscuit mixture over the pot pie

filling and put it in the oven for about 30 minutes.

Enjoy! I know we will :)