A Different Chicken Pot Pie (for the freezer)

Derf's Note:

Make and freeze for a busy night or have it tonight. Comfort food!! from Canadian Living mag.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 6 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 51 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts or 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups button mushrooms , quartered
• 1 onion , chopped
• 2 carrots , chopped
• 2 cloves garlic , smashed
• 2 bay leaves
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon lemon juice
• ½ cup all-purpose flour

Topping

• 6 yukon gold potatoes
• ½ cup milk
• ½ cup cream cheese (light)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. Topping: Peel potatoes and cut into 1/2 inch chunks.
2. In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cover and cook potatoes until tender, 15 minutes; drain and return to pot.
3. Add milk, cheese, butter, salt and pepper; mash until smooth, set aside.
4. Meanwhile, cut chicken into 1/2 inch chunks.
5. In a separate large saucepan, bring stock to boil.
6. Add chicken, mushrooms, onion, carrots, garlic, bay leaves, salt, pepper and nutmeg; reduce heat, cover and simmer until chicken is no longer pink inside, about 6 minutes.
7. Stir in peas, mustard and lemon juice.
8. In a small bowl, whisk flour with 1/3 cup cold water; whisk into stock mixture and bring to boil.
9. Reduce heat and cook, stirring often, until thick enough to coat back of spoon, about 5 minutes.
10. Combine chicken/veggie mixture with stock mixture.
11. Make ahead Meal: Ladle into four 2 cup ovenproof or foil dishes.
12. Spoon or pipe potato mixture over top.
13. Let cool for 30 minutes.
14. Refrigerate until cold.
15. Cover with foil and overwrap with heavy duty foil; freeze for up to 1 month.
16. Thaw in refrigerator; remove heavy duty foil.
17. Bake on rimmed baking sheet in 400f degree oven or toaster oven until knife inserted in centre for 5 seconds feels hot when touched, 25 minutes.
18. Uncover and broil until golden, about 3 minutes.
19. OR FOR DINNER TONIGHT: Scrape chicken mixture into 10 cup casserole dish, spoon or pipe potato mixture over top.
20. Cover and bake in 400f degree oven until hot, 20 minutes.
21. Uncover and broil until golden, 3 minutes.

Reviews

[NavyWife'nMom]

Surprisingly good. I was drawn to the idea of freezing this, but we had to do a "test run" first. Hubby really liked the mashed potatoes on top, but said he did miss a crust, so he just stopped saying it was pot pie :-) then told me what great lunch leftovers this would make. Only real issues are that it was far longer than 15 minutes prep (I'd say at least 30 with the boiling and chopping, etc). Second, we would have liked the potatoes to "crust up" a bit more, but we'll fiddle with the broiling. Used 1 1/3 C stock to be sure it wasn't too runny, then used the remaining 1/3 instead of water to mix with the flour. Texture wasn't runny at all. I'll add more carrots in the future, as those were the best part in my opinion. Thanks for an interesting meal! Will certainly add to our freezer meal stash!

[tinajoebob]

This is a great keeper recipe. It will take some practice to get the liquid amounts right. I've made it twice, and am still a little wobbly with it. However, even in a soup bowl it still tastes wonderful!

[Chef #221624]

My husband loved the potato crust. The chicken needed to be seasoned more while it was cooking, but overall this was good.