Easy From-Scratch Chicken Pot Pie

I'm all about easy recipes, but I also love to prepare from-scratch meals and desserts. There's just something about being able to say you made it "from scratch." I guess it's a vanity thing, though I don't think that song is about me...

Yesterday my sister stopped by with a pot pie from KFC. Wow, it was good. I haven't eaten a pot pie since I was a kid. Remember the 3/$1 Banquet pot pies? Do they still make them? Anyway, I've never made one from scratch. So today, that's just what I decided to do. This is REALLY easy, so don't let the length of the post fool you.

To begin, I made an Oil Pastry (sounds gross, I know) instead of a Plain Pastry. I really don't like the partially hydrogenated oils in shortening, so I wanted avoid them and this did the trick. (Note: the recipes are based on those found in the Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book, 1968):

Oil Pastry

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c salad oil
5 TB cold water

Stir the flour and salt together. Combine the oil and water and pour into the flour/salt. Give it a stir (no mixer needed--it comes together nicely) and form it into two balls. Place one of the balls between two pieces of waxed paper and roll it out to the size of your pie dish. Place it in the dish and add the Chicken Pie filling (see below for recipe). Roll out the second ball of pastry dough, cut a slit in the middle in the form of an X (using a pizza cutter makes a nice, clean cut) and place it on top of the filling. Tuck under any edges or just cut them off. Bake this in the oven at 450 degrees until the top starts to brown. I cooked mine for about 20-30 minutes.

Chicken Pie Filling

1/2 c chopped onion (I used 1-2 TB of dehydrated onion)
6 TB butter
1/2 c all purpose-flour
1 tsp salt
3 c chicken broth
3 c cubed cooked chicken ( I used one leftover chicken breast)
1 10 oz pkg of frozen peas and carrots (I used a handful of frozen peas and two carrots, diced; use whatever veggies you have on hand)

Cook onion in butter for a minute or so then add the flour and salt. Add the broth and cook until it becomes thick and bubbly. Keep stirring during this time so that it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken and veggies and let it return to a boil. Don't forget to stir!

All I can say is...WOW! This Easy Chicken Pot Pie tasted just as good as the KFC I sampled last night. I can see myself sneaking some grated zucchini or yellow squash into this one next time, and possibly some diced potatoes.