Chicken Pie

Usually I make this over a couple of days by first sticking the "bird" in the crock pot with a festive group of friends @ carrot, celery, onion, bay leaf, parsley, and whatever else stricks my fancy!! Thus yesterday it began.

Here is what you need for the pot:

1 whole chicken or comparable amount of "parts" you prefer
1 whole onion quartered
2 carrots broken
2 ribs celery broken
bay leaf
hand full of fresh parsley
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper

Set on the crock pot on low and forget until tomorrow.

Bone the chicken dicing the meat into chunks and strain the liquid, set aside.

Here is what you need for the filling.

1 1/2 sticks of butter plus 2 T. olive oil
2 C. diced onion
2 C. diced carrots
1 C. diced celery
16 oz. bag of frozen peas
3/4 C. flour
1 1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
5 C. chicken stock plus all of the liquid from cooking chicken (I also fortify with a couple extra cubes of bullion)
1/3 C. evaporated milk or cream

Using a medium saucepan combine the stock, cooking liquid. carrots and celery and bring to a boil.
Cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until the vegetables are tender crisp. Turn off the heat and set aside. 

Using a large heavy bottomed pan or dutch oven combine the butter and oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook over medium low for 10-12 minutes until translucent. Add the flour and stir as you cook the rue for 2-3 minutes. Add the hot broth and vegetables all at once continuing to stir over the heat until it thickens and comes to a boil. Add the chicken and peas and mix well. Stir in the milk and turn off the burner and set aside.

Here is what you need for the pastry:

3 C. flour
1/2 C. cold butter
1/2 C. Crisco
1 t. salt
1 t. baking powder
1/4 -1/3 C. ice water

Combine the dry ingredients in the bowl of food processor. Add cold butter and pulse until like course meal. Add ice water enough to start to ball up when you pulse. Remove to a floured surface and pat into a disk. Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. If you leave it longer...it will be fine but you will need to take it out about half an hour ahead to soften a little.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Divide the pastry according to how you plan to bake. I am using oven proof 12 oz. bowls and topping with pastry that I brush with beaten egg and salt and pepper.

Roll for your containers. I divided into 8 portions and rolled a 6" round for each dish.
After filling the containers I brushed them (the top of the container and about 1" down from the top) with the beaten egg mixture. Next I placed the pastry over the chicken mixture and topped with the pastry, then pressed to make a seal at the edges. Cut slots for the steam to escape. Salt and pepper the tops if desired and bake 1 hour until a golden brown on a cookie sheet to catch any bubble over.  Serve pipping hot.  This yields 7-8 generous servings.