6
1820
9756
41
12
Cook’s Country.
When I pull this magazine out of my mailbox, my eyes light up like a kid in a candy store! I love to see what new recipes I’ll find in the newest issue! And you know what else I love? They have a cooking show called Cook’s Country on PBS! Have you ever seen it? They also put out another great magazine called Cook’s Illustrated and they have another great cooking show called America’s Test Kitchen. Their magazines and shows are so informative. I’ve been a fan for many years. Cook’s Country magazine usually has one make-ahead recipe in each issue.
This recipe does take quite a bit of time to prepare, so it’s best to do it on the weekend when you’re not in a rush. This is one of our favorite “make-ahead” meals. I have even given these chicken pot pies away to family and friends when they were going through tough times and could use an easy meal to pop in the oven. This recipe makes 6 mini chicken pot pies. Yes, I eat one of them all by myself. You will too after you have a bite!
Make-Ahead Mini Chicken Pot Pies
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 lbs. boneless, chicken breasts
- salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 48 oz. light & fat free chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 1/3 cup sliced carrots
- 1 1/3 cup finely diced celery
- 1 shallot, finely diced (optional)
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/4 cup milk (1% is fine)
- 1 1/2 cups frozen petite peas
- 15. oz. box Pillsbury Ready to Roll Pie Crust
- 1 egg (for egg wash)
Make-Ahead Directions
1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Rinse the chicken under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken on both sides. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 8 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside to cool. Pour the broth into a large bowl and set aside.
2. Melt the butter in the empty Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, and shallot. Stir occasionally and cook until lightly browned. Add the flour to the vegetables and whisk for 1 minute. Add the broth and milk and whisk until it thickens, about 5 minutes or so. Set the sauce aside to cool.
3. Using a fork, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add the chicken to the sauce, season with salt and pepper, and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until completely cooled.
4. Remove the 2 wrapped pie crust rolls from the box. Let the wrapped crust rolls sit out on the counter for 15 minutes or so. Unwrap one pie crust, unroll it on a flour dusted counter. Turn an empty mini loaf pan over on the pie dough and cut around it 3 times to get 3 pie crusts. Repeat with the 2nd pie dough. Cut 3 steam vents in each crust.
5. Remove the vegetable/sauce mixture from the refrigerator. Uncover the bowl and mix in the frozen peas.
8. Wrap well in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Label each chicken pot pie. Freeze up to 2 months. I made these little Heating Direction cards on the computer. Click on the picture to enlarge it. All you have to do is tape them on with a little packaging tape.
1. No need to thaw out the chicken pot pie! Unwrap the pot pies. Place them on a sheet pan. If you want to brush the tops with egg wash, do it now. (Egg wash: whisk one egg in a small bowl)
6182097564112
those look yummy! I'm going to bookmark this to make
Hi Jane,
I will have to check PBS for that cooking show. I think James would like it too. He actually likes watching cooking shows. These look delicious. You make it look so easy. Great post!
I just wanted to stop by and thank you for vintiisg my blog on Bloom Day. My latest post includes some pics of the wild apple trees we found camping last weekend. We sampled all that we came across, and many were suprisingly good. However, we decided that there was a reverse relationship between how pretty an apple was and what it tasted like.
Wow this wonderful! I'm saving this recipe and will make it soon!
I made a makeshift chicken pot pie once and used the Pillsbury pie crust from the freezer section…the ones that are already in the pan. Not sure if the pie crust used in this recipe tastes the same as the one from the freezer section, but we found it a little on the sweet side. It just threw off the taste of the chicken pot pie. The next time I used Pepperidge Farm puff pastry. That was a hit. It was perfect.
Love this blog! Here's an award:
http://mandysrecipebox.blogspot.com/2010/02/honest-scrap-award.html
Awesome jane. I have some disposable loaf pans to use up. I am adding this to my menu for next month. How fun and yummy.
OMG-Perfect from freezer to table. The effort to make these beautiful pot pies is worth it.
Great blog post! Great idea.
I'm getting ready to make my once a year chicken pot pie. Have never thought about freezing it but you make it look so easy. I may be trying that this year.
Those look sroleusiy yummy! I love that you made a couple different combos. I bet the Nutella and peanut butter together is so good!
This looks AWESOME! I think we will have it tomorrow, Thank you!
Have been looking for something like this - thanks! I hate to waste an egg on a wash… could maybe brush w/milk.
What a great idea. Perfect during soccer season.
Made these for my mom to put in her freezer. Works out great for her. Dinner at night and lunch the next day from each pie.
Wow, I was basically researching for resources concerning key lime pie recipes and ran across your site. Nevertheless I am delighted I did. Weird just how we find different spots on the net.
These look delicious and wonderfully easy to make! What is the actual size of the mini loaf tins?
Mom’s Many Projects,
I use 4″ x 6″ mini loaf pans. Thanks for all of your nice comments!
I do a version of chicken pot pie too. Mine has potatoes, 1 pkg of mixed veggies (no chopping), chicken stirred into a mixture of butter/margarine, milk, broth, seasonings and a tiny bit of flour. Like you I use the Pillsbury frigerated crust. If I’m going to freeze it ahead of time I put the filling (everything) in a gallon size baggie and freeze it like that. If I’m giving it away, I give the baggie and 1 of the crusts out of the refrigerated pie dough box (there’s 2 in the box). All they have to do is thaw it, pour it in a pie dish and bake it. Easy as pie!
Tina
For a much quicker/easier filling, mix together the following:
1 can reduced-fat cream of mushroom or cream of potato soup (do not add any liquid)
1 can reduced-fat cream of chicken soup (do not add any liquid)
1.5 cups frozen mixed vegetables (any style), thawed
1.5 cups cooked, diced chicken or turkey breast
Then just top with the crust and bake as this recipe recommends.
Time-saving tip: Every-other month or so, I will cook up an entire package of chicken breasts, then dice them up, divide them into pre-measured portions, and freeze in freezer bags for quick use in recipes like this. Super convenient on nights when I have little time or patience to think about what’s for dinner.
I have never made pot pie but have always wanted to. I think I’ll give it a try. Thanks for sharing.
Was thinking of pot pies, now I know I’m gonna make them!
Love cooks country, cooks illustrated and the PBS show!
Made these the other weekend and ate them during the week. Excellent recipie that you can play around with a bit. It tasted wonderful and all three of my boys (husband and two kids) enjoyed it, even going back for seconds and thirds! I did use a rotisserie bird and also I had problems with the loaf pans taking over 2 hours to cook through. I’ll probably add some different vegetables and use shallower pans next time but can’t thank you enough for such a good recipie! Love it!!
I found this recipe on pinterest and I’m getting ready to make it right now! It looks delicious!
I hope you enjoy it, Pamela! It’s one of my favorites!
What if you dont want to freeze them? How long do you cook them for?
I think I cooked them right away one time and the sauce was real thin. This recipe really tastes best if you freeze it first. The consistency of the sauce is perfect when you cook it after being frozen.
If you don’t want to freeze them, I’m guessing that you can cook them uncovered for about 20-30 minutes @ 375 degrees F or until the crust is browned and cooked.
My dad has unplugged their over/stove because my stepmother has alzheimer’s. I’m looking for recipes that will be easy for him to make in the microwave or toaster oven. Do you think these would work in the toaster oven if I could find smaller tins? I live about 100 miles away, so I’m trying to freeze meals for them so they don’t have to eat out so often.
Heidi,
I don’t think this is the best choice for a toaster oven or microwave. How about freezing some spaghetti sauce with meatballs in small portions? That defrosts and reheats nicely in the microwave.
What about making these and then cooking them ahead for your dad and then he can defrost and microwave. They won’t have a crispy top crust, but I bet they would still taste good?
If you want to freeze it for your Dad, I would freeze different portions of it in freezable containers without the crust. The crust will not cook right in the microwave. It will be a doughy mess.
I do a quick an easy version for my family of 5 big hearty eaters that I have never tried freezing before but think I might now.
I season, cook, and chop into big chunks *6-7 large chicken breast in the oven or save some leftover chicken fajita meat from an earlier meal ( about 2 double handfuls). I also get
*3 of the large mixed vegetable cans, (I use 1 homestyle (chunky veg) and 2 reg, all double size cans tho),
*1 large can of cream of chicken soup,
*1-1 &1/2 cups of your favorite shredded cheese and
*1 pie pastry (comes with 2 rolls in it) from the biscuit section at Walmart.
I use generic on soup and pastry. I too wait for the crust to defrost a little. This meal uses the pan larger than the 9×11, think it is 13 x 15.
I first mix together all the inside ingred. in a large bowl. (Veg’s, soup, cheese, and cooked chicken) taste and add favorite season if you prefer. Then I take the pie crusts and roll both out to fit on the top and bottom of my glass pan. Place first pastry in pan, add ALL the veg mixture, place second pastry on top and cook at 350° till bubbly and golden on top. Usually 20-30 min depending on oven. Just ate this last night and there is not enough left to send for hubbys lunch. For me tho, it may just be easier to make just the chicken part ahead as everything else is already cooked and done. Thanks for sharing these meals.. They make life sooo much easier.
Sounds yummy, Brandy! Thanks for telling me! :)
I have this recipe from the same magazine and I have made it a few times, they are delicious! They really are time consuming but well worth it.
I tend to prefer Pet Ritz pie crust for my pot pies, but this is a great idea for mini servings! Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome, Maggie!
What a great idea. I bought all these little bread containers on sale after xmas now I know what to use them for.