You need a 9" deep dish pie plate for this.
Makes 6 servings - Filling is also very good over biscuits.
Makes 6 servings - Filling is also very good over biscuits.
32 oz. chicken stock
3 lbs. meaty chicken parts (I used to use a pick-of-the-Chix)
1 medium onion, sliced
1 carrot, sliced into 1" chunks
2 ribs celery, sliced in 1" chunks, reserve leafy tops
1 10-oz. pkg. frozen peas & carrots
1 c. fat-free half & half or whole milk
6 T. butter
6 T. flour
Salt and pepper to taste
1 egg, beaten in a small bowl
Double Crust (Food Processor method) - from ATK - very easy to roll out.
2½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour
2 T. sugar
1 t. salt
½ c. Crisco shortening, cut into ½" pieces & chilled (easier to use sticks Crisco for this)
1½ sticks butter, cut into ¼" cubes, frozen until very firm
6+ T. ice water (start with 6, add up to 2 more if needed)
In a Dutch oven, bring broth to a boil, adding rinsed chicken parts, onion, carrot & celery chunks, along with celery tops. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for one hour.
Meanwhile, make the crust: In a food processor), combine flour, sugar & salt; process until combined. Add chilled Crisco; process 10 seconds. Add butter cubes and pulse 10 times, until it resembles coarse crumbs; transfer to a large bowl. Sprinkle 6 T. ice water over mixture all at once. Stir & press dough together using a rubber spatula, and pressing it against the bowl, until the dough sticks together. If it doesn't come together, add up to 2 more tablespoons of ice water, one at a time, pressing after each.
Divide into two even pieces. Shape each piece into a 4" disk, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Chill for one hour. Before rolling dough out, let it sit on the counter for 10 minutes. Lay dough on a lightly floured work surface, and roll from the center outward, into a 12" circle, about 1/8" thick. Between every few rolls, give the dough a quarter turn, tossing a little flour under it as needed. Loosely roll dough around rolling pin, and gently unroll over a deep-dish pie plate. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and chill while doing the next step .
Cool chicken in the cooking liquid if time allows. Strain and reserve broth, discarding vegetables. Return broth to heat. Meanwhile, remove chicken from the bone, discarding skin and bones. Cut into bite-sized chunks and place in a bowl. Cook peas and carrots in simmering broth, according to pkg directions. When cooked, remove from broth and add them to the chicken meat. Preheat oven to 375°. Bring broth to a boil; reduce to 3 cups liquid. Add half and half. Make a roux by kneading together 6 T. butter & 6 T. flour in a small bowl, using your fingers, and working quickly. Drop roux into simmering broth, stirring slowly until thickened. Add chicken, peas & carrots, season to taste, and pour into the chilled crust (or a 2-qt casserole, if serving over biscuits). Top with rolled out 12" diameter top crust. Trim both crusts together so that they extend 1/2" past edge of pie plate. Press the edges together and tuck under, toward the pie plate. Crimp edges. Cut vent holes with a paring knife. Brush with beaten egg, and bake at 375° for 45-50 minutes, until golden brown.
