Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Family-Size Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:
1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs
12 oz baby red potatoes, quartered (about 2 cups)
1/2 lb baby carrots (chopped in half)
2 cans (14oz each) chicken broth
1 lb fresh asparagus spears, trimmed, cut into 2 inch pieces
5 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 box (10.6 oz) Pillsbury refrigerated Italian garlic with herb breadsticks
1 cup chopped onions (1 large)
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1.5 cups whipping cream or milk
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 package (8oz) sliced fresh mushrooms (3 cups)

Directions:
Heat oven to 350. Spray bottom only of 13x9inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. In 5-6 qt Dutch oven, heat chicken, potatoes, carrots and broth to boiling over medium-high heat. Cover and simmer 18 mins. Add asparagus, cook 2 mins longer. Using slotted spoon, remove potatoes, carrots and asparagus to colander to drain. Check doneness of chicken; if juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut, remove to cutting board. Measure out and reserve 2 cups of broth for sauce; discard any remaining broth. Return vegetables to Dutch oven; cover. When chicken is cool enough to handle, tear into large shreds. Place chicken in Dutch oven.

In 3-qt saucepan, melt butter and half the garlic butter from breadsticks box over medium heat. Cook onions in butter 2 mins. Using wire whisk, stir in flour and seasoned salt. Cook stirring constantly, about 1 min or until flour bubbles. Do not let flour turn brown.

Gradually stir in 2 cups reserved chicken broth; heat to boiling. Boil & stir 1 min. Reduce heat to low. Stir in whipping cream; cook 4-5 mins, stirring constantly, until thickened. Stir in rosemary. Pour sauce over vegetables and chicken. Spread in baking dish; sprinkle with mushrooms.

Seperate breadstick dough into 10 strips. Pinch 2 strips together, forming 1 long strip; repeat, making 2 additional strips, and use these longer strips for the 13 inch length of baking dish. Create lattice pattern over mixture by twisting and gently stretching each strip of dough over mixture, tucking ends of strips under. With cover removed from remaining garlic butter, microwave on high 5 secs to soften. Lightly brush butter over strips.

Bake 30-40 mins or until bubbly around edges. If necessary, loosely cover with foil after 20mins to prevent excessive browning.

Rating: B+
Not as crazy as the length of the directions seems. However, I didn't use mushrooms or rosemary. I also used just regular Pillsbury refrigerated garlic/italian breadsticks, and just added garlic butter when directed.