chicken pot pie – the easy way

My mom used to make this when we lived in Ohio and would often have my stepdad’s side of the family over to visit.  I was a vegetarian and so was my aunt Amy – my aunt Amy on my stepdad’s side, that is; on my dad’s side, I have a fully omnivorous aunt Amy.  My mom would make this chicken pot pie and a vegetarian version.  It’s hearty enough to keep you warm during an Ohio winter, it tastes delicious, and it’s simple enough that she could make it while still keeping one eye on my little brother and sister.  Since my sister had a tendency to climb on things and once (at age 2) climbed into a cabinet and tore an aluminum pie pan in half, cutting her finger so badly that she needed stitches, that kind of meal was probably no easy feat.

Now, I’m no longer a vegetarian, but I’ve blended the two recipes.  My mom used to use cream of mushroom soup for the vegetarian kind, and I like it so much that way that I use it for the chicken version even though Betty Crocker tells you to use cream of chicken soup.  But what does Betty know?  I mean, really.

You can make a half-batch of this recipe to serve 2-3 people with leftovers, or the full batch to serve hearty portions to 6 people.

Chicken Pot Pie

Adapted from Betty Crocker

Filling

• 1 and a half pounds raw skinless, boneless chicken breasts or 2 and a half cups of cooked chicken
• 2 cans (10 3/4 oz each) cream of mushroom soup
• 1 16-oz bag mixed frozen vegetables – my favorite for this purpose is the green peas, carrots, corn, and green beans mix
• 1 TBSP vegetable oil
• 3 medium cloves garlic
• 3 small to medium sized shallots, optional
• 1 tsp fresh rosemary or thyme, optional (if not using fresh, add in the dried kind with the salt and pepper)
• salt and pepper to taste

Topping

• 2 cups original Bisquick mix
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs

If you are making a full-batch, you’ll want a large casserole dish – either an 11 x 13 or a very deep 9 x 13.  If you’re making a half-batch, you can use a 9 x 13 but will likely have an easier time using a smaller, 8 or 9 inch square pan.

Preheat the oven to 400.

Cut the chicken into 1/2 inch to 1 inch pieces.  Basically, you want it to be bite-sized, but not too small of a bite.  Especially if you’re cooking for people with bigger mouths than you, like the beloved carnivore and/or my stepdad.   Set the chicken aside.

Dice the shallots, if using – and don’t feel bad if you want a super-easy meal and don’t want to bother with shallots.  I was just trying to spice it up, but you could throw in some frozen chopped onions with the frozen vegetables instead.  Or live without onion flavor, trust me, it’s good either way.

Peel and mince the garlic cloves.  Heat the tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add in the shallots, if using, and sautee until softened (about 2 minutes).  Add in the minced garlic and sautee for one to two minutes more.  Add in the chicken, if you are using raw chicken.  While the chicken is sizzling and cooking, chop the rosemary or thyme and add it to the pan along with a pinch of salt and pepper.  Stir occasionally until the chicken is just cooked through.  Be careful not to overcook it, since it will cook a bit more in the pot pie.

When the chicken is done, pour it into the casserole dish.  Pour in the pan juices too to maximize flavor, or leave them out if you’re all healthy and stuff.  If you’re using pre-cooked chunks of chicken, just rip it into similarly bite-sized pieces and pour into the casserole dish along with the shallots and garlic.  Add in the cream of mushroom soup and the frozen vegetables and more salt and pepper if needed, stirring until well-mixed and spreading into an even layer.

In a medium bowl, mix together the Bisquick mix, eggs, and milk.  You can use a fork for this.  That’s how easy this pot pie is.  Dollop this over the chicken & veggie mixture and then spread until even – for this part, you might want to use a spoon instead of the Bisquick-mixin’ fork.

Put in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.  Why is it that everything delicious gets baked until golden brown?  Not really sure, but I’m a fan.

Halfway through the baking time, rotate the pan.  Otherwise, your pot pie could end up looking like this.  Not that it’s any less delicious this way.

Serve in huge chunks of yumminess and enjoy.  Leftovers reheat well in the microwave.