Anyway, since we're moving very soon, my latest goal has been to try my very best to use up all of the various pantry items we've accumulated over the summer. This is going to be no small feat. When you run a bed and breakfast you tend to have some pretty random groceries (like maple syrup extract and 93462 boxes of cereal)....not to mention the 10 million boxes of couscous I bought when they were on sale. Whoops. Things are going to either get pretty boring or pretty inventive. Maple flavored couscous with fruit loop croutons? We shall see.
Last night, I was trying to think of the best way to use up two chicken breasts (amongst other things) that we had in our fridge and luckily came up with an amazingly delicious combination. (I know, chicken doesn't county as a pantry item...but cut me some slack because it's so good and I know you'll want to make it.) It was cold and rainy outside, so I was really in the mood for some delicious comfort food. After looking through several cookbooks, I finally settled on the Pioneer Woman's chicken pot pie. Sometimes I wonder why I even bother looking in other cookbooks.
Dan and I adapted her recipe quite a bit to try to use things up (carrots, celery, corn, peas, etc), but after eating our version, I can't imagine it any other way. First of all we added garlic. Second of all, we added bacon (Dan's ingenious idea). I'm pretty sure Ree would approve.
Best-Ever Chicken Pot Pie
adapted from Pioneer Woman's Chicken Pot Pie
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 bay leaf
5-10 whole peppercorns
1 cup brown rice
3 slices bacon
1 medium yellow or vidalia onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 carrot, finely chopped (you could use more, but to be precise we had exactly 4 baby carrots)
3 stalks of celery, finely chopped
1 (ish) cup of frozen peas
hot pepper flakes (if desired)
1 cup flour
1 can cream-style corn
2 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup heavy cream
1-2 tsp herbes de provence (or your favorite dried herb/herbs)
salt and pepper
1/2 recipe Perfect Pie Crust (see previous post) or other pie crust of your choice (**or see note at bottom of post**)
Put the chicken breast in a pot and cover it with water. Add a bay leave and peppercorns. Bring water to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and continue to cook until chicken is done. About 20 minutes (?) I can't remember, sorry!
Cook the brown rice according to package directions.
Meanwhile, cook 3 strips of bacon in a large pot. When the bacon is done to your desired crispness, remove the slices but keep the fat. Add all of the chopped vegetables, the frozen peas and the hot pepper flakes (if desired) to the bacon fat and cook over medium heat until onions are translucent. Add the can of cream-style corn.
When chicken is done, remove it from the liquid and chop into bite size pieces. Add chicken and cooked rice to the vegetable mixture. Sprinkle flour over the top and stir.
Add the two cups of chicken broth (I had a cup and a half of leftover canned and added some of the broth the chicken had cooked in for the rest). Add the 3/4 cup heavy cream. Chop up the cooked bacon slices and add them to the pot. Add the herbes de provence, and salt and pepper. Stir and allow the mixture to heat through and thicken for a few minutes. Taste and double check the seasonings!
Pour the mixture into a deep dish pie pan or small casserole dish.
Roll out the Perfect Pie Crust (make sure you've let it thaw for a bit or it will just crack) and fit over the top of the pan. Gently press the crust into the edges of the dish to seal. Place the pie plate on a baking sheet and put in the oven.
Bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees, until the crust is light brown and the filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.
**serving note: while I liked this as a pot pie, I think with just a little more broth or cream or perhaps without all of the flour (or even just as is!) it could be a really great, thick, chicken and rice soup. I think it would be great ladled onto biscuits! Yum.**
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