Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients :

Filling :
Chicken boneless, skinless 1 1/2 to 2 lbs
Water 3 cups
Bay leaf 1 each
Butter or oil 1/3 cup
Onion large dice 1 each
Carrots peeled, diced 2 each
Celery diced 2 ribs
Flour 1/2 cup
Peas 1/2 cup
Parsley minced 2 T
Thyme, fresh or dried 1 T or 1 t
Salt & pepper to taste
Cream or half & half (opt.) 1/4 cup

Biscuit Topping :
Flour 3 cups
Baking powder 3 t
Thyme, fresh or dried 1 T or 1 t
Salt 2 t
Pepper 1 t
Butter 5-6 T
Milk 1 1/4 cup

Method :

Filling :

1. Bring water, chicken and bay leaf to a low simmer in a saucepan for about 30 minutes.
2. Heat butter or oil in a Dutch oven. Add onions, celery and carrots. Sweat vegetables over medium heat till onions are translucent. Do not brown.
3. Stir in flour well, making sure no lumps remain. Let cook over low heat 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
4. Remove chicken from the poaching liquid, saving broth. Cut into 1" cubes.
5. Whisk 1 cup of the poaching liquid into the vegetable-flour mixture. Stir to remove all lumps.
6. Whisk in remaining 3 cups of liquid. Add peas and herbs.
7. Bring to simmer again. Liquid will thicken. Simmer about 5-8 more minutes.
8. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in cream to lighten and enrich. Set aside.

Biscuit Topping :

1. Stir flour, baking powder, salt, thyme and pepper together in a large bowl.
2. Cut cold butter into small cubes and work into flour quickly with your hands to break down large pieces.
3. Pour in cold milk all at once and stir just enough to bring all together.
4. Mold into a ball with floured hands, cover in a bowl, and place into the refrigerator to rest for about 10 minutes.

Assembly :

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Pour filling into a 2-quart casserole dish with 3-4" sides.
2. Roll out biscuit dough to about 3/4" thick and cut unto 3" squares or circles.
3. Place dough pieces over the filling to cover, and brush dough with milk to form a browning glaze.
4. Place in preheated oven and bake until biscuits are browned and done and filling is bubbling, about 25-30 minutes.

Variations :

* Substitute beef or turkey for the chicken if you like. Or increase the amounts of the vegetables and make a vegetable pot pie instead. Just substitute water or vegetable stock for the chicken broth.
* This recipe uses an easy biscuit dough topping. Try topping with a pie dough topping or puff pastry instead.
* Substitute or add in other vegetables you may have in your kitchen. You should just end up with about 3 cups of vegetables in the end. Suggestions: potatoes, rutabagas, turnips, parsnips, broccoli, cabbage, green beans.

Notes :

* Chicken pot pie is a hearty wintertime dish that uses produce readily available in the colder months.