A Chicken in Every Pot (Pie)

So I guess Herbert Hoover never really promised a chicken in every pot; at least that's what the Herbert Hoover Library says, but wherever the phrase originated, it hits home with me.  We have had an unusually warm winter so far in northern Illinois -- temperatures in the high 40s and even low 50s.  What?  In January?  Our snow-thrower has been gathering dust in the garage.  Last night, however, was predicted to be the beginning of a real Midwestern winter.  We expected to wake up to at least a couple of inches of snow.  Well, still no snow, but I used that weather forecast as an excuse to warm up and fatten up last night with chicken pot pie.

I make my pot pie using an Ina Garten recipe as the starting point.  But where she adds pearl onions, I add potatoes.  I also add thyme and use less salt and butter.  If you'd like her original recipe, you can find it at the Food Network site.

The filling is ready!

This pot pie is the real-deal comfort food -- warm, creamy, rich, and tasty.  Be warned, though, it is not for a quick dinner.  I started a little late last night (maybe 5:30), and we didn't eat until around 8:30.  I also missed half of the Chicago Bulls game because I was in the kitchen.  Even so, it is always worth the trouble for this delectable pot pie.

Chicken Pot Pie

Adapted from Ina Garten, 2005

4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless

olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

5 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 cup butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup diced onion (about 1 onion)

3/4 cup flour

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 cups diced carrots

2 cups diced potatoes

1 1/2 cups frozen peas

For the pastry:

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1/2 cup cold butter, diced

1/2 to 2/3 cup ice water

1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

                                                                                                                                                               

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet and rub with olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Roast for 35-40 minutes, or until cooked through.  Set aside until cool enough to handle, then dice into bite-sized pieces.

Put carrots and potatoes in a medium saucepan, cover with water, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until partially cooked.

Make the pastry.  Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder.   Add shortening and butter and mix with your fingers until each piece is coated with flour and the pieces of fat are no larger than peas.  Add the ice water one tablespoon at a time, adding only enough to make the dough hold together.  Place dough on lightly floured board and knead a few times into a ball.  Wrap dough in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock with the thyme.  In a large pot, melt the butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Saute onions over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.  (This will be very thick.)  Add the hot chicken stock to the flour mixtures and whisk until all the flour is incorporated.  Simmer over low-medium heat, stirring, until the mixture is very thick (about the consistency of potato soup).  (If your sauce is not thickening sufficiently, you can whisk in a tablespoon or so of Wondra flour.  Be sure to use Wondra to avoid clumping.)  Add freshly ground pepper to taste and the heavy cream.  Stir well.  Add chicken, carrots, potatoes, and peas.  Heat over very low heat while you roll out the pastry.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Roll out dough into a rectangle to fit over a 9x13 pan.  Spray pan lightly with vegetable spray (like Pam). 

Spoon filling into pan and place dough on top.  Fold under the edges of the dough for a slightly crimped edge, or press down to allow it to hang over the sides.  Brush dough with egg wash.  Cut three slits in the crust.

Place pan on baking sheet and bake for about 1 hour, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling hot.  Allow to stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

If you let it set a while before serving, it is less runny.  I can never wait!

Printable recipe

Retro Casserole

Here's a great casserole recipe from the 1970s.  My mother has made this for years.  It is an old-school comfort food for a cold night.  I made this last night, then was talking to my mom this evening and found out she had made the same dish today!

You can adjust the ingredients to suit your tastes and pantry.  For example, I always omit the mushrooms and sometimes the celery.  I really like the zip added by green olives, so I am generous with those.

When you first add the noodles to the tomatoes, you will not be sure this is going to work since there doesn't seem to be enough liquid.  It will.  You can see the pre-simmered and post-simmered versions in the pictures below.  Let me just add, however, it is almost impossible to get an attractive picture of a casserole.  So don't be put off by the pictures.  It's quite tasty!

Ground Beef Casserole

1 ½ - 2 pounds lean ground beef

1 cup diced celery

½ cup chopped onion

Salt and pepper

2 cans (28 oz. size) tomatoes

½ cup sliced olives, green or black

½ small can sliced water chestnuts

1 small can mushroom pieces (optional)

1 – 1 ½ cups cubed sharp cheddar cheese

6 oz. egg noodles, uncooked

½ - ¾ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Break apart the ground beef in a skillet, season with salt and pepper and brown until fully cooked.  Drain off fat.  Add celery and onion and cook until tender.  (You can cook the onion and celery at the same time you brown the meat to save time, but they will absorb more fat.) 

Put tomatoes in large saucepan.  (I use whole canned tomatoes and cut them up and core them before adding to pan.)  Add beef, olives, mushrooms and water chestnuts.  Simmer on low heat while you cube up the cheese.  Add the cubed cheese and noodles.  Simmer over low heat about 15 minutes, or until noodles are tender.

Transfer to casserole dish.  Cover with shredded cheese.  Bake at 325 degrees about 30 minutes.