Chicken Pot Pie Comfort

I have been obsessed with these:

  While I was down and out with my broken back, I watched a heck of a lot of cooking shows- one  host was making apple slab pie with a cutout crust.  I LOVED it and have been dreaming of cutouts.  I decided  they would be perfect for a chicken pot pie...and they were!

I didn't have potatoes today (I used them all yesterday making pomme frites with andoulouse dipping sauce) but filled the pie with frozen corn, peas and carrots and also broccoli and cauliflower.  My hubby, of course, immediately suspicious, picked out all the cauliflower (I've tried to pass them off as potatoes before...) and I also used rotisserie chicken.


Chicken Pot Pie Comfort

Ingredients

• 2 cups diced peeled potatoes (not this time!) 
• 1/2 bag frozen peas and carrots
• 1/2 bag frozen broccoli and cauliflower
• 1/2 bag frozen corn                          
• 1 cup butter, cubed
• 2/3 cup chopped onion or leeks 
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1-3/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 Tbsp. basil                          
• 3/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup milk
• 3-4 cups cubed cooked chicken
•                           
• 1 (14.1 ounces) refrigerated pie pastry

I sautéed sliced leeks (because I had them and was trying to use them up) in a cube of butter until they were nice and caramelized.  To that I added the flour, thyme and basil, s and p.  I then added the milk and chicken broth, and added the frozen vegetable that I pre-cooked in the microwave (and drained.)  Normally I would use potatoes but I love it either way.  I cut some pre-made crust the same size as the bottom of my dish- filled it up with the chicken and veggies and then went topping crazy with the cutouts.  So much fun!  I brushed the leaves with beaten egg before baking it all at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes.