Easy Chicken Pot Pie

The first time I made Chicken Pot Pie for my friends was on May 6, 2012 and there was NOTHING easy about it. I followed a recipe from another blog and I made the gravy from scratch, and it was so hard to get the thickness just right without losing flavor. It was just way too time-consuming if you asked me (and expensive). And I will go back to what I have said before -- scratch is not always better.

Also, the last pot pies I made I put in individual ramekins. It was a cute presentation, but these hearty appetites could eat 2-3 of them and I think it made them feel guilty (like there wouldn't be enough for everyone), so nothing says "dig in boys" like three 13" x 9" Chicken Pot Pies!

On Sunday, June 15, 2014, I made three 13" x 9" pot pies. As you can see, I had a little fun personalizing these pies using the extra dough from the dough-overlap and the alpha-cookie cutters that I purchased from my favorite kitchen store, Sur La Tab. They loved them! 

Officer G. said if I were to ever open a restaurant, Pot Pie has to be on the top of the menu...the "Blue Plate Special." It is such a satisfying meal and the ultimate comfort food.  

So here it is, August 3, 2015 -- eight months from when I started this blog post. I made one more pot pie so I could finish this recipe and share it.

This is not rocket science and I have probably 'over-explained'. Please keep in mind it is just boxed pie crust, canned soup, and canned vegetables. Use your own judgement on how much chicken and vegetables to add to the soup. I like more gravy in my pot pie, so I usually keep a watch on that when adding the ingredients to the soup.

Here's what you need for a 13" x 9" pan (plus milk). You can cut this recipe in half for a smaller pie (see below).

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

Filling
1 rotisserie chicken (deboned and shredded -- set aside two cups of shredded chicken)
1/2 Vidalia sweet onion - diced and sauteed
1 14.5 oz. can Cut Green Beans (drained)
1 14.5 oz. can sliced Carrots (drained)
1 11 oz. can Green Giant Shoe Peg White Corn (drained)
1/2 can  8.5 oz Peas (drained)  *optional...not everybody likes them
Note: Some people prefer the frozen vegetables in their pot pie. I have used frozen veggies before, but after making it both way, my personal preference was the canned vegetables, but frozen is very good too. The brand PicSweet has a frozen vegetable medley that doesn't have lima beans, so I used that brand. :)

Sauce
2 cans Campbell's Cream of Chicken (regular kind - it has the best flavor )
2 soup cans of Whole Milk
Smidgen of Garlic Powder (I forgot to measure....try 1/8 of a teaspoon for this size. Less than that for the smaller pie).  I will measure next time and revise this.
Salt and Pepper

Crust
2 boxes refrigerated Pillsbury Pie Crust (DO NOT SUBSTITUTE)
1 egg/2 tablespoons water (for the egg wash)

To make the sauce
In a large bowl, empty the two cans of soup and add 2 soup cans of whole milk. Slowly whisk until the soup and the milk are mixed together. I removed the cubes of chicken from the soup as I was whisking it, but that's up to you. Add a little salt and pepper and whisk again.

To make the filling
Empty the canned vegetables in a colander and drain well before adding to the sauce/soup mix.
Debone and shred the rotisserie chicken. My preference is white meat, but use what you like. Set aside 2 cups of shredded chicken for the pie. Dice and saute the onion in a little olive oil until translucent. Add the onions to the drained vegetables and gently stir or toss in the colander, before adding to the soup mix. Add vegetables to the soup and gently stir. Fold in about 2 cups of shredded chicken. I make chicken salad with any leftover chicken - delicious! 

For the bottom crust  

Line the bottom of a 13"x9" ungreased lasagna pan w/ two crust rounds. Greasing the pan will make the crust slide when you pre-bake it (trust me.) Overlap the two dough rounds and trim about one-fourth from each round. Work the dough with your fingers to make it seamless. Cut away away the excess dough on top and underneath.

Overlap the two dough rounds and trim about one-fourth from each round. Work the dough with
your fingers to make seamless. If you cut too short, just add extra dough from what
you discarded and work it in.

Work the dough so it fits the entire pan. The bottom obviously won't need as much attention as the top. Hopefully, my pictures below will explain. If you cut off too much dough, then just take the scraps of dough and fix it.

Puncture the dough with a fork and bake at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes or until lightly brown. I forgot to set the clock, but I think it was about 15 minutes. Start checking it at 15 minutes.

Add your vegetable mixture on top of the partially cooked bottom crust.

For the top crust, prepare the same way as the bottom (making the crust seamless and cut away the excess dough on top and underneath.)

Use a fork to make the ridges around the rim of the pot pie.With the excess dough, use your favorite cookie cutter and make a cute decoration for the top.

Make your crust shiny
1 egg
2 tablespoons water
Beat water and egg well with a fork. After the egg is mixed well, if you still see the thick egg white, you can remove it easily with a fork. For more information on egg washes, click here.

With a basting brush, baste the entire top of pie crust (edges too) before putting it in the oven. Don't forget to puncture holes on top to let the steam escape.

Place on a baking sheet (you can see a partial picture below) and bake at 350 degrees for approx. 55-60 minutes until golden brown. I started checking my pie at about 45 minutes.

If the top piece doesn't quite fit the corners, use some of the
extra dough and work it in. 

I made one for AHOP too!   :)

For a smaller pie, say for 4 people, use only:

• ONE can of Campbell's Cream of  Chicken Soup
• ONE soup can of whole milk
• ONE box Pillsbury Pie Crust 
• Use 1/4 sauted onion, the smaller 8 oz. cans of vegetables (cut green beans, whole kernel corn, sliced carrots and a few peas if you like them.)
• Drain all vegetables in a colander before adding to the soup mix. 
• 1 rotisserie chicken -- use one cup of shredded chicken for the pot pie. I use the leftover shredded chicken and make chicken salad for a delicious sandwich or a cold plate.
• Follow the same instructions for the crust (above).

♥