September 25th is national cooking day
Ashley Mac's Chicken Pot Pie
Chicken Pot Pie
Makes 1 (9.5-inch) deep-dish pie
 

This is another family favorite from my childhood. I love this simplified version my mom would make. It is easy enough for a quick weeknight meal yet special enough to serve at any celebration. For Valentine’s Day, I like to cut out heart shapes and put them on top. This is also easy to double and freeze in the final stage before baking. If you need to cut down on time, a store-bought piecrust works just as well.
— Ashley Mac

  • ⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 cups frozen peas and carrots
  • ⅓ cup chopped yellow onion 
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup warm half-and-half
  • 4 cups shredded cooked chicken
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • Homemade Pie Dough (recipe on page 202), doubled and divided
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
1. Position oven rack in bottom third of oven. Preheat oven to 400°. 
 
2. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add peas and carrots and onion, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in flour, about ¼ cup at a time, until smooth. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly add chicken broth and half-and-half, whisking constantly. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in chicken, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat. Let cool for about 30 minutes. 
 
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll half of Homemade Pie Dough into a 12-inch circle. Cut vents in dough with a small heart cutter; set aside cutouts. Place rolled dough and cutouts on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, and refrigerate until ready to use.
 
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll remaining Homemade Pie Dough into a 14-inch circle. Transfer to a 9½-inch deep-dish pie plate, pressing into bottom and up sides. Trim dough to ½ inch beyond edge of pie plate, if necessary. Pour in prepared filling. 
 
5. Using a pastry brush, brush edge of bottom pie dough with egg. Place rolled dough on top of filling. Pinch top and bottom edges of crust together. Trim to ½ inch beyond edge of pie plate, if necessary. Fold edges under, and crimp as desired. Brush crust with egg, and decorate with cutouts; brush tops of cutouts with egg, if desired.
 
6. Bake until top crust is deep golden brown and filling is bubbling, 45 to 50 minutes, covering edges after 20 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving, about 20 minutes.