Creamy Chicken Pot Pie | Homemade pot pie made with chicken thighs

heavy cream

🥗Healthier: Greek yogurt

💰Cheaper: milk + cornstarch

Greek yogurt reduces calories while maintaining creaminess

butter

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Olive oil is a healthier fat option

chicken broth

🥗Healthier: homemade broth

💰Cheaper: water + bouillon cubes

Homemade broth is healthier, while bouillon cubes are cost-effective

Chop half of a yellow onion.

Rinse off the parsley, red potato, and carrot with cold water.

Chop two ribs of celery.

Chop one large carrot into small bite-sized pieces.

Peel one medium-sized red potato and cut it into small bite-sized cubes.

Rinse the chicken thighs under cold water and trim off excess skin or fat.

Season the chicken thighs with 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, 2 teaspoons of Tony Chachere's seasoning, 2 teaspoons of Chef Paul Prudhomme's seasoning, 1 teaspoon of granulated onion, and 1 teaspoon of granulated garlic.

Sear the chicken thighs in a large saucepan over medium heat for 4 minutes on each side.

Remove the chicken thighs from the saucepan and set aside.

Add 1 1/2 cups of chopped yellow onion and 2/3 cup of chopped celery to the saucepan and sauté for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add 3 cloves of pressed garlic to the saucepan and stir.

Pour in 5 cups of water, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of Tony Chachere's seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon of Chef Paul Prudhomme's seasoning, 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley, 4 bay leaves, and 1/4 teaspoon of dried thyme. Stir to combine.

Add the seared chicken thighs back into the liquid and cover the saucepan with a lid.

Let it simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

After 25 minutes, remove the chicken thighs to prevent overcooking and cover the saucepan to continue cooking the stock for another 15 minutes.

Once the stock is done, turn off the heat and let it cool completely.

Pour the cooled chicken stock through a mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing the contents to extract liquid and discarding the solids.

You should have about 3 cups of chicken stock. Place it in the refrigerator or freezer to cool.

Remove the skin from the chicken thighs and cut the meat into medium-sized chunks.

Place the chicken meat, peas, carrots, and potatoes in the refrigerator or freezer to cool.

Skim the fat from the top of the cooled chicken stock using a fork.

In a large frying pan, add the pan drippings from the chicken stock and melt the fat over medium heat.

Turn off the heat and add 2 tablespoons of the pan drippings to the frying pan.

In the same pan, add 2 tablespoons of salted butter and let it melt.

Add 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour and stir continuously for 1 minute to form a roux.

Gradually add 3 cups of chicken stock and 1/3 cup of whole milk, stirring to combine.

Add 1/8 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of Chef Paul Prudhomme's seasoning, and 1/8 teaspoon of dried thyme. Stir until combined and cover the saucepan with a lid.

Let it simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened.

After 10 minutes, turn off the heat and let it cool for about 30 minutes.

Add 12 oz of chopped chicken thigh meat, 4 oz of cubed potatoes, 3 oz of chopped carrots, and 3 oz of frozen peas to the filling. Stir to combine and place in the freezer for 30 minutes.

In a large food processor, add 2 1/3 cups of all-purpose flour and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Pulse three times.

Add 6 tablespoons of salted butter and 6 tablespoons of solid bacon fat or lard and pulse 12 to 15 times until combined.

Transfer the dry ingredients to a large bowl and add 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon of cold water. Stir until the dough comes together.

Form the mixture into a dough, adding more cold water if necessary.

Place the dough in the refrigerator to rest for 20 to 30 minutes.

After resting, cut the dough in half for the top and bottom crusts.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens