Chicken Pot Pie

This cool weather we've been having has been giving me a serious hankering for pot pie. Fortunately, I know how to make them!

 Of course, my pot pies aren't this pretty.  My mom actually made this one about a year and a half ago and it looked so nice, I took a picture of it even though I didn't make it.   Mine might not look so lovely, but they sure are tasty!

Oh, and even though I make these as chicken pot pies, it can just as easily be made with turkey meat and you can easily omit the chicken stock and flour and just use leftover gravy, thinking ahead a bit to Thanksgiving and the OMG-what-do-I-with-all-these-leftovers syndrome that some people (not me!) seem to face.

Chicken Pot Pie

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup cold butter

1/2 cup cold water

2 tbsp butter

1 small onion, diced

2 carrots, sliced

1/3 cup fresh parsley

1 tsp dried oregano 

salt & pepper to tast

2 cups chicken stock

3 potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 tbsp butter

1 cup cooked chicken, diced

3 tbsp all-purpose flour

Combine 2 1/2 cups flour and 1/2 tsp salt in a small bowl.  Cut in 1 cup butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles fine crumbs.  Drizzle in water and mix together until it is forms a dough.  Cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Melt 2 tbsp butter in a large saucepan.  Add onion, carrots, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper.  Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables soften.  Add chicken stock and potatoes.  Bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes.

In a medium skillet, melt the remaining 2 tbsp butter.  Add chicken and remaining flour.  Add milk and heat through.  Stir chicken mixture into the vegetable mixture; cook until thickened.  

Remove pie crust dough from refrigerator and divide in half.  Roll out half the dough and press into a pie pan.  Pour filling mixture into pie pan.  Roll out the other half of dough to form top crust and place on top of the filling.  Press together edges and cut a few slits in the top crust to let out steam.  Bake for 15 minutes, reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake for another 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown.