TRADITIONAL CHICKEN POT PIES FOR TWO

A rotisserie chicken with lots of meat to use up was the inspiration for this recipe. I used a pie crust recipe from epicurious which I will post separately. Over the years, I’ve made so many different pot pie recipes, including my own. Though I love shortcuts, I just don’t like using canned soups in my cooking. Call me weird. How long does it take to make a roux, anyway? And I can pronounce the ingredients in my pot pie, besides the fact that mine tastes better than anything from a can, IMHO. If you’re looking for a shortcut, skip this recipe, because this is all from scratch. It’s the way I mostly cook.

This is my own recipe, and I pretty much used what was in my fridge. Results were stellar. We both gobbled this one up and gave it my highest rating. The crust was tender, flaky and light, and the filling was perfect – nice chunks of meat with a not too soupy sauce and just enough veggies and seasonings. I have two Corning Grab-It pots that I used to bake the pot pies in. They’re the perfect size for one serving each, and I always make our pot pies in them. Any small casserole dish will work, though, or use a slightly larger one for two servings.

Traditional Chicken Pot Pies for Two Printable Recipe Source: Judy’s Kitchen Rating: 10 out of 10

INGREDIENTS: Your favorite pastry recipe 3 Tbsp. Smart Balance 50/50 Butter Blend (or butter, if preferred) 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 tsp. finely chopped garlic 2-3 slices cooked, crumbled bacon 2 Tbsp. flour 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves Sea salt and pepper to taste (go light on this, and taste at the end to adjust) 2-1/2 cups chicken broth 1 cup shredded or chopped cooked chicken, turkey or meat of choice (or veggie if preferred) 1 cup frozen peas (or other veggie of choice) 1/2 cup cooked chopped potatoes (half white, half sweet) 1/2 cup heavy cream Heat oven to 400F. In a medium-sized sauté pan, cook the onion in the SB over medium heat till transparent. Add the garlic and bacon and cook another minute. Stir in the flour, thyme, salt and pepper to make a paste. Add the broth slowly, stirring all the while to make a thin roux. Bring to a boil, stir, stir, stir. Add chicken and veggies. Reduce heat to simmer. Cook a few minutes to heat everything, then stir in the heavy cream. Get the roux to the proper consistency now. If it’s too thick, add more broth. If it’s too thin, stir in a bit more flour. Transfer contents to buttered ramekins or small casserole dishes. Top with pastry; flute edges; cut steam vents in top. Place casseroles on foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and place in oven about 20-25 minutes, or till pastry is nicely browned and pot pie is bubbling hot. Let cool about 10 minutes before serving. Yield: 2 servings.

CHICKEN POT PIE

Here's something you can make with leftover cooked chicken, especially leftover rotisserie chicken. It doesn't take long, and you can vary the veggies according to what you have on hand. Mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower and sweet potatoes work well with pot pies; but this time, I just used baby carrots, green beans, peas, and mashed potatoes. When it's cold outside, this is a comforting meal. You can have a salad with it, or just have it alone. It's a balanced meal, so you don't have to feel guilty if that's all you serve.

The phyllo crust doesn't have to be full of fat. You can spray non-stick cooking spray between layers and just brush a little butter or Smart Balance on the top layer. It'll taste just as good, and no one will miss the calories. As I've said before, I'm not really a fan of phyllo dough, but for pot pie, it's a good choice, especially when you make it low-fat.

Chicken Pot Pie
Source: Judy's Kitchen
Rating: 8 out of 10
INGREDIENTS:
Pot Pie: 1 Tbsp. Smart Balance buttery spread
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 garlic clove, minced or grated
1 Tbsp. fresh marjoram, oregano or thyme, chopped fine without stems
1/4 cup baby carrots
1/4 cup green beans, cut in 1/2" pieces
1/2 tsp. sea salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup leftover mashed potatoes
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup cooked, shredded or cut-up chicken (or turkey)
3/4 cup frozen peas
3 Tbsp. heavy cream (or lite sour cream, if desired)

Phyllo Crust: 4 sheets phyllo dough
non-stick cooking spray
1-1/2 tsp. Smart Balance buttery spread, melted

Preheat oven to 375F. In heavy 12" skillet, saute onions in Smart Balance over medium heat till transparent, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and herbs and saute for another minute, stirring. Add carrots, green beans and mashed potatoes and continue to stir till just heated, about 2 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, raise heat, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to a low simmering boil, and cook, uncovered, about 15 minutes, or till sauce reduces and thickens slightly. Add remaining ingredients and stir till heated through, but do not boil. Taste to adjust seasonings, adding more salt if needed.

In the meantime, lay a sheet of phyllo dough on top of a sheet of plastic wrap. Spray with non-stick cooking spray and add another sheet of phyllo on top; repeat until all 4 sheets are together. Do not spray top sheet of phyllo. Cut the phyllo stack in half vertically, then into thirds, giving you 6 stacks.

Spoon pot pie filling into two 2-cup baking dishes and top each with 3 stacks of phyllo. Brush each top with melted Smart Balance. Place baking dishes on a rimmed cookie sheet and place in oven. Bake about 20 minutes, or till filling is bubbling and crust is golden. Let cool 10 minutes before serving. Yield: 2 servings