January 11, 2010

Marie Callender's Chicken Pot Pie....
Menu Description: "Tender chunks of chicken with seasonings and vegetables.

Guess what I found at my local Costco this weekend? The Best of Top Secret Recipes from the files of Todd Wilbur! I LOVE these copycat recipes!

The fog came rolling in this afternoon at about 3 and the weather was cold and gloomy. What for dinner? Ahhhh, Marie Callender's Chicken Pot Pie! This turned out to be a 5-star recipe. So good and really, just like the real thing. I kept asking my husband if he thought is was pretty close to the real thing because it is one of his favorites and his only comment was he didn't think Marie Callender's puts that much chicken into it. Yeah, I don't eat that much meat anymore either and even though it was stupendous, I'd go a little easier on the meat. It was a chicken breast per bowl and I think a half a chicken breast would have been enough. We ate two tonight and have two for another night down the road, or lunch.
And the crust...... TO DIE FOR!!!


Crust
1 &1/2 cups flour
3/4 tsp. salt
2 egg yolks
3 TBS ice water
2/3 c cold butter
(1 beaten egg to brush on crust) optional

Filling
1 c sliced carrots
1 c sliced celery
2 c frozen peas
1 c chopped white onion
4 chicken breasts
4 TBS butter
5 TBS flour
2 &1/2 C chicken broth
2/3 c milk
1/2 tsp salt
dash pepper

Mix dry crust ingredients, make well in center and all wet ingredients, mix with fork and then your hands to finish. Make into disk- put in fridge for at least an hour

Steam veggies (sliced carrot and celery first for 5 min. Add frozen peas and onions and continue steaming for another 10 to 12 minutes)and poach chicken (cook in slightly salted water for 8 to 10 min) Cut chicken into bite size pieces. In separate pan melt butter and whisk in flour- add chicken broth and milk- stir until mixture comes to a boil, then cook for 1 more minute before reducing heat to low. Add all the chicken and the veggies and salt and pepper. Simmer on low for 5 minutes. Put into casserole dish (I like to spray dish with Pam first for easy cleaning)

Roll out dough the shape of the dish- seal on top of dish folding edges under. brush with egg if desired. His recipe calls for cooking in 6 individual ramekins, but I'm to lazy for that (and don't have the ramekins).

Bake 425*F for approx. 35 to 45 minutes