How to Make Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken is the most versatile food in the kitchen when it comes to leftovers. There are so many different things you can do with chopped chicken.

Here is a great recipe for chicken pot pie that you can make yourself and keep the grocery bill at a minimum. Next time, don't throw away that left over chicken!

To make the crust, you will need:

2 ¼ cups flour

1-teaspoon salt

2/3 cup shortening

½ cup water

For the filling, you will need:

4 cups cooked, chopped chicken

1 pound of vegetables, or 2 - 15 ounce cans. (you can add any vegetables you'd like!)

For the gravy, you will need:

¼ cup margarine or butter

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

½ cup flour

4 cups chicken bouillon

½ teaspoon pepper

½ teaspoon poultry seasoning

Prepare the crust first. In a large bowl combine the flour and salt. Add the shortening and combine it until the flour is crumbly. Add water and continue to stir. Take your dough and roll it out to make a large rectangle.

In a large saucepan, melt the margarine or butter, add the onion and celery and sauté it. Add the chicken and vegetables. Sprinkle the flour over the top of the vegetables and stir it up completely. Pour on the bouillon. Mix everything around to dissolve the flour in the bouillon. Add the pepper and poultry seasoning. Bring the gravy to a boil, stir it frequently. Let it boil for a few minutes to set the flavors together.

Pour the gravy mixture into a greased 9x13 inch pan. Stir it up to make sure it's spread evenly, but it doesn't have to touch the edges as it will spread when baking. Arrange your dough on top of this mixture and cook in a 450-degree oven for about 30 minutes. This will serve 8-12 people. Or if you have a family like mine, it will serve about 4. (You might want to make 2!)

This is an excellent recipe, and taste much better than store bought chicken pot pies! Plus, you have the added benefit of being healthier, and without preservatives so you can keep track of exactly what is going into your family's mouth!

Even though chicken pot pie is generally a cheap purchase at the grocery store, this recipe is much cheaper. I haven't figured out the cost, but I'd be willing to bet it costs less than $2 to feed a family of 5 on this one recipe! Most ingredients you probably already have anyway, and if you purchase chicken on sale, which it commonly is, you can get several meals off of just one chicken!