Easy Chicken Pot Pie

I know, enough with the chicken already. But, really, chicken is about as much a staple in my kitchen is as flour. It's cheap, easy to work with, and keeps a hungry family happy. This recipe is one of my go-to entrees and doesn't take too long to get on the table. It also delivers a whole lot of American appeal, as it smells like something I'd eat in my Aunt Virginia's kitchen. She might serve it with a plate of bread and Oleo, some jello salad, and finish things off with her amazing chocolate chip cookies....but I digress.

What you'll need:

1-2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 cups of chicken stock (made from bullion, or from a can--if you're really lucky)

3 carrots, peeled and diced

a few stalks of celery (if you can find them), roughly chopped

2 potatoes, peeled and diced

1 package of pre-made pie crust (I use Pillsbury when the commissary stocks it)

1-2 tblsp. corn starch

fresh or frozen peas, optional

What to do:

In a small pot, place the diced potatoes and cover with water. Cover pot with lid, turn heat to high and wait for the water to boil. At the same time, in a stock pot, bring the chicken broth to a boil and add whole chicken breasts, carrots and celery. Turn heat to low, and let simmer, poaching the chicken until fully cooked. After about 10 minutes, check the chicken, and if no longer pink, remove from the broth and set aside. Check the potatoes from time to time and poke with a knife until soft. Once potatoes are finished, drain the water and add potatoes to the broth. In a small bowl, add about 1/2 cup of broth to 2 tblsp. of corn starch, whisking with a fork until smooth. Turn up the broth with the carrots, potatoes and celery and add the corn starch mixture. Stir the corn starch into the broth, making sure to incorporate it completely into the broth without lumps. When fully incorporated, turn down to medium to low heat. As the broth starts to thicken, chop the chicken into bite size pieces and add to the broth. Add peas, frozen or fresh at this time and let the broth simmer for about 5 minutes.

While the broth is thickening, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Take a pie plate or a 9 x 13 dish and 1) pour chicken broth mixture directly into the pan or 2) line the plate/dish with a pie crust, and then pour the chicken broth mixture over the crust. For those who really like the pie angle of the Pot Pie recipe, this is a good choice. Once the chicken broth is in the plate/dish, take a(nother) pie crust and stretch it across the top of the dish. Crimp the edges and then cut in a few slits on the top to allow hot air to escape. (And if you have some extra pie crust, maybe use some cute cookie cutters to cut out shapes in pie crust and affix to the top of the crust.)

Place the pot pie in the hot oven and let cook for about 30 minutes, or until the crust starts to brown. Once browned, pull from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Serve immediately. This makes a great weeknight winter meal and is great for lunch left-overs. My children won't eat veggies on their own, but those veggies seem to become invisible once hidden inside pie crust. I find myself making this recipe whenever I feel homesick. It's great comfort food.