Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken pot pie is such a wonderful meal to make when it is cold outside or if you need to take dinner to someone it's a quick and easy meal to throw together. I made mine with a homemade pie crust but if your really in a hurry, one good substitute is to just put the filling into a empty pie dish and top with one sheet of puff pastry. That has worked for our family many times and is just as yummy if you ask me.

Recipe:
For the Filling:
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 chicken bouillon cube
Salt and pepper to taste

2 chicken breast (cooked and shredded) (also if in a hurry a rotisserie chicken works great also)
1 large potato (diced)
1 large carrot (diced)
1/4 cup frozen peas

For the Pie Crust: (makes a double crust)
2 1/2 cups Flour
1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter (cubed)
4-6 Tbsp. Ice cold water

1.For the crust put the flour and salt into a large bowl. With a pastry blender, cut in the shortening and butter till dough forms small peas size balls. Now 1 Tbsp. at a time, sprinkle the ice cold water over the dough and mix with a fork till the dough starts to form one large ball. Do not over mix, dough will be clumpy but thats what you want. Now form a large ball with your hands and cut in half.  Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface. Put the first crust on the bottom of the lightly greased pie dish. Once the chicken filling is in top with remaining crust. Flute the edges together and cut off remaining dough that is hanging over the edge. Slice a few slits in the top of the crust for venting. You can lightly brush the dough with an egg wash or some melted butter.
2. Shred chicken and set aside. Dice the potato and carrot and put into a heat proof dish. Put maybe 1/3 cup water in the bottom of the dish and cover with saran wrap and microwave for 3-4 minutes. This will give the veggies a head start on cooking.
3. Melt the butter over med. heat in a large saucepan. Add in the flour, bouillon, and broth till it thickens like gravy (it will cook for just a few minutes maybe 2-3 once it will be done. Does not necessarily need to boil) Season with salt and pepper. Add in the veggies and chicken and pour into prepared pie dish. Cover the edges of the pie crust with a pie shield. If you dont have a pie shield just make one with foil. Bake @ *350 for 40-45 minutes.

(Pie Crust recipe adapted from Food Nanny and the Pot Pie recipe from my lovely Mother)