Traditional Chicken Pie

Chicken pie is one of my other half's favorite things to eat. It is warm and comforting, makes rainy icky days magically melt away, and is extremely satisfying. Chicken pie is not to be confused with Chicken pot pie. Chicken pie is a simple pie containing nothing more than roasted chicken which cooks in a nice thick gravy. This is closer to an English or Irish meat pie than and American pot pie, which contains vegetables.

Sevres 4-6
Full time: 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours (depending if your stewing your own chicken)

You will need:

1 box store bought pie crusts (2) or homemade pie crust dough for top and bottom
1 roasting chicken or 2 pounds boneless chicken breasts (time saver start with a precooked roasted chicken and 2 cups chicken broth)
1/2 onion
12 oz evaporated milk
1/3 cup butter plus 1 tbsp
1/2 cup flour
1-2 tsp salt, or to taste
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp ground white pepper

Let us begin:

If  you are stewing your own chicken, you will need to start here:

Place chicken and onion in a pot with enough water to cover it.

Bring water to boil over high heat. Reduce temperature to medium, cover and cook for 60-90 minutes or until cooked through.

Once cooked, remove chicken from pot and allow to cool to the touch.

Retain 2 cups cooking liquid for broth and discard onion.

Remove chicken.

If starting with precooked chicken start here:

Chop chicken meat down into bite size or slightly smaller pieces. If using a whole raosting chicken make sure to remove all bones.

In the pot you cooked chicken in (or medium pot), melt butter over medium heat.

Add in the flour, it will bubble after a few moments.

Slowly add in the broth and evaporated milk. I recommend working roughly 1/2 cup at a time whisking as you go.

Mix in seasoning.

Fold in chicken and turn heat to low.

Get your oven preheated to 425.

While oven preheats, place your bottom crust into your pie pan and crump edges to secure.

Gently move chicken mixture into pie crust.

Top with second pie crust and pinch closed. Cut 3 slits into the top for ventilation.

Place pie plate on baking sheet. Cover edges of pie loosly with a tin foil wrap.

Bake in oven 20 minutes.

Remove tin foil wrap and continue to bake for 10-20 minutes until the crust is golden and inside is bubbly.

Allow to sit on counter or table for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!