Mini Pot Pies

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Put everything into a large stock pot and cover with water as high as possible without risking boiling over. Bring to a boil, then simmer on low for as long as possible. The longer the better, but try for at least 3 hours. Make sure to stir occasionally, and add water as needed. Once the chicken is fully cooked taste soup and adjust herbs, salt, and pepper, add bouillon cubes if needed. (You can also substitute some chicken broth for some of the water+bouillon cubes) Take off heat and let cool to room temperature. Pull out chicken bones, be sure to watch for the little ones! The longer you cook the soup, the more the chicken will fall apart. I expect you could wrap the chicken in cheesecloth, but I haven’t tried this yet.

Step 2

Crust: Mix the salt and flour together, then cut the butter into the flour mix. Once that’s well mixed, add the water a little at a time until a dough is formed. It should be about the consistency of play-dough.

Step 3

Filling: Put the filling nto a pot on medium heat. Add the cream and stir. Spoon some of the liquid into a small bowl and add flour to it. Whisk that until you have a smooth thick mixture (like pancake batter) with no lumps. Add the flour mixture to the rest of the soup slowly while stirring quickly to prevent lumps. Bring to a boil for 30 seconds to a minute, then remove from heat. Stir constantly. You should have a thickened mixture.

Step 4

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a muffin tin well and press the dough into each cup. Try for about ¼ inch thickness. Make sure the dough goes all the way up the sides, and possibly a little bit over the top. You can roll the dough out first, but it isn’t necessary if you think you can get it fairly even in the cups without rolling. Spoon the filling mixture into each cup. Don’t overfill! Aim for just under the rim of the cups. Roll out more dough or press it between your hands to make the top crusts (about ¼ inch thick) and place them over the filling. Seal the edges by pressing in with a fork. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. Note: I needed to make a second batch of crust dough to use up all of my filling, so don’t be afraid to do that.