Roasted Chicken and Vegetable Pot Pie

We just got back from a ski vacation with friends in Steamboat Springs. One of the lodges had a tempting looking turkey pot pie as a lunch special. But then we saw that it was more like creamy turkey soup with a crust on top. So instead I said I would make chicken pot pie when we got home. I took my original chicken pot pie recipe and stepped it up a notch.

I've made The Easiest Chicken Ever multiple times, but I was looking for a change. I don't really like the process of peeling all the meat off a whole chicken, so I figured using a whole chicken that the butcher cut into pieces might be easier. I decided to roast all the parts, even the wings since I'm going to make stock out of the bones and skin. Part way through the cooking I remembered why I don't usually roast chicken in the oven. My whole kitchen pretty much filled with smoke! The chicken did turn out really moist and flavorful. So in the end it was worth the extra effort...
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Today was a home day, so I had a lot of time to roast the chicken and vegetables before adding them to the pot pie. If I were in a hurry I definitely would have skipped the roasted veggie step and just used frozen veggies like I normally do. The roasted veggies would be delicious in a soup. 

I used the crust recipe from my original chicken pot pie, except that I replaced 3 tablespoons of shortening with 3 tablespoons of Earth's Balance buttery sticks. I'm not sure that there was any noticeable difference between the crust this time and last time. It seemed a little easier to sort of roll out, but then it split more during baking. 

This pot pie had a much richer and deeper chicken flavor than usual. I think roasting the chicken in pieces was a big improvement since there were so many more surfaces for the seasoning. This version wasn't complicated, it just took a while from start to finish. Definitely worth the effort. 

Roasted Chicken and Vegetables Pot Pie

Single Pie Crust

2 Tbsp Earth's Balance Buttery Sticks

1 recipe Roasted Mixed Vegetables (see below)

1/2 recipe of Roasted Chicken Pieces (see below)

2 Tbsp potato starch

1 cup chicken stock

3/4 cup lite coconut milk

2 1/2 cup chopped or shredded cooked chicken or turkey

1. Heat oven to 425°F. Spray 9 x 13 glass baking dish with oil.

2. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. 

3. Whisk in potato starch. Cook for 2 minutes stirring frequently. Add stock and coconut milk. Whisk until bubbly and thickened. Add vegetables and chicken. 

4. Pour chicken mixture into baking dish. Top with crust. Seal edge and cut slits in several places on crust. 

5. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until the crust is browned and the filling is bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. 

Roasted Chicken Pieces

1 whole chicken, cut into parts
2 Tbsp oil
2 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. 
2. In a small bowl mix the oil and seasonings. 
3. Pat chicken dry. Place chicken skin side up on a large rimmed baking sheet. Rub the oil mixture over the chicken, coating evenly.
4. Bake for 15 minutes, flip chicken over. Bake for another 10 minutes, and flip again (so skin side is up again). 
5. Cook until chicken is done and juices run clear. For me that was a total baking time of 35 minutes.

Roasted Mixed Vegetables

1/2 of a head of cauliflower, chopped into small florets
6 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
1 small onion, diced
3 celery ribs, sliced
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 Tbsp oil
1/2 Tbsp dry minced onion
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried rosemary

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. 
2. Mix all ingredients together on a rimmed baking sheet.
3. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring once.