Chicken Pot Pie

Submitted by: Twin2
Last Updated: 10/26/2009

• Chicken Pot Pie

• 1 ( 3 to 3 1/2) lb. broiler-fryer, cut up
• 1 (20 oz. package frozen mixed vegetables
• 3 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cup shortening
• 8 to 10 tablespoons cold water
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 Tablespoon butter or margarine

Cook chicken in boiling water to cover for 45 minutes or until tender; drain, reserving broth. Bone chicken; cut meat into bite-size pieces. Set aside.

Bring broth to a boil; add frozen vegetables, and simmer 10 minutes. Drain vegetables, reserving 1 quart broth. Set both aside.

Combine 3 3/4 cups flour and 1 1/4 teaspoons salt; cut in shortening with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. With a fork, stir in enough cold water, 1 Tablespoon at a time, to moisten dry ingredients. Shape dough into a ball; remove two-thirds of dough. Cover and chill remaining one-third of dough.

Roll two-thirds dough into a 16 x 12 inch rectangle. Fit into the bottom and on sides of a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking dish. Trim edges even with baking dish; set aside.

Melt butter in a large heavy saucepan over low heat; add 1/2 cup flour, stirring until smooth. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add chicken broth; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly. Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, pepper, nutmeg, chicken and vegetables; pour into pastry-lined dish.

Roll remaining pastry into a 14 x 10 inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Place on top of pie; fold edges under, and flute. Cut several slits in top to allow steam to escape. Cut designs from extra pastry and arrange on top of crust, if desired. Brush with 1 Tablespoon melted butter. Bake at 400 detrees F. for 30 to 35 minutes.

Yield 6 servings.

Note: I usually cook the chicken and prepare the broth and make the pie the next day. That way you can take the fat off the top of the chilled broth. And around here we don't put any vegetables in the pot pie, we serve vegetables on the side with mashed potatoes and use any extra chicken broth to make a light gravy. We also do not use a whole chicken. We use chicken breasts (bone in, skin on for better broth.) This is a fine tasting pie. I got the recipe from a Southern Living Cookbook from 1987, and have made this many times and even for large groups.