Country Chicken Pot Pies

By kathryns

Makes 4, 6 inch pies.

Note: these are delicious; great to freeze ahead; the dough is VERY crumbly (with TJ’s organic shortening) and hard to work with

Ingredients

• 1 C chopped onion
• 1 C chopped celery
• 1 C chopped carrot
• 1/3 C butter or margarine, melted
• 1/2 C all-purpose flour
• 2 C chicken broth
• 1 C half-and-half
• 4 C chopped cooked chicken
• 1 C frozen peas, thawed
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• Basic Pastry (or store bought puff pastry!)
• 4 C all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 C plus 1 Tblsp. shortening
• 1/3 to 1/2 C cold water

Preparation

Step 1

Saute first 3 ingredients in butter in a skillet over medium heat until tender. Add flour; stir until smooth. Cook 1 minute stirring constantly. Add chicken broth and half-and-half; cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly. Stir in chicken, peas, salt, and pepper.

To prepare pastry mix flour and salt. Cut shortening into flour till the size of peas. Add water 1T at a time and mix gently.
Divide Basic Pastry into 8 equal portions . Roll 4 portions of pastry to 10 inch circles on a floured surface. Place in four 6 inch disposable pie pans.

Divide chicken mixture over pastry in pans. Roll remaining 4 portions of circles over filling; fold edges under and flute. Cut slits in tops to allow steam to escape.

+To Freeze:+ Cover tightly and freeze up to 1 month (I've made double batches at the same time and froze them for a couple of months)

+To Serve:+ Bake, uncovered at 400F for 1 hour or until crust is brown