Looking for Old Fashioned Chicken Pot Pie Recipe

Hi all,
 
I'm back again, looking for a real homemade chicken pot pie recipe. I have been scouring the net and either everyone is using canned mushroom or chicken soup and/or cooking sherry (cooking sherry in chicken pot pie?). I don't want anything weird or elaborate.
 
I have been thinking about whether I want to make my own pie crusts or just use biscuit dough on top and cook it that away. I can't make up my mind.
 
But if anyone who has a good old fashioned recipe like granny used to make, I sure would like to see them.
 
Thanks all. It is greatly appreciated.
 
 
 
 

I have two recipes in my online recipe file.
 
Chicken Pot Pie 4 servings
4 sheets frozen puff pastry
1 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
4 chicken breast halves, or 2 cups leftover cooked chicken
Seasoned salt
Pepper
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1/3 cup melted butter
2/3 cup flour
1 quart heavy cream
1 cup chicken base
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 small yellow onion, minced
1 cup frozen green peas, cooked
1 cup cooked carrots, chopped
pinch fresh grated nutmeg (optional)
 
Cut each sheet of frozen puff pastry into 1" strips, 8 inches long. On a large cookie sheet, weave strips into a lattice large enough to cover each pot pie. Mix egg and milk together and brush onto each lattice square. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. Dough will rise and turn light golden brown. Set aside until ready to assemble pies.
 
Season chicken breasts with seasoned salt and pepper. In about 2 tablespoons oil, Sautee chicken breasts until cooked, cut into chunks and set aside (you may use precooked chicken breasts). In a large saucepan melt butter and slowly add flour stirring until consistency of peanut butter, but not brown like a roux. Slowly add cream and keep stirring. Add chicken base, garlic and onion and stir until thickened. Add peas, carrots and chicken. Remove from heat. In 4 oven- proof bowls, fill with sauce and top each with one of your pre-cooked lattice squares. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes until bubbly. Any remaining pie filling may be frozen.
 
----------------------------
 
Chicken Potpie Serves 4

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 ribs celery, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
• 3 carrots, coarsely chopped
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 cup baby carrots
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 1 cup fresh or frozen pearl onions
• 4 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
• 2 1/2 cups cremini mushrooms, trimmed and cut into quarters
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 sheets frozen puff pastry
• 1 large egg, beaten

1. 1.              Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. 2.              Place chicken, chopped onion, celery, and chopped carrots in a large stockpot; season with salt and pepper and enough water to cover. Wrap thyme and garlic in a piece of cheesecloth and tie with kitchen twine to enclose; add to pot. Cover pot and place over medium heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until chicken is no longer pink, about 25 minutes. Strain, discarding vegetables, and reserve chicken and liquids separately; let cool and set aside.
3. 3.              Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil and prepare an ice-water bath. Add baby carrots to boiling water and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and immediately transfer to ice-water bath until cool. Drain; set aside. Place peas in boiling water and cook about 30 seconds; drain and set aside. Add pearl onions to boiling water and cook about 1 minute, transfer to ice-water bath until cool. Drain; set aside.
4. 4.              Heat 1 teaspoon butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook until browned, 3 to 4 minutes; let cool.
5. 5.              Cut chicken into bite-size pieces and place in a large nonreactive bowl along with baby carrots, peas, pearl onions, and mushrooms; set aside.
6. 6.              In a medium skillet, heat remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Add flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking liquid and heavy cream. Cook, stirring constantly, until liquid comes to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce; season with salt and pepper. Add to bowl with chicken and vegetables; toss to combine.
7. 7.              Divide mixture evenly between four 13-ounce shallow baking dishes. Cut puff pastry into four 8-inch circles and place on top of each of the bowls, crimping edges as desired. Cut a slit in the center of each piece of puff pastry to allow steam to escape; brush beaten egg over puff pastry.
8. 8.              Transfer bowls to a baking sheet. Bake until puff pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbling, about 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. --------------
9. BUT...
10. Why don't these numbers go away???
11. I don't want bold!
12. Here's what I would do...  saute whatever vegetables you want in the pot pit.  Make a roux and season with whatever herbs you'd like.  I love fresh taragon in mine.    Mix with the vegetables in to the roux with precooked chunks of chicken.  I prefer dark meat.  Top with whatever you want for your crust.  Bake!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Which ever vegetables you'd like.  You're in control!
 
I like peas, carrots and mushrooms.  Don't forget onions or shallot and maybe a little garlic.  It's up to you!

Chicken Pot Pie is like Meatloaf or Potato Salad. Never comes out the same way twice. The best pot pies I've ever eaten are the ones made with a flakey, made from scratch pie crust. Pre-made frozen crusts or other doughs just don't hack it.
 
My Mother made good ones using from scratch pie crusts and the leftover gravy from a Sunday Dinner. She would make bread stuffing, stuff and roast 2 chickens and make the gravy from the pan drippings. The drippings from the stuffing added to the flavor of the Gravy. We would eat one chicken and she would use the second chicken meat to make the pot pies using both white and dark meat. Would even add a little bit of leftover mashed potatoes to thicken up the gravy. Added finely diced carrots, peas and a little onion. Never had a recipe written down. From scratch at its best.!
Could also be done with leftovers from Thanksgiving Dinner.
Sure beats using canned soups. Way more labor intensive but way more better!

My Mom pretty much did the same, foodbme. Leftover gravy,peas, carrots, onion and threw in some of the leftover stuffing, as well as some of the mashed taters.Always her own pie crust.She also did a beef pot pie much the same way with leftover pot roast.

We love this recipe from Emeril:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/peggys-chicken-potpie-recipe/index.html
 
Two little changes we make: 
1) no potatos
2) we top with puff pastry instead of pie crust

GetMeRexKramer


Hi all,

I'm back again, looking for a real homemade chicken pot pie recipe. I have been scouring the net and either everyone is using canned mushroom or chicken soup and/or cooking sherry (cooking sherry in chicken pot pie?). I don't want anything weird or elaborate.

I have been thinking about whether I want to make my own pie crusts or just use biscuit dough on top and cook it that away. I can't make up my mind.

But if anyone who has a good old fashioned recipe like granny used to make, I sure would like to see them.

Thanks all. It is greatly appreciated.

 
You live in San Diego, go to The Chicken Pie Shoppe on El Cajon Blvd. Best Chicken Pot Pie anywhere. And dirt cheap.

fishtaco

GetMeRexKramer


Hi all,

I'm back again, looking for a real homemade chicken pot pie recipe. I have been scouring the net and either everyone is using canned mushroom or chicken soup and/or cooking sherry (cooking sherry in chicken pot pie?). I don't want anything weird or elaborate.

I have been thinking about whether I want to make my own pie crusts or just use biscuit dough on top and cook it that away. I can't make up my mind.

But if anyone who has a good old fashioned recipe like granny used to make, I sure would like to see them.

Thanks all. It is greatly appreciated.

You live in San Diego, go to The Chicken Pie Shoppe on El Cajon Blvd. Best Chicken Pot Pie anywhere. And dirt cheap.

Great advice!  It was reviewed here on Roadfood:
http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Overview/164/san-diego-chicken-pie-shop
 
And elsewhere:
http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/27/314418/restaurant/North-Park/San-Diego-Chicken-Pie-Shop-San-Diego
 
And then there is Giada DeLaurentis' favorite comfort food up in LA:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/local/ca-los-angeles/woodspoon-restaurant/index.html
 

Right now, I am presently traveling for work and get home very rarely, so I get the chance to visit a lot of places out here. This is another reason why I love Roadfood, it is like my personal travel companion.
 
Mar52 - got a question or two for you.
 
In the first recipe, it calls for Nutmeg, I have seen this in other recipes and wonder what advantage Nutmeg brings to a chicken pot pie, I would think it would be too sweet or something similar.
 
In the 2nd recipe you list Tabasco and/or Worcestershire Sauce, what would they bring flavorwise to the recipe or in other words what are their effects. (Tabasco = hot).
 
Yes, I wish I had paid more attention when I was growing up to how my grandmother cooked, I am paying dearly for that now. But I basically felt CCP was an easy make, but I just don't have the natural talent in the kitchen I would like to have and when it comes to imagination, I lack it.
 
I agree on the homemade pie crust as opposed to store bought, there just isn't any comparison really.
 
Thanks for all the input everyone!

GetMeRexKramer:  That pinch of nutmeg won't be identifiable but you'll say....  hmmm, that tastes good.  What is it?  If you can say...  there is nutmeg in this you've used too much.
 
It's a spice that adds an undertone or enhances what is already being used.
 
In the second recipe you are just adding flavor with the Tobasco and Worcestershire Sauce.  You shouldn't be able to "feel the heat".
 
You also can omit one or both as nothing is written in stone when making the filling for a pot pie.  But... hthey do add a depth of flavor.

Yes, that is something that I had not considered. Being able to add things that don't necessarily stand out but lend depth without being noticeable. Like I said, I'm not that great of a cook, but I do like to experiment with simple things. The nutmeg sounds interesting, I may give that one a try to see what happens.
 
For everyone else, that replied and contributed, thank you for taking the time to weigh in.
 
My next step would be to ask for a good, simple pie crust recipe. I was thinking about using Bisquick, but I really don't like that product. I would rather work from scratch I think and I can't really decide on what type of recipe so I thought I would throw it up here.
 
I don't know about puff pastry. When I think of that term I see something akin to filo dough or something along the lines of baklava crust. I don't want that, to be sure. I think I just want a good, basic, simple dough recipe for pie crust. I definitely won't use store bought, not for this type of cooking.
 
I am after "hearty", a good, warm, winter type meal.

I'm sure you'll get some good recipes, but after you do, here's some:
Tips for Making Great Pies
For best results, keep all ingredients in the refrigerator before mixing the dough, and have the water and fat ice cold.
 
Handle pie pastry as little as possible with your hands. The best mixing is done with knives or a pastry blender or --- with care not to over mix -- the food processor. The pastry should have some pea-sized pieces of fat, making the pockets of flakiness we all love so much.
 
A little sugar sweetens the pastry a bit and tenderizes slightly.
 
Use either pastry flour or all purpose flour for the best results. High gluten flour like bread flour makes a tougher crust and cake flour is too soft.
 
Try substituting ice cold sour cream or heavy cream for the water in your basic pie pastry recipe.
 
For many pies, spiced dough might make perfect sense. Try a little cinnamon or nutmeg in with the flour.
 
After you fit the pastry into the pie pan, sprinkle with finely chopped nuts and gently press them into the dough before baking or filling.
 
For easier rolling, chill the dough for 20 to 30 minutes.

Omit that last part about the nuts if making a savory pie.
 
Puff pastry isn't like filo at all.  It's much thicker and you only use one layer.  Simple to use. 
 
I'm not good with pie crusts.
 
Here's a recipe I've had a bit of success with although it sounds strange:
 
Simple Pie Crust
 
two sticks of softened butter
1 cup of sour cream
two cups of flour
 
Basically, you mix two sticks of softened butter (or one stick butter and a half cup of lard) and 1 cup of sour cream into two cups of flour. Then you refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight or several days or whatever before rolling out. Can make 4 - 8 inch shallow pie crusts (rolled thin) or two 9 inch deep dish crusts which might be good for pot pies.(rolled a little thicker)
 

This crust recipe comes from Melinda Lee:
 
Pate Sucree
 
Makes two 8- to 10-inch tarts or single-crust pies

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 4 tablespoons ice water
• 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten

 
In the bowl of a food processor, add flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter and process for approximately 10 seconds, or just until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. To mix by hand, combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Using a pastry blender or two table knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.
 
With the machine running, add ice water, drop by drop and slowly add egg yolks, until the dough just holds together without being wet or sticky; about 30 seconds. Test the dough at this point by squeezing a small amount together. If it is too crumbly, add a bit more water.
 
Turn dough out onto a large piece of plastic
wrap. Grasping the ends of the plastic wrap with your hands, press dough into a flat circle with your fists. Wrap dough in the plastic and chill for at least an hour.

Worcestershire sauce in small amounts works like a natural glutamate taste enhancer much like MSG, due in part to soy,tamarind, and anchovies to add a savory flavor. The buzzword nowadays is Umami for that effect. Like Marlene said, the addition of nutmeg is more for it's aromatic taste that provides an undertone for the taste pallet. At a pinch proportion, it would negligible unless ground fresh.

Look no further than Ina Garden's chicken pot pie:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/chicken-pot-pie-recipe/index.html
I mostly followed the recipe-used canned chicken broth instead of homemade.  One thing I have learned for Ina is when you need chicken breast meat for a recipe is to always roast skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts.  The roasted chicken breast meat tastes so much better.  I freeze the bones/skin for chicken soup,chicken & dumplings,chicken & noodles.
The other change was to make 2 crusts pies.  My husband loves crust.  I now make the pies in 9" cake pans so I can add more filling.  This recipe makes plenty of filling for 2 pies.