Chicken Pot Pie

I love a good hearty chicken pot pie.  I have only recently started making this dish, but it has quickly become a household favorite.  Chicken Pot Pie is a perfect meal for a cool fall or chilly winter evening.  In my recipe, I only use white meat chicken and create my own sauce, which gives this dish that from scratch feel.  I also use all fresh vegetables, with the exception of the peas, because I like them better when they are soft.  Also, I prefer to use a square baking dish, as pictured below.  Hopefully you will enjoy this dish as much as my boys do.  One last tip: I boil 2 well-trimmed chicken breasts and then cut into cubes.  Using this method keeps the chicken tender and juicy.

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked and cubed chicken breast

4 medium red potatoes, peeled and then cubed

1/2 lb baby carrots, sliced

1 can baby peas, drained

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tbsp chicken seasoning

1 tsp thyme

1 can of Swanson chicken broth (14.5 oz)

2 ready made pie crusts (thawed)

1.  Boil potatoes and carrots for 15 minutes.  Drain and set aside in a large mixing bowl.  Preheat oven to 375°.

2.  In a small saucepan, melt butter.  Add flour and stir together until mixed well.  Add chicken broth, salt, pepper, thyme and chicken seasoning, and stir until sauce is creamy.  Cook for two minutes, while stirring, until sauce begins to thicken.  Remove from heat.

3.  Add peas, chicken and white sauce to vegetables in the large mixing bowl.  Stir well, and set aside.

4.  Unroll the pie crusts and begin covering the dish with one of the pie crusts.  Then  remove the extra around the edges of your top crust and use them to fill in any areas that need it around the top of the sides of the baking dish, until well covered.  Pour the chicken and vegetable mixture into the dish.  Cover with the top crust.  Cut slits into the top crust and brush with milk.  Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes.  Let stand and serve.

Chicken and Yellow Rice

This recipe is one that was handed down to me from my mother.  I have tweaked it here and there, but it largely remains the same as it was when I was a kid.  This meal is good and hearty, as well as relatively healthy.  I prefer to use boneless chicken thighs because it is less messy during the shredding stage, but you can make it with bone-in if that is what you prefer.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs boneless chicken thighs
10 oz bag of Vigo yellow rice
1 can baby peas
1 cup baby carrot slices
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper


1.  In 6 cups of water, add the onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and the chicken thighs.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook chicken for about 25 minutes.

2.  In a small mixing bowl, add a handful of ice and some water.  Then remove the chicken from the water and place in the bowl of ice water.  ( I do this so that I can shred it without burning my fingers on it.

3.  If you haven't already, cut your baby carrots into slices.  Then add the yellow rice and the carrots to the boiling water on the stove.  While your rice and carrots cook, start shredding your chicken.  Add shredded chicken to pot.  Let this cook for 15 minutes.

4.  Add your can of peas, and let it cook for about 5 minutes more.  The mixture should be thick, with all of the water absorbed by the rice.  If it is not, continue cooking until desired texture is reached.  Season to taste and serve.