With the holidays in full swing, there are tons of opportunities for us to indulge in the treats that come along with the season. While I do love myself some luscious cakes and pies I also have a healthy appreciation for savory dishes too. After surviving Thanksgiving dinner and a few days of leftovers, I headed back into the kitchen to pull together a dish inspired by a shopping trip at Sprouts Farmers Market.
The folks at Sprouts provided me with an opportunity to shop at one of their stores for items needed to prepare a recipe for the holidays. I chose to make an Herbed Chicken Pot Pie adapted from this skillet version. It made sense because it’s highly versatile and fairly simple to make. You can use fresh ingredients or leftovers from your previous night’s dinner.
I took my time and strolled through Sprouts’ produce department looking for something different to use in this pot pie. There were plenty of fresh vegetables to choose from but the ones I decided to try were butternut squash and parsnips. This would be the first time I’d try either in a pot pie.
I also picked up some fresh Parsley, Thyme and Rosemary to flavor the roux. There’s just something about that combination of herbs that makes me happy.
Miss A was in the kitchen with me while I was mixing this all up. She even helped a little which I loved. That’s what this season is all about to me – spending time with family, even if it’s just for an hour preparing a meal.
We both loved the wonderful herb infused aromas and could hardly wait for the pot pie to go into the oven.
It would take every bit of an hour to bake but the smells…oh, the smells.
This season gets me because almost everywhere we go, food takes center stage. When it happens at home, we just get a little beside ourselves. We absorb the colors, textures, scents and flavors. Shamelessly I might add.
Our Herbed Chicken Pot Pie cooked up beautifully. This version is one of the brothy types. We cut into it pretty quickly instead of allowing it to rest, so the juices flowed out like a well seasoned spring. We’ll try to tame our hunger and exercise more patience next time.
The flavors, however, were all there in this pot pie. It was delicious. This particular recipe has already sparked ideas for the next one I make which will include a thicker, creamy filling.
Here are the instructions in case you want to try it yourself:
Herbed Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients:
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups whole milk
½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 large sweet onion, diced
3 cups cooked chicken breasts, cubed or shredded
2 cups fresh parsnips, cubed
1 cup butternut squash, cubed
1 cup frozen small sweet peas
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
Pastry for a 9-inch double crust pie
1 egg white, whisked until frothy
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. In a small dish, combine the black pepper, garlic powder and salt. Set aside.
Melt 1/3 cup butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Gradually stir in the flour and cook, whisking constantly for 1 minute. Slowly stir in the chicken broth and milk and cook, whisking constantly for 7 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat, then stir in the black pepper mixture.
In a large Dutch oven, melt 2 tablespoons butter, add onion and sauté over medium-high heat for 10 minutes or until tender. Stir in chicken, parsnips, butternut squash, peas, parsley, thyme, rosemary and the sauce. Stir until combined. Remove from heat.
Carefully, place one piecrust in a 9-inch pie plate. Spoon in chicken mixture and top with the remaining piecrust, pinching edges to seal.
Brush top of piecrust with egg wash. Cut 4 to 5 slits in top of pie for steam to escape then bake at 350° for 1 hour or until golden brown and bubbly.
Remove the pot pie from the oven and let sit for 15 to 20 minutes before digging in. Although it smells lovely, allowing it to rest first will help the juices to thicken a little.
Enter to Win a $50 from Sprouts Farmers Market and create your own Holiday Recipe!
At Sprouts, we believe healthy living is a journey and every meal is a choice. We love to inspire, educate and empower every person to eat healthier and live a better life. This isn’t just a mission. It’s our passion.
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Disclosure: I received a $50 Gift Card to buy groceries from Sprouts Farmers Market and prepare a Holiday Recipe. All opinions in this post are based on my own personal experience. You can view my full Disclosure Policy here.
