Large Family Chicken Pot Pie Recipe Easy Freezer Meals

FREEZER MEAL RECIPES: HOMEMADE CHICKEN POT PIE

Steps:

• Stovetop: Place the chicken and 2 cups broth in a large pot or Dutch oven and bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Cook the chicken until it is just done (don't overcook or it will dry out) - about 10-12 minutes. If the chicken pieces are large, you may need to pound them or cut them in half so they will cook more quickly.
• Slow Cooker: Or you can place the chicken and broth in a slow cooker and cook on high for 3 hours or low for 5 hours.
• Transfer the cooked chicken to a medium bowl. Pour the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a liquid measuring cup and reserve. Return the pot to the stovetop (no need to wash it).
• Heat the olive oil in the now-empty pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery, and peas. Add salt and pepper to taste, if desired. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 5 minutes. While the vegetables are cooking, shred or chop the chicken into small bite-size pieces. Transfer the cooked vegetables to the bowl with the chicken; set aside.
• Over medium heat, melt the 4 Tbsp butter in the empty pot. Stir in the flour and cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Slowly whisk in the reserved chicken broth and milk. Bring to a simmer and stir occasionally until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes, taking care not to burn the bottom. Add 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper.
• Remove from the heat and stir the chicken, vegetables and peas into the sauce. Transfer to medium bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about an hour (only if freezing the pies and not cooking immediately).
• Unwrap and unroll pie crusts onto lightly floured surface. Cut out 2-3 pastry toppings by cutting around the edge of an overturned pan.
• Divide mixture among the number of disposable aluminum loaf pans you have. Top with pastry and use fork to seal edges.
• Using a paring knife, make 3 steam vents in each crust.
• Tightly wrap each loaf pan in 2 layers of plastic wrap and 1 layer of foil. Freeze for up to 2 months.
• Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400. Unwrap frozen pot pies and arrange on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush crust with beaten egg, cover with foil, and bake 40 minutes. Uncover and bake until crusts are golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let pot pies rest 10 minutes before serving.

FREEZE & BAKE CHICKEN POT PIES RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• In a deep skillet, melt the butter and cook celery, carrots, and onion until tender.
• Pour in the flour, and mix in well.
• Stirring constantly, add in the milk and chicken broth a little at a time, alternating between the two. Bring to a boil and continue stirring until thickened.
• Add chicken, peas, salt, and pepper, and stir until combined. Remove from heat and cool.
• Roll out pie crust and use the foil pot pie dish as a template. Cut a piece of dough for the bottom of the dish that is about an inch (²¹⁄₂ cm) thicker than the widest rim of the dish, and a piece that is the same size as the rim. (Roll dough back out and repeat to make more pieces.)
• Place the larger piece of crust in the bottom of the foil dish, fill with the cooled pot pie filling, and top with the smaller crust piece.
• Pinch together, then seal together with a fork. Cut 4 small slits in the middle of the crust.
• Cover each pot pie with foil and freeze for up to 2 months.
• To bake from frozen, preheat oven to 400˚F (200˚C), and bake for 30 minutes with the foil on top. Remove the foil and bake for another 30 minutes or until golden brown.
• Enjoy!