Just some words of advice before you start: It is of the utmost importance to have all your chopping and measuring done before you start cooking. It really makes things a lot easier. Also, when I say to add the broth slowly while stirring constantly for the gravy, I mean it. If you just dump the broth in all willy-nilly without stirring, you will end up with clumps of flour floating in chicken broth. Actually, adding the broth is a great task for a junior assistant. If you don't have one on hand (like me) it is possible to do it on your own, but be warned that if you don't ever make gravy with an assistant the long and glorious tradition of beautiful gravy may end with you. I don't think it's possible to learn the art of gravy making without first assisting one who has mastered it. I'll do my best to explain it here, but I encourage you to take advantage of any opportunity to experience the benefits of a mentor/disciple relationship presented to you, especially when it comes to making gravy.
Chicken Pot Pie
1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast, 1/ 2 inch cubes
1 potato, 1/4 inch cubes
1/2 medium onion, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1/4 cup flour
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup milk
1 cup frozen vegetables*
Salt & pepper to taste
1 frozen pie crust, thawed
In a medium pot, over medium high heat, melt 2 tbsp butter. Add the chicken breast to the butter and brown the meat. Season the chicken with a bit of salt as it is cooking. It should take the chicken about 2 minutes to brown completely on the outside. It doesn't have to be cooked all the way through, because you'll be cooking it further later. Taking care to leave behind the butter and juices of the chicken, remove the meat from the pot and set it aside.
Add the remaining 2 tbsp of butter to the pot and reduce the heat to medium low and add your onion and potato. Season with a little more salt (just to get the onion to throw its juices). Cook and stir occasionally until, the onion is turning translucent and is soft, about 3 minutes. Then sprinkle your flour over the potatoes and onions and cook for 2 minutes stirring constantly.You're making a rue, so it will look sort of like a paste when you're ready to add the broth. S l o w l y add the chicken broth to the mixture while stirring constantly, until the liquid thickens a little to what looks like a nice consistency for chicken pot pie. <-- I know that's vague, but you'll know it when you see it.
Add the chicken back to the pot, along with the frozen veggies. Then add the milk and put it over low heat until it comes to a simmer (NOT a boil). Season with salt and pepper to taste.
If you want you can stop here and enjoy a lovely cream of chicken soup...
OR
After you have chopped the veggies and meat but before you've added your butter to the pot, preheat the oven to 375 degrees (F). Place a 9-inch cake pan on a cookie sheet. Put the soup in the cake pan (you think it won't all fit, but it does). Lay the pie crust over the soup and seal the edges. Put the pie (cookie sheet and all) into the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, until the crust is golden, brown and delicious. The cookie sheet is imperative because the filling that will be seeping out is capable of burning through an oven mitt...as evidenced by the one we just threw away.
Let the gravy stop boiling before serving, unless you want to risk pie explosion upon breaking the crust.
* I used a bag that came with a mix of peas, carrots, corn and green beans. I think it helped to have the small pieces rather than something large, like broccoli.
In a medium pot, over medium high heat, melt 2 tbsp butter. Add the chicken breast to the butter and brown the meat. Season the chicken with a bit of salt as it is cooking. It should take the chicken about 2 minutes to brown completely on the outside. It doesn't have to be cooked all the way through, because you'll be cooking it further later. Taking care to leave behind the butter and juices of the chicken, remove the meat from the pot and set it aside.
Add the remaining 2 tbsp of butter to the pot and reduce the heat to medium low and add your onion and potato. Season with a little more salt (just to get the onion to throw its juices). Cook and stir occasionally until, the onion is turning translucent and is soft, about 3 minutes. Then sprinkle your flour over the potatoes and onions and cook for 2 minutes stirring constantly.You're making a rue, so it will look sort of like a paste when you're ready to add the broth. S l o w l y add the chicken broth to the mixture while stirring constantly, until the liquid thickens a little to what looks like a nice consistency for chicken pot pie. <-- I know that's vague, but you'll know it when you see it.
Add the chicken back to the pot, along with the frozen veggies. Then add the milk and put it over low heat until it comes to a simmer (NOT a boil). Season with salt and pepper to taste.
If you want you can stop here and enjoy a lovely cream of chicken soup...
OR
After you have chopped the veggies and meat but before you've added your butter to the pot, preheat the oven to 375 degrees (F). Place a 9-inch cake pan on a cookie sheet. Put the soup in the cake pan (you think it won't all fit, but it does). Lay the pie crust over the soup and seal the edges. Put the pie (cookie sheet and all) into the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, until the crust is golden, brown and delicious. The cookie sheet is imperative because the filling that will be seeping out is capable of burning through an oven mitt...as evidenced by the one we just threw away.
Let the gravy stop boiling before serving, unless you want to risk pie explosion upon breaking the crust.
ENJOY!
* I used a bag that came with a mix of peas, carrots, corn and green beans. I think it helped to have the small pieces rather than something large, like broccoli.
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