Fall 2005 Creamy Turkey Soup with Parsley Dumplings Cranberry-Orange Chutney Farmhouse Pot Pie Easy Baking Mix Homemade Pie Dough Chopped "Cobb" Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing Main Recipe Index

6 servings

Is chicken pot pie the ultimate one-dish meal? If you have a round of homemade pie dough in the freezer, you can whip up a satisfyingly retro pot pie in no time at all. This streamlined version also uses frozen vegetables, which are used to great advantage here. Old-fashioned? Yes. But, it is also irresistible.

3 tablespoons butter
1 pound boneless and skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
One 10-ounce package defrosted frozen mixed vegetables
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk, heated
One round Homemade Pie Dough or store-bought refrigerated pie dough

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Melt butter in medium skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Add onions and cook until they soften, about 3 minutes. Add vegetables and cook for 2 minutes (this helps evaporate any surface moisture from the vegetables). Sprinkle with flour and mix well. Stir in milk and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
2. Pour chicken filling into a 9 1/2-inch deep dish pie pan. Use your fingertip to moisten edge of pan with water. Fit pie dough round over pan, and press dough onto edge of pan. Cut a few slits in top of pie dough.
3. Place pie on baking sheet. Bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling through vents, 35 to 45 minutes. Cool for a few minutes, then serve hot.

Note: To use turkey leftovers, substitute 3 cups chopped cooked turkey for the chicken breast. Saute the vegetables, sprinkle with flour, add the milk to make a sauce, then add the turkey and proceed with the recipe.

Simple Tip
Heat the milk for the filling in a microwave on High or in a small saucepan until small bubbles appear around the edges of the milk. The hot milk will make the sauce come to a boil much more quickly than cold milk.

Dress It Up
To glaze the crust, mix 1 large egg yolk and 1 teaspoon milk until well combined. Brush some of the egg yolk in a thin layer over the crust before baking. Stir 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or tarragon (or a combination of the two) into the filling.