Classic Deep-dish Chicken Pot Pie

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 50 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 cup chopped leeks (3 medium) or 1 cup onion (1 large)
• 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 3/4 cup sliced celery (1-1/2 stalks)
• 1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
• 1 medium carrot, cut into thin diagonal slices
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup half-and-half, light cream or 1 cup milk
• 2 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken
• 1 cup loose-pack frozen peas
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup shortening
• 4 -5 tablespoons water

Recipe

• 1 prepare pastry, set aside.
• 2 in a large saucepan cook leek, mushrooms, celery, and sweet pepper in hot butter over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. stir in the flour, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. add broth and half-and-half all at once. cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. stir in chicken and peas. pour into a 2-quart rectangular baking dish.
• 3 place pastry over chicken mixture in dish. turn edges of pastry under; flute to edges of dish. brush pastry with some of the egg. if desired, place cut-out pastry shapes on top of pastry. brush again with egg.
• 4 bake, uncovered, in a 400 degree f oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until crust is golden brown. let stand for 20 minutes before serving. makes 6 servings.
• 5 pastry topper:.
• 6 in a medium bowl stir together 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt. using a pastry blender, cut in 1/3 cup shortening until dough pieces are pea-size.
• 7 sprinkle 1 tablespoon cold water over the mixture 1 tbsp at a time, gently toss with a fork until all dough is moistened.
• 8 form into a ball.
• 9 on a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 13x9-inch rectangle.
• 10 using a sharp knife, cut slits in pastry to allow steam to escape, or, if desired, use a small cookie cutter to cut shapes from pastry (i like to wait and do this once it on the pie - makes moving it a lot easier).