Chicken Pie

This is a recipe I got from Leigh over at 5 Acres and a Dream. I have seen many recipes like this before, but I have never tried one. It seems like it’s time. Leigh uses some ingredients I don’t have, so you will have to go visit her site to see the differences. Here is what we tried for dinner. 

First, cut up and layer some chicken in the bottom of a baking dish. This is chicken we canned.
 

 

Then add a layer of carrots. These are from last summer. Next, add a layer of peas. I like the descriptions in this recipe. It doesn’t say how many, so I put a few in, looked at it, put in a few more, then a few more. I decided this looked just right.

The gravy calls for:
2 tbsp. fat (I used shortening)
2 tbsp. flour
2 c. chicken broth (I used ours)

Lightly brown the flour in the melted fat, slowly add the broth and cook until thick. I used my jar of broth, but I also added the broth that was in the jar of chicken. I figured I would need more flour to thicken it, and I did. If you need 

something to be thicker, make a rue. This is just some flour in a little cold water. The flour will mix much smoother if you use cold water instead of warm or hot. Stir the rue until it is smooth, then slowly pour it into your gravy, stirring it in constantly. Let this new flour cook for a while to see how much it will thicken. If it’s still not thick enough, add a little more. You have to guard against making your gravy too flour-y. It will taste too much like flour and not enough like broth. 

I also added salt, pepper, and some parsley to the gravy. To see why I add parsley to just about everything, read here.

 After the gravy is ready, pour it over the chicken and vegetables.

This didn’t look very appetizing at this point.

Next, mix up the biscuit dough. 

Mix:
1 1/2 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
Cut in 1/3 c. fat or shortening
Mix in 1/2 c. milk with a fork

Drop by the spoonful onto the gravy, chicken and vegetables.

Bake at 400* for about 20 minutes or until the biscuits are brown and the gravy is bubbling.

At this stage, Frank walked over and looked in the pot, then gave me that look that said, “You really expect me to eat that?” I just laughed and thought, “I sure hope this is edible….” 

After I got everything in this pan, I realized I could use one that isn’t this deep and it would work fine, and may even work better.

Guess what?? He liked it! He even asked for seconds. Ladies, you know exactly what I mean. Frank and I agreed this is one recipe I will add to an index card and put the box with my other favorites. With our canned ingredients, this is a great homegrown, homemade meal that is quick to fix, nutritious and great tasting. In this meal I used our canned chicken, broth and carrots. Now, this summer I need to can some peas, as well. The more meals we can make with a variety of basic ingredients, the more independent we become in providing for ourselves.

Until next time – Fern