Chicken Pot Pie

If you ever go to Savannah, GA you absolutely have to go to The Lady and Sons, which is the restaurant owned by Paula Dean of the Food Network.  It's hard to get into though.  You have to be there early in the morning to put your name in for a reservation later in the day.  The wait it totally worth it though because, oh my gosh, the food is delicious!  I bought a cookbook from the restaurant gift shop which has a bunch of the recipes used in the restaurant in it.  This particular one is one of those!  And boy is it good. 

Chicken Pot Pie
Source: The Lady and Sons Cookbook
Printable Link Here

Ingredients:
1  10 3/4 ounce can condensed cheddar cheese soup
1 10 3/4 ounce can condensed cream of celery soup
1/2 cup milk
2 pounds boneless, skinless, cubed and cooked chicken
1 medium onion, diced
1 10 ounce package frozen peas (or one 8 ounce can, drained)
3 carrots, sliced, cooked, and drained
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pastry for top and bottom (recipe to follow)
Butter to dot pastry

In large saucepan, heat soups and milk.  Stir in chicken, onion, peas and carrots, salt and pepper.  Cook until mixture boils.  Remove from heat.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Pour into pasty-lined pan(s).  Cut pastry for top into strips.  Lay over pie filling in a lattice style.  Dot with butter.  Bake for 45 minutes until golden brown. 

Pastry:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup shortening
Ice Water

Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder.  Cut in shortening with pastry blender until pieces are the size or small peas.  Sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons of ice water over part of the mixture.  Gently toss with fork; push to side of bowl.  Repeat until all is moistened.  Form into two balls.  Flatten each on a lightly floured surface by pressing with edge of hand three times across in both directions.  With a floured rolling pin, roll out on floured surface.  Roll from center to edge until 1/8 inch thick.

Amy's Notes:
Paula uses a whole chicken for this recipe, but I use chicken tenders or breasts because that is what I keep on hand.  I cook the chicken in a saucepan and once it's cooked, I add the soups and milk and continue from there.  I always roll out the pastry for the top instead of making a lattice top, mostly because it's easier.  You could buy your pie crusts too and skip making them on your own, but they really aren't too hard to make.  Pretty much you could add whatever veggies you want for these!