Individual Chicken Pot Pies including Directions for Freezing

pot-pie

Chicken pot pie is the classic comfort food. When you make your own, you can load up on the vegetables and chicken, limit salt and control the amount and type of fat. Making individual frozen pot pies lets you do the mixing and cleaning up when you have time, not when you’re hurrying to prepare a meal.

Serves 6

Ingredients

  • 1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (TIP: Amount need not be exact. You also can use 4 to 6 cups of diced, cooked store-bought rotisserie chicken. Leftover Thanksgiving turkey works well, too!)
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • Freshly ground black pepper (TIP: Regular pepper also works, but is slightly less flavorful.)
  • Salt, optional
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 cups chopped carrots
  • 2 celery stalks, sliced
  • 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (TIP: If you don’t use flour much at your house, buy a small container of Wondra flour, which is used mostly for making sauces and gravies as it is not likely to form lumps when mixed with liquids.)
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 2 teaspoons minced, fresh thyme leaves (TIP: 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme may be substituted for fresh thyme.) 
  • 1 (15-ounce, approximately) box pie crust (found in refrigerator case)
  • 2 cups frozen peas
  • When you’re ready to bake the pies: Beat 1 egg with 1 tablespoon water to make an egg wash for brushing on the crust. (TIP: If baking just a few pies at a time, store any extra egg wash in the refrigerator and use in making scrambled eggs within a day or two.)

NOTE: Bake in 6 2-cup capacity foil or other oven-proof baking containers (check that glass or ceramic containers are also suitable for freezer storage).

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F with a rack placed in the middle position for baking. Place chicken breasts on a rimmed baking sheet and coat with 2 tablespoons of the oil. (I like to do this with a silicone pastry brush so I don’t touch the chicken with my hands.) Sprinkle with salt (if desired) and pepper. Roast for 20-30 minutes or until cooked through (food thermometer temperature of 165° F). Set cooked chicken aside to cool. Cut into generous bite-sized chunks when cool enough to handle.
  2. Melt butter with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a Dutch oven or large, deep skillet over medium heat. Cook onion, carrots and celery 8-10 minutes or until slightly softened; stir occasionally.
  3. While vegetables are cooking, bring broth to a boil in a small saucepan, reduce to a low heat and maintain at a simmer until ready to use.
  4. Stir flour into vegetables; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes over medium-low heat.
  5. Stir hot chicken broth, milk, and thyme into vegetable mixture. Simmer over medium-low to low heat, stirring, until sauce thickens. NOTE: If your chicken hasn't been cut into pieces yet, remove the vegetable/sauce mixture from the burner.
  6. After sauce has thickened, mix cubed chicken with sauce. Transfer to a shallow pan(s) and let cool on a cooling rack for about 20 minutes. Then, cover with foil or plastic wrap, leaving a corner cracked open for heat to escape. Refrigerate until well-chilled, about an hour.
  7. Stir the frozen peas into the cold filling. Divide the mixture among the six pot pie containers.
  8. Roll out pie crusts on a lightly floured surface. Cut 6 individual pastry toppings, using the top of the baking container as a guide and cutting around it.
  9. Top pot pies with the pastry crusts; seal crust to the inside edge of the pot pie containers by pressing around the edge with a fork. Use a paring knife to make 3 cuts into each crust to vent steam. NOTE: If you'd like to bake some pot pies immediately; follow the directions in step 11, EXCEPT use a 375° F oven and bake for 1 hour or until crust is golden brown and internal temperature is 165° F.
  10. Wrap pot pies with 2 layers of plastic wrap, pressed close to pie surface, followed by a layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Label each pie with the contents and date. For best quality, serve within 2 to 3 months.
  11. To bake pot pies: Place oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400° F. Unwrap the frozen pot pie(s) and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush crusts with egg wash. Cover loosely with foil; bake 40 minutes. Remove foil; bake about 35 minutes longer or until crusts are golden brown. Test for doneness by placing an instant-read thermometer in the center of the pie (through one of the slits) about 10-15 minutes before cooking time is up. The pie is done when center reaches 165° F. Let pot pies rest 10 minutes before serving.