The Ultimate Comfort Food.........Chicken Pot Pie.....YUMMO!!!

Have you ever made homemade chicken pot pie?  It's the ultimate comfort food!  It's my daughter Rebecca's favorite meal, and she asked for it last year for her birthday, which is August 3rd.....and it was a very HOT day, I will add. It was one of my favorite's growing up too.  I started making this recipe years ago, even before the kids came along, I never got it from a certain recipe, I just made it up, and loved it ever since.

I make my own pie crust, but you don't have to......yes you can go to the store, and buy the Pillsbury or storebrand kind, but honestly, making your own pie crust is really the easiest and cheapest thing to do, and what satisfaction......yes I said SATISFACTION!
I usually use leftover chicken from when I roast a whole chicken a few days before, which can make this a really inexpensive meal, and if you make your own pie crust, well then hardly any expense at all. Or just use chicken cutlets, cut them up and brown them. Give it a try you will NOT be disappointed. 

Pie Crust
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup shortening
1 tsp salt
1 egg
water
1 tsp. vinegar
In a large bowl put the flour and salt, and shortening, then using a pastry cutter or 2 knives cut the shortening into the flour and salt. Using a liquid measuring cup, break one egg into it, and then fill it to the 1/2 cup line with ice cold water, and add 1 tsp vinegar.....YES vinegar......it will be fine you'll see.  Mix it with a fork, then add it to the flour/shortening mixture and mix together with with a fork, then get  your hands in there and gather the dough together don't be afraid, this pie dough recipe you can work the dough and it will still be flaky! Form into a round disk, if it's too wet, add a little more flour, too dry, add very little water....it will be sticky, but not overly sticky.....all depends on the day and humidity.......wrap in plastic wrap and put in the frig for about 1/2 hour, or you can even leave it in there for 2 days, or freeze it for whatever pie you want :)

Filling
About 2 cups COOKED shredded chicken (if you don't know how to cook it, cut them up in small pieces, and put a little canola oil in a frying pan, and cook until lightly brown)
2 cups milk, 2% or whole
4 TBS cornstarch
2 cups chicken stock or 2 cups water with 2 TBS chicken bouillon added (I use the water with bouillon)
4 TBS butter (don't worry you're not gonna eat the whole pie, well maybe you will)
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups mixed frozen veggies (corn, peas, carrots, whatever)
In a large pot, add the milk, cornstarch, add the water with the bouillon mixed, or chicken stock, salt, pepper,  butter,.whisk constantly, but watch it, keep whisking, you don't want it to burn.....it will start to bubble and become thickened, take off heat and add cheese, stir let it melt, and then add the COOKED chicken, and veggies.. stir.....COOL... now the pie crust
Take the pie dough out of the frig,  and on a well floured surface, cut the dough disk in half, take one of the halves and roll out, this is the bottom of the pie.  Make sure you have a dusting of flour on the bottom and top of the dough before rolling, and on your rolling pin...roll out to a rectangle since you will use a 9x13 dish, or a round dish if you want to use a deep round casserole dish.  Keep rolling take your time if it sticks add a little more flour, moving the dough so it doesn't stick, move it around after each roll with the pin. Put it on the bottom of a 9x13 dish, then add the cooled filling, and roll out the top pie crust the same way, lay it carefully over the filling, seal the edges, and cut three holes in the top crust for vent holes.  Bake in a 350 oven for 40 minutes until you see it bubbling and light brown.  Let sit for 10 minutes before servings......SO YUMMO!!!!.