JUST CHICKEN (or Turkey) Pie

 

So, I’m about to share my Chicken Pie with you.  Not Chicken Pot Pie.  Just chicken pie.  Any carrots?  Nope.  Any celery?  Nope.  Any vegetables at all?  No, it not like that.  It’s a simple Chicken Pie without all the veggies.  Just chicken.  Loads of chicken and a thick, rich, creamy sauce you may want to drink from a straw!  And a pie crust so buttery that it melts in your mouth.  A double layer of pie crust. OMG this is so good.

 

Just Chicken Pie

1 rotisserie chicken Or leftover turkey

1 package (2) refrigerated pie dough

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoons pepper

1 cup chicken broth or stock

1 cup half and half or whole milk

1 beaten egg

 

You will want to use mostly chicken breast for this recipe, although you can throw in some dark meat if you want.  No need to worry about the chicken being dry, this is the moistest chicken you’ll ever eat.

 

 

 

 

 

Melt the butter in a large skillet and sprinkle in the flour. Stir and allow to cook for at least 3 minutes while stirring. Keep the heat at medium high and continue to stir so the mixture doesn’t get too brown.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add in the chicken stock and begin to whisk to incorporate the butter and flour mixture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add in the whole milk or half and half and continue to whisk until everything is completely combined.  Add salt and pepper and turn heat to low simmer just to keep warm.  I like a lot of pepper but you can add to taste. Stir occasionally as you prepare the rest of the dish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tear the chicken breast into pieces and add to the sauce.  I like bigger size pieces instead of bite sized and I prefer not to shred the chicken or it gets stringy.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stir the chicken in the sauce until well coated. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spray the bottom of your baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. You can use a pie pan or a 9 x 9 baking dish. Pour half the chicken mixture into the baking dish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unroll one of the pie crusts and lay flat.  Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut dough into strips. You can make them as wide or narrow as you want. This will be an internal crust so no need to be perfect.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lay the strips across the pie filling and dot the dough with butter.  Bake in a 400-degree oven for about 25 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from oven.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next, pour the remaining chicken mixture over the baked pie strips and smooth out so that is fairly flat on top.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Take the other pie crust and cut it into strips as you did before.  You will need all the pie crust as you are going to do a lattice top.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lay the strips across the pie filling allowing it to hang over the edge.  Once the first strips are laid down, fold back every other strip.  Now lay the remaining pie strips down pulling the strips back on top of the filling.  You will get a basket design.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trim or tuck the edges all around the pie pan and pinch so that they stay in place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brush the entire pie with beaten egg and place on a baking sheet to catch any spills while baking.  Bake at 400 degrees for another 30 minutes or until pie crust is crisp and golden brown.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes so that it will set and be easy to slice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NOTES

Use white or dark meat for this recipe, but most prefer the white meat.  

To reheat, just place foil wrapped pie in the oven at 350 for 30-45 minutes until heated through.

This pie could just as easily be a Turkey Pie if that is what you have left over after Thanksgiving

The egg wash gives the top of the chicken pie crust that beautiful golden shiny look. It’s not completely essential to the recipe, but it sure will make your pie look irresistible!  You could also brush with melted butter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's important to allow this pie to cool for at least 10-15 minutes after you remove it from the oven, so everything has a chance to set nicely. 

 

Photography is the property of and copyrighted to Welcome Home.

Roasted Carrots in Vanilla Orange Butter

 

Roasted Carrots in Vanilla Orange Butter

Oh these carrots are addicting!   I make my own Vanilla Orange Butter to make them even sweeter than they already are. They will be a hit at your Thanksgiving dinner this year!   Use the butter on warm breads and other veggies too! 

Vanilla Orange Butter

zest of 1 large navel orange, very finely chopped
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In a food processor, process the orange zest and the sugar. Add the butter and mix together until creamy and fluffy, dribble in the orange juice, just a little at a time until it is all absorbed. Pack into a ramekin and smooth off the top, and serve with warm breakfast breads. If desired, spread the butter on a long sheet of plastic wrap and roll up into a cylinder. Chill or freeze and cut off 1/2 inch disks of the flavored butter as needed

Roasted Vanilla Orange Baby Carrots

2 pkgs (8 oz each) baby carrots
2 tablespoons  olive oil
Salt and pepper 

1 teaspoon rosemary

1 teaspoon thyme

Vanilla Orange Butter, see above

2 tablespoons  homemade Vanilla Orange Butter

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Toss carrots and olive oil in large bowl; season with rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper. Arrange in single layer on parchment paper-lined baking sheet. 

Roast, on center rack of oven, 18-20 min, until carrots are knife-tender. Carefully turn carrots halfway through.  Remove from oven; transfer to serving dish. Top with butter; toss gently to coat.

Photography is the property of and copyrighted to ©Welcome Home.

Mom’s Southern Cornbread Dressing

 Mom’s Southern Cornbread Dressing

I love dressing.  My Mom used to make so many different kinds during the holidays. She used to say it’s dressing if its baked separately and served outside the bird and stuffing if you cook it inside the turkey. She never stuffed the turkey. We always had a big pan of dressing on the table and it was always crisp on the outside and so moist on the inside. This cornbread dressing was one of my favorites.

Mom’s Southern Cornbread Dressing

7 slices oven-dried white bread

1 store bought cornbread or make you own (see below)

1 sleeve crackers

8 tablespoons butter

2 cups celery, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

7 cups chicken stock

1 teaspoon salt

pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon sage, optional

1 tablespoon poultry seasoning, optional

5 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine crumbled cornbread (recipe follows), dried white bread slices and crackers; set aside.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the celery and onion and cook until transparent, approximately 5 to 10 minutes. Pour the vegetable mixture over cornbread mixture.

       













  

  

Add the stock, mix well, taste, and add salt, pepper to taste, sage and poultry seasoning. Add 5 beaten eggs and mix well. Pour mixture into a greased pan and bake until dressing is cooked through, about 45 to 60 minutes.

Cornbread:

1 cup self-rising cornmeal

1/2 cup self-rising flour

2 eggs, beaten

3/4 cup buttermilk

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine cornmeal, flour, buttermilk, 2 eggs and oil and mix well. Pour batter into a greased shallow baking dish. Bake for approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

 

Photography is the property of and copyrighted to Welcome Home.