Freezer Chicken Pot Pie Food

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!

CHICKEN POT PIE

Steps:

• For the chicken: Start by putting the chicken in a pot and covering it with water. Bring the water to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 45 minutes, and then remove the chicken from the pot. Set the chicken aside to cool briefly.
• Shred the chicken with 2 forks, reserving the bones. For the stock, return the bones to the pot and boil for 20 minutes. Remove the bones from the pot and discard.
• For the pot pie: When you're ready to use the Thyme Pastry, remove from the freezer and allow it to sit on the counter to thaw slightly, about 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Begin by finely dicing the vegetables. Slice the celery stalks into narrow strips, then slice in the other direction to create a fine dice. Repeat this process with the carrots, and the onion.
• Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery. Saute until the vegetables start to turn translucent, a couple of minutes.
• Add 2 cups of the shredded chicken and stir to combine. Sprinkle the flour evenly over the vegetables and chicken, and stir to combine. Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring gently.
• Pour in the chicken broth, stirring constantly. Stir in the bouillon cube and wine if using. The flour will combine with the chicken to create a delicious gravy. Next, add the peas.
• Pour in the cream and stir. Allow the mixture to cook over low heat, thickening gradually, about 4 minutes. Season with the thyme, salt and pepper, and remove from the heat. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. Be sure it's adequately salted!
• Pour the chicken mixture into a deep pie pan or small casserole dish.
• Roll out the pastry so that it's 1 inch larger than the pan. Place the crust on top of the chicken mixture and cut small slits in the top. Press the crust gently into the sides of the dish to seal. I don't worry about making a perfect edge on my chicken pot pie because a) it looks more rustic and b) I'm lazy, hungry and I want to eat.
• Bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly, about 30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.
• To freeze: Allow the filling to cool completely then top with the crust. Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place in the freezer.
• To cook from frozen: Remove the pot pie from the freezer, brush with egg wash (1 egg mixed with 2 tablespoons water or cream) and place directly in a 375-degree F oven and bake until lightly browned and bubbly, 30 to 45 minutes.
• For the thyme pastry: Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Using pastry cutter, gradually work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles tiny pebbles. This step should take 3 or 4 minutes.
• Lightly beat the egg with a fork, and then add it to the mixture. Next, add in the cold water and vinegar. Stir the mixture together until it's just combined, and then remove half the dough from the bowl. (Dividing the dough in half results in two pretty generous pie crusts. If you desire a thinner crust, you may divide the dough into three crusts.)
• Place in a large plastic bag (do not seal) and slightly flatten with a rolling pin. This makes it much easier to roll out the crust later. After flattening, seal the bag tightly.
• Repeat with the other half of the dough and place the plastic bags in the freezer. I like to make several batches of pie crust at a time so I always have a crust ready to go.
• For recipes other than this pot pie, remove from the bag and place on a lightly floured surface. With a rolling pin, begin rolling the dough from the center, outward. Be gentle and patient; it'll take a little time to get the dough completely rolled out.
• If you think the bottom is really sticking to the surface below, use a nice, sharp spatula to loosen it and sprinkle some extra flour on top. Then flip it over to finish rolling. Remember to roll from the center in single, outward strokes; no back-and-forth rolling.
• Again with a spatula, loosen and lift the pie crust and carefully lay it over a pie pan. Using your hand, lightly form the crust so that it fits inside the pan and overlaps the edges.
• Because it's quick and easy, I just tuck the excess dough under itself above the rim. Then you can apply whatever decorative effects that you like to the edge. Or you can leave it plain if you'd like! Just tell yourself it's more rustic that way!
• Fill the pie crust with filling and bake according to the pie recipe's directions. Or, for a pre-baked crust, fill with pie weights (or pinto beans placed on aluminum foil) and bake at 400 degrees F until golden, about 10 minutes.

A DIFFERENT CHICKEN POT PIE (FOR THE FREEZER)

Steps:

• Topping: Peel potatoes and cut into 1/2 inch chunks.
• In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cover and cook potatoes until tender, 15 minutes; drain and return to pot.
• Add milk, cheese, butter, salt and pepper; mash until smooth, set aside.
• Meanwhile, cut chicken into 1/2 inch chunks.
• In a separate large saucepan, bring stock to boil.
• Add chicken, mushrooms, onion, carrots, garlic, bay leaves, salt, pepper and nutmeg; reduce heat, cover and simmer until chicken is no longer pink inside, about 6 minutes.
• Stir in peas, mustard and lemon juice.
• In a small bowl, whisk flour with 1/3 cup cold water; whisk into stock mixture and bring to boil.
• Reduce heat and cook, stirring often, until thick enough to coat back of spoon, about 5 minutes.
• Combine chicken/veggie mixture with stock mixture.
• Make ahead Meal: Ladle into four 2 cup ovenproof or foil dishes.
• Spoon or pipe potato mixture over top.
• Let cool for 30 minutes.
• Refrigerate until cold.
• Cover with foil and overwrap with heavy duty foil; freeze for up to 1 month.
• Thaw in refrigerator; remove heavy duty foil.
• Bake on rimmed baking sheet in 400f degree oven or toaster oven until knife inserted in centre for 5 seconds feels hot when touched, 25 minutes.
• Uncover and broil until golden, about 3 minutes.
• OR FOR DINNER TONIGHT: Scrape chicken mixture into 10 cup casserole dish, spoon or pipe potato mixture over top.
• Cover and bake in 400f degree oven until hot, 20 minutes.
• Uncover and broil until golden, 3 minutes.

INSTANT POT LIGHT CHICKEN POT PIE (FREEZER MEAL)

Steps:

• Dice celery and puree onion.
• MAKE IT NOW.
• INSTANT POT: Place chicken, celery, onion, broth, frozen vegetables, potatoes, garlic, corn starch, poultry seasoning and salt into instant pot or pressure cooker. Stir gently until combined. Seal pressure cooker. Cook on manual (High) for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, bake pop biscuits according to directions. When instant pot finished do a quick release. Take two forks, shred chicken then stir to combine. Serve in bowls with a biscuit on top.
• SLOWCOOKER: To make in slow cooker cook on LOW for 5-6 hours or on High for 3-4 hours, until chicken is tender. Add biscuits to the top, cover with lid and continue cooking 1 hour.
• MAKE IT A FREEZER MEAL.
• Place chicken, celery, onion, broth, frozen vegetables, potatoes, garlic, poultry seasoning and salt into a labeled gallon-size (4 L) freezer bag; swish to mix. Seal, removing as much air as possible, and freeze.
• THAW AND COOK.
• Place bag in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours to thaw or "Quick thaw" by running under water until meal can be broken apart.
• INSTANT POT: Transfer contents into instant pot or pressure cooker. Seal pressure cooker. Cook on manual (High) for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, bake pop biscuits according to directions. When instant pot finished do a quick release. Take two forks, shred chicken then stir to combine. Serve in bowls with a biscuit on top.
• SLOW COOKER: To make in slow cooker cook on LOW for 5-6 hours or on High for 3-4 hours, until chicken is tender. Take two forks, shred chicken then stir to combine. Mix together cornstarch and 1/4 cup (60 mL) water with fork, stir into slow cooker. Add biscuits to the top, cover with lid and continue cooking 1 hour.