Chicken Pot Pie

I'll give you the option of doing the "old timey - made from scratch" version of the southern comfort food, or doing the easy short-cut version. With these recipes, you can use up leftovers... substitute ham, turkey or even roast beef for the chicken, and use up the veggie casseroles too. That adds another level to the creaminess of the gravy!

Old Timey Chicken Pot Pie

4 sheets frozen puff pastry
1 egg, beaten
4 chicken breast halves
Seasoned salt and pepper
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1/3 cup butter
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 quart heavy cream
1/4 cup chicken base
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 small yellow onion, minced
1 1/2 cups cooked, cubed potatoes
1 cup frozen green peas, cooked
1 cup chopped cooked carrots
Pinch fresh grated nutmeg, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Crust:
Cut each sheet of frozen puff pastry into 1-inch strips, 8 inches long. On a large cookie sheet, weave strips into a lattice large enough to cover each pot pie. Brush beaten egg onto each lattice square. Bake for 5 minutes, or until dough has risen and turned light golden brown. Set aside until ready to assemble pies. Leave oven on at 350 degrees F.

Filling:
Season chicken with seasoned salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and saute until cooked through. Remove from heat and cut into chunks.

In a large saucepan, melt butter and then slowly add flour, stirring until consistency of peanut butter, but not brown like a roux. Slowly add cream and keep stirring. Add chicken base, garlic, and onion and stir until thickened. Add peas, carrots, nutmeg, if using, and cut up chicken. Remove from heat. Fill 4 individual oven-proof bowls with chicken mixture and then top each with a pre-cooked lattice square. Bake for 5 minutes or until bubbly.

Easy Short-Cut Chicken Pot Pie

1 2/3 cups frozen mixed vegetables
1 cup cooked chicken, cubed
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup Original Bisquick mix
1/2 cup milk
1 egg

Heat oven to 400ºF.
Mix vegetables, chicken and soup in ungreased glass pie plate, 9x1 1/4 inches.
Stir together remaining ingredients with fork until blended. Pour over vegetable mixture.
Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown.