What a delicious, piping hot meal for a cool fall day…or after a day of playing outside in the snow with the kids! It’s a warm way to provide a nutritiously cozy meal on a cold day.
This is an easy, shortcut way to prepare a delicious chicken pot pie, using frozen veggies as part of your shortcut. The main idea is to get as many veggies in the pie as possible for a deliciously full vitamin meal, without overdoing it on the starch (pie crust). Take as many shortcuts as you like, such as a package of mixed veggies instead of separate ones. Kids love it because you can add just the veggies they favor, maybe even broccoli!
I use unsalted chicken broth so that I can control the amount of salt. Many regular chicken broths contain a full day’s worth of salt in one serving…way too much for my family.
First of all, sauté the veggies, add the already cooked chicken. I usually opt for a package of grilled, sliced chicken from my favorite grocery store. Stir in the flour thickener, then the chicken broth and milk.
Pour the mixture into the ceramic baking bowls or large mugs. Top each one with a puff pastry round, brush with egg wash and cut 3 slits into each pastry lid.
Bake and you have a cozy, warm meal all in one bowl. Less dishes to wash and less work to make a delicious meal that even the kids will like.
This recipe makes two 5” ceramic bowl pot pies.
Preheat the oven to 375F degrees a few minutes before you’re ready to bake.
Prepare your two baking dishes:
-I use two extra large oven safe ceramic soup bowls with handles.
-They are about 5” in diameter and 4” high.
-Lightly butter the bottom and sides with butter.
Gather up the Ingredients:
2 T Butter
½ Onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Carrot, diced
1 Celery stick diced
½ C Peas, fresh or frozen
½ C Corn, fresh or frozen
3 Broccoli florets, optional
1 ½ C Chicken, cooked and diced
1-2 T Flour
1 ½ C Chicken broth, unsalted
½ C Milk or heavy cream
Salt and pepper
Mixed seasoning, optional
1 Sheet Puff Pastry, thawed
1 Egg, beaten for egg wash
Mix, sauté and bake:
-In a 10” fry pan, sauté the butter, diced onion and celery until translucent.
-Add the garlic and heat through.
-Add the carrots, peas, corn, broccoli (optional) to sauté, heating through and browning if you want.
-Stir in the chicken and heat through.
-Sprinkle the flour on top and stir to avoid lumps.
-Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer, stirring to thicken.
-Add the milk and continuing stirring to heat everything through and continue thickening. It will thicken a little more in the oven.
-Pour the mixture equally and into the baking bowls. You may want to heap the- contents a little since the veggies will settle while baking. If you have some leftover, butter another baking dish for a third serving.
-Set the baking bowls onto a flat rimmed baking sheet and set aside.
-Unfold the thawed puff pastry.
-Cut rounds from the puff pastry, about an inch larger around than each of the baking bowls.
-Place the puff pastry on top of the bowls, crimp the edges and set aside.
-With a sharp pointed knife, cut 3 slits through each puff pastry round.
-Lightly whisk the egg in a small bowl. A fork or a small whisk will work.
-With a clean pastry brush, paint some egg on top of each puff pastry lid.
-Place the pan of baking dishes in the oven preheated to 375F degrees and bake for 25-30 minutes. Everything inside the bowls has been completely cooked, so the main thing to do at this point is to bake the puff pastry lids to a beautiful golden brown. I check it at the 20-minute mark so I don't burn the pastry on top.
-Once the puff pastry has turned to a golden brown, take the pan of baking bowls out of the oven and cool for 10 minutes. The pot pie ingredients inside will be super-hot, so the bowls need to be cooled a little before breaking through the puff pastry lids.
-Enjoy your delicious Puff Pastry Chicken Pot Pie with a cold glass of milk or cool water.
Options:
-Use a bag of frozen mixed veggies, thawed, instead of preparing individual veggies to save time.
-Add seasonal seasonings such as sage, thyme, etc., according to the flavors you or your family likes.
Storage:
-Even though there are never any leftovers at our house, you can certainly store the leftovers in their individual bowls, covered with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. To reheat, place the heat save bowls in the oven at 325F degrees and heat through. Time will depend on how large the leftover servings are. (Heating in the microwave may make the puff pastry soggy.)
A warm, cozy meal, this one is easy to make and delicious to eat. Whoever you make it for, “Bake your very own Memories!”
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