I've been hearing from some of my friends that it's been a while since the last blog post. I would say that May - January is quite a while! Last night's dinner is brought to you by my wife, Jen.
Chicken Pot Pie is a traditional pantry dish, where many of the goods used come from items many people have on hand. I've been practicing my skills for a while now, and I am perfectly happy being a pantry cook. Besides, I think most at-home cooks are pantry cooks anyway.
Jen's Tip #1: I find that it is easiest to get all of your ingredients prepped before assembling because this dish comes together fast once you start cooking. I've become very good at prepping because that's what I do for Marc when he cooks. But at the same time, that's when I become his sous chef.
Jen's Tip #2: I choose to not make this dish in individual crocks because there is less to clean if there is only one dish! And how many people actually like cleaning up afterwards? But if you are a fan of cleaning, use as many dishes as you like!
Jen's Tip #3: When you cook, please keep seasoning and tasting in the forefront of your mind - the reason most restaurants have food that tastes so good is because they season their food and give it time for flavors to develop. I think this is the most important thing Marc taught me about cooking - season your food! Yes, my husband taught me how to cook and because of his teachings, I now can make Grandma's Sunday Sauce like a pro (but not as good as Grandma's - it just never is...)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Hardware Needed:
Large Skillet (I use a 15 inch Calphalon)
Casserole Dish (9 x 13 minimum)
Foil covered sheet pan (just in case of spill over)
Ingredients:
1 lb. chicken sausage, casings removed (mild or hot)
2 medium onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
2 stalks celery, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 lb. red potatoes, diced into 1/2 inch cubes and parboiled in salted water
2 cups baby bella mushrooms, quartered
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
Red pepper flake (to your desired spice level)
1/2 lb. each - frozen peas, corn, green beans
1/4-1/2 cup AP flour
4-5 cups chicken stock (homemade preferable)
1 rotisserie chicken, shredded or chopped
2 prepared pie crusts
1 egg plus 1 tbsp. water, beaten
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large skillet, brown chicken sausage over medium high heat.
In the same skillet, there may be some remaining drippings. Do not drain (it's flavor!). If your chicken sausage was lean, you may add some oil to the pan. Sweat the onion, garlic, celery, and carrot (seasoned with salt and pepper) over medium heat, approximately 5-7 minutes.
Add potatoes, mushrooms, thyme, Italian seasoning and red pepper flake. When the ingredients have warmed through, add in peas, corn and green beans. Season again with salt and pepper. Taste to make sure the seasoning levels are appropriate.
Once all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed, dust evenly with flour. (If you like the gravy of your pot pie a little thicker, use closer to 1/2 cup.) Cook the flour with the vegetables approximately 3 minutes and add chicken stock. Bring to a boil. You may want to season with salt and pepper again. Believe it or not, many food items don't come pre-seasoned!
Stir in chicken sausage and diced rotisserie chicken until coated in gravy. Pour into casserole dish.
Cover with the prepared pie crust and brush on egg wash. Most prepared pie crusts come in round shapes, I shape mine to fit the casserole dish. Place the casserole onto the foil covered baking sheet and place in the oven for 25-30 minutes so that the pie crust turns golden brown.
Let rest for 10 minutes so that the gravy can firm up and spoon into bowls. For additional heat, drizzle with hot sauce.
This dish is packed with vegetables and stick to your ribs goodness that will please even the pickiest of eaters. And guess what, if you don't like one of the vegetables, you can always substitute in another or double up on something else.
From start to finish, this dish took approximately 1 1/2 hours. That may seem like a lot of time, but considering prepping the ingredients took about half that time (I do include browning the sausage and parboiling potatoes as prep), I really only spent about 20 minutes at the stove and 30 minutes cleaning up while the pie was in the oven (Why sit and do nothing while it's in the oven? Clean up a little!)
This dish is packed with vegetables and stick to your ribs goodness that will please even the pickiest of eaters. And guess what, if you don't like one of the vegetables, you can always substitute in another or double up on something else.
Trust me, you will be well rewarded taking your time on this dish! Enjoy this hearty pantry favorite!
~Jen
This looks like a really interesting recipe!
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