Chicken Pot Pie

My friend Janet told me how to make this chicken pot pie, but since there was never any actual recipe, it's quite possible I have polluted this with my own cooking ideas to the point where Janet might say to herself, "That is not my chicken pot pie AT ALL!" But, it is definitely a favorite here.

Chicken Pot Pie
(makes 3 9-inch pies, or one 9x13 pan)

Prepared pie crust dough, either store bought or homemade.
(Here is my favorite recipe.)

4 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 package poultry gravy mix
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
1 lb frozen mixed vegetables
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan, and add just enough water to cover them by a 1/2 inch. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 5 or 10 minutes. Do not cook these until soft because you will be baking them again in the pie, and you don't want mush. The potatoes should still be firm and a little crisp still in the centers. DO NOT DRAIN. Turn the heat to low, and whisk in poultry gravy mix and cream of chicken soup. Whisk until smooth, then add mixed vegetables, chicken, and seasonings. If you like, you can saute a little bit of onion and celery in a separate pan, and add them at this point. Don't worry about heating this mixture all the way through, because it will be baking for almost an hour.

I make my pot pies with just a single crust on top because frankly, the calories in a double crust pie alarm me. At this point, then, I divide the filling equally between three pie plates, or I dump it all into a rectangular baking dish if I'm feeding a crowd.

Roll out the pie dough to fit whatever pan you are using. Don't worry if it isn't perfect; this is a rustic and homey dish so don't drive yourself crazy here. Cut a few little slits for vents.

Sometimes I make little cutouts for the top.

This one was going to my dad, so it got an extra special decoration.

At this point, you could wrap these well in saran wrap and tinfoil, and freeze for later- that's usually what I do with 2 of my pies, and then cook one for that night.

Bake at 375 for 45-60 minutes, until the top is golden brown. The frozen pot pies can go straight from freezer to oven, just bake them at 300 and for more like 75 minutes.