Recipe for Homemade Chicken Pot Pies

For some reason, I never saw the allure of chicken pot pies. Until last fall when, out of nowhere, I got a hankering for one. I went online, did some research and came up with a recipe to make them from scratch, using what I had available in the pantry.

What do you know but I found one of my absolute favorite meals. So much so, that despite the fact that our kitchen is always the warmest room in our apartment without the help of the summer heat, I even took the plunge and baked a couple piping-hot pies throughout the summer!

The first time I made the pot pies, they did take longer than I'd expected to pull together, from mixing the pastry crust to prepping the veggies. But now that I've made my fair share of them, I'm able to whip it together in a decent amount of time.

One of the things I love best about pot pies is how you can throw just about anything in them—I've tried varying combinations of beans, broccoli, corn, chickpeas, cauliflower, carrots, peas, potatoes—and make use of any of the veggies sitting in your fridge. You can also do without the chicken, if you like, and it still is quite tasty!

Recipe for Chicken Pot-Pie from Scratch

Making the Gravy

• In a saucepan over medium heat, cook a handful of chopped ONION (depending on how much onion flavor you like in your food) in 1/3 cup BUTTER until soft and translucent.
• Stir in 1/3 cup ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR, 1/2 teaspoon SALT, 1/4 teaspoon BLACK PEPPER, and 1/4 teaspoon CELERY SEED.
• Slowly add 1+3/4 cups CHICKEN BROTH and 2/3 cup MILK and stir well.
• Simmer over medium-low heat until thick.

Prepping the Filling

• You'll need about 4 cups of any combination of veggies and meats. (Suggestions include: beans, broccoli, corn, chickpeas, cauliflower, carrots, peas, potatoes.)
• Make sure to cook your meats thoroughly before adding to gravy. (Frozen or raw veggies will be fine to add to the gravy uncooked.)

Making the Pastry Crust

• In a large bowl, combine 1 cup FLOUR, 2 teaspoons BAKING POWDER, 1/2 teaspoon GROUND SAGE, 2 tablespoons BUTTER, 1/8 teaspoon SALT, 1/3 cup MILK, 1 tablespoon OLIVE OIL. (You may add more olive oil if the dough is too crumbly.)
• Form into a ball and then roll out so that it's the same size as your baking dish.

Putting It All Together

• Lightly grease a 9x9-inch baking dish.
• Mix the filling and gravy together and pour into dish.
• Lay the crust on top of the filling.
• Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly.

(Serves 4)

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