My mother has always made the best chicken pot pie. No really, it is. It's rich and creamy as chicken pot pie should be, with lots of chicken and an amazing flavor. They key is Bell's seasoning which I link below, not so you can buy it from Amazon, but so that you can see the box and find it at your local grocery store. It's a cute, old-fashioned yellow box with a turkey on the front, and it's the only poultry seasoning Mom uses. I actually stocked up on it after the holidays last year when I found it in the clearance bin at Publix...People had no idea what they were passing up! This recipe is a bit labor intensive, but so worth it! You can cheat by using a store-bought rotisserie chicken and canned broth. We top it with Mimi LeGault's (Mom's French-Canadian grandmother) homemade pie dough, but I'm not prepared to give out that recipe since my husband insists we could make a fortune off of the stuff. He might be right, so top it with your own recipe or a store bought dough. I have my chicken boiling on the stove right now, and I just got a "Yesssssssss..." and a fist bump from my 13 year old when I told him what it was for. My family will be happy tonight!
Janet's Chicken Pot Pie
1 3-4 lb chicken
3 stalks of celery with leaves (you can use the puny ones in the middle of the bunch)
1 onion, skin on
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. Kosher or sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Place all in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer till done and falling apart.
Remove the chicken. Drain, skim, and reserve the broth. Remove meat from the bones and set aside.
In a frying pan, saute
1/4 cup butter
1 large onion chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 pkg. white mushrooms, sliced
Saute till the vegetables are soft. Stir in:
1/3 cup flour
1 tsp. Bell's poultry seasoning
Mix well and add:
1 cup of milk
1 1/2-2 cups of reserved broth.
Cook until thick and bubbly. Add:
1/2 cup frozen peas
reserved chicken meat
Add more salt and pepper and Bell's to taste. Pour into a large casserole dish. Top with a layer of pie dough. Brush dough with egg, sprinkle with kosher salt, and cut slits for the air to vent.
Bake 375 for 30-45 minutes until brown and bubbly
PS....We're heading up to Boone next week to visit Mom and Dad and enjoy Autumn in the mountains. I'll try to update you from there, and maybe post a few pictures! Love to all-Shannon
