Believe it or not, I have never actually had chicken pot pie.  I recognize this is crazy.  Luckily this has been remedied, and with a great recipe, too.  This is from a Pioneer Woman recipe, and we loved it – leftovers were awesome!  We made this for our Halloween party.  You can use your pie crust recipe of choice, or store-bought, and it will make two pies.

• 3 medium carrots, peeled
• 3 stalks of celery
• 1 large yellow onion
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• 1/4 cup white wine, optional
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or more as needed

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.

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 your prepared pie crust and 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. Bake until lightly browned and bubbly, 30 to 45 minutes.