Chicken Pot Pie

RECIPE

SPOTLIGHT HALAL RECIPE
Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie in the oven

Pot Pie is a cooking method where poultry or meat and chopped vegetables are cooked in a deep, pastry-lined pot. The term, 'pot pie' first appeared in American print in 1785 and it has remained primarily an Americanism. Pot pie typically has a filling of meat (particularly beef, chicken or turkey), gravy, and mixed vegetables (potatoes, carrots, green beans and peas).

This recipe is an adaptation of a recipe published in the 1969 edition of the Betty Crocker Cookbook.

YOU'LL NEED...

   Pastry for a 9-inch two-crust pie (see below)
   2 tbsp. butter
   2 tbsp. flour
   1 tsp. salt
   ½ tsp. black pepper
   ¼ tsp. thyme (زعتر)
   ½ cup chicken broth or 1 chicken bouillon cube dissolved in ½ cup boiling water
   ½ cup light cream (20%)
   40 (yes forty) shakes of dried onion flakes
   2 cups cooked chicken or turkey meat, chunked
   10 oz. frozen peas and carrots, cooked

   1. HEAT oven to 425° F. (215° C.)
   2. PREPARE pastry as directed below.
   3. MELT butter in a large saucepan over low heat.
   4. BLEND in flour, salt, pepper and thyme with a fork or wire whisk to create a roux. COOK, stirring over low heat until smooth and bubbly.
   5. STIR in chicken broth, cream and dried onion flakes. HEAT to boiling, stirring constantly. Sauce will thicken.
   6. STIR chicken and vegetables into the sauce.
   7. POUR filling into the prepared pie crust.
   8. COVER with pastry top. SEAL edges of top and bottom crust.
   9. PIERCE pie top with a knife to allow steam to exit while baking.
 10. COVER edge with a thin strip of aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning/burning; remove foil last 15 minutes of baking.
 11. BAKE 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.

PIE PASTRY (for a 9-inch two-crust pie)

   2 cups all purpose flour
   1 teas. salt
   2/3 cup + 2 tbsp. vegetable shortening
   4-5 tbsp. cold water

   1. MEASURE flour and salt into bowl.
   2. CUT in shortening thoroughly. To do this, hold two butter knives, one in each hand. Blades touching, cut through flour and shortening in opposite directions. This will 'cut' the shortening into small flour-covered beads. This step is the key to a flaky crust.
   3. SPRINKLE in water, 1 tbsp. at a time, mixing until all flour is moistened and dough almost cleans side of bowl.
   4. DIVIDE dough 40:60.
   5. GATHER dough into balls; shape each into flattened rounds on lightly floured board.
   6. ROLL out dough evenly using a flour covered rolling pin. Roll dough 2 inches larger than inverted pie pan.
   7. FOLD pastry into quarters.
   8. UNFOLD pastry in pan.