Chicken Pot Pie

Crust:

• 1 1/3 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 Tbs ice cold water
• 1/2 cup shortening

In a small bowl mix flour and salt. Add cold water and then blend the shortening with a pastry blender until crumbly. Ball up and put in plastic wrap and let it chill in fridge while you prepare the filling.


Filling:

• 1 large chicken breast, sliced into bit-size pieces
• 5-6 red potatoes with peel, cut into chunks
• 2 large carrots, peeled, cut into chunks
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 large yellow onion, cut into chunks
• 1 can chicken broth
• 5 oz cream cheese
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 Tbs herbes de provence*
• salt and pepper to taste

*I know I'm a Frenchy and have a staple of this in my cupboard but this can be easily replaced by thyme, rosemary and other savory spices.


1. Add potatoes and carrots to large pot of boiling water to soften.
2. While those are softening, cook chicken chunks in a frying pan until almost golden (this saves time as opposed to cooking the whole thing first then chopping it). Add onions and garlic until onions start to soften slightly.
3. Drain potatoes and carrots and return to pot. Add chicken broth, cream cheese, chicken and onions from skillet, peas, herbs, salt and pepper. Let simmer until cheese is melted.
4. While that is simmering, take out your crust and roll out to the size of your casserole dish (I roll it with plastic loosely on top and bottom, so I don't have to worry about flour and transportation is easy).
5. When filling is ready, pour into casserole dish and top with your crust. Make a couple slits onto the crust.
6. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Let cool for a few then serve!


Makes about 6-8 servings.