Cold weather will still annoy us for a few more weeks, so it's a good time for some classic comfort food. When I think of comfort foods, it's usually a bowl of warm soup or pasta loaded with cheese. Not the healthiest choices, but a little nostalgia then and again is worth the calories.

I couldn't honestly tell you the last time I had a chicken pot pie. Premade frozen ones in high school maybe? But I will definitely be eating it again soon. It is delicious!

While tasty, this is not elegant in any way, shape or form. It's pretty when it comes out of the oven but kind of difficult to serve and difficult to pair with any sides. So please don't serve this for any sort of fancy occasion.

However, if your parents or siblings visit (especially if they have picky children to feed), this is an excellent choice. Vegetables are hidden in gravy. Everybody loves chicken. It's PIE for goodness sake. Trust me, it will be a hit.

Just note - if you are feeding a lot of hungry people you will need to make more than one...

Start with an apron and sharp knife. Preheat the oven. Chop up your carrots, celery and onion into bite sized pieces. Then slice up your chicken breasts into small cubes. If the vegetables and chicken are roughly equal size it will help everything cook evenly.

Melt butter in a high sided, nonstick skillet. Once melted, add vegetables and chicken and saute until the chicken is just cooked through and vegetables are soft, 10-15 minutes depending on the size. Add the frozen peas and mix.

Time to make the gravy!

For the roux, add flour and spices to the skillet and stir to coat all the vegetables.

I really recommend the curry powder. It sounds weird, but when I was adjusting my spices before adding the curry it just was lacking something. The curry added an extra complexity and Voila! Tasty.

Anyway, cook out the raw flour flavor for a couple of minutes before adding milk and chicken broth. Simmer for 5-10 minutes or until the sauce is your desired thickness.

While the sauce thickens, roll out the bottom pie crust and place in a 9 inch deep dish pie plate. It has to be deep dish or the filling won't fit!

Pour the chicken mixture into the pie dish and cover with the remaining pie crust. Crimp the edges and cut 5 slits on top for the steam to escape.

Bake for 45 minutes until the top is golden brown. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving.

You will be asked for seconds. Possibly thirds...

Chicken Pot Pie

Inspired by Chicken Pot Pie IX

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup unsalted butter
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 1 stalk celery, sliced
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 1/2 cup milk
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 9" pie crusts, unbaked

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. In a large nonstick skillet with high sides melt butter. Add chicken, carrots, celery and onions. Saute for 10-15 minutes until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are just turning soft. Add frozen peas and mix gently.
3. Add flour, poultry seasoning, pepper, garlic powder and curry powder. Combine well and cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add milk and chicken broth. Simmer for 5-10 minutes until sauce has thickened. Taste and adjust any seasoning as necessary.
5. Roll out pie crust and line the bottom of a 9" deep dish pie plate. Pour in chicken filling. Cover with second pie crust and crimp edges. Cut slits in the top for any steam to escape.
6. Bake 45 minutes until top is golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes and serve.

Yield: 6 servings