Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken pot pie has always been one of my favorite things. When I was a kid, I felt the independence of making my own (in the microwave). When I started to actually cook, I began to experiment with making my own from scratch. I love the crust, so sometimes I will make a pie crust for the top. A few months ago, I bought some puff pastry and used that for the top, which was quite a revelation. Then most recently, my mom brought over some phyllo dough and we tried it with that. I love all three, so what ever you have on hand, give it a try. I usually save this one for when I have some leftover cooked chicken. It's also a GREAT use for that leftover Thanksgiving turkey.

All you need to do is chop some onion, garlic, celery, carrots & potatoes and saute them with some olive oil & salt & pepper. Chop up the chicken and add that to the pan. Throw in some green peas, chopped herbs and about a Tbs. of flour. Cook for a minute or so and then add a cup (or more depending on how much you are making) of chicken stock or water. Cook until thickened.

If you're using a pie crust, place bottom crust in pie pan. Pour chicken mixture into your pan & top with whichever crust you're going with. Brush top with oil or some cream to help it to brown in the oven. If you use a pie crust, poke a few holes in the top too.

Bake until golden. Beware of molten lava hot filling if you eat it too soon!