How should I make this pot pie thing?

Cafe Society
1

I have some leftover bread stuffing mix (dry chunks of bread), and some canned chicken breast chunks and some frozen peas and carrots and was thinking about combining them all together. I’m not great with creating recipes, so I’m seeking input. The stuffing is supposed to boil on the stove for five minutes. Should I do that first or pull it off early since it’ll eventually be sitting on top of wet ingredients? Do I cook the vegetables and chicken first, then add the topping and put it back in the oven or stick it all in at the same time? How long should it all stay in the oven and at what temperature? The chicken is already cooked. I just want a crust on top that’s not mushy and for the filling to be in sort of a gravy. There’s 12 oz. of chicken, and I thought about adding three cups of vegetables and a 1/4 cup of flour and seasoning and letting the liquid from the chicken and vegetables thicken. Is that a good amount of flour? Would 350 degrees for 20 minutes be good?

2

I think the filling will be dry if you don’t add any more liquid.

Here’s what I’d do:

  • Cook the stuffing per the directions, maybe using slightly less liquid than normal.

  • Do you have any chicken stock? Canned / boxed is fine, or bouillon in a pinch. Or a combo of chicken stock and milk (which is really the best gravy for pot pie IMO). For the combo of meat/veggies you describe, I’d be looking at about 3 cups.

  • In a fairly large pan, melt 3T. butter over medium heat. Add 3 T. flour and whisk to combine. Keep whisking for 2-3 minutes. Now sloooowly add the liquid (the chicken stock/milk above). Keep whisking. It’ll thicken up into a gravy. Once you have all the liquid added, keep it at a low simmer. Add salt & pepper & herbs until it tastes the way you like.

  • Now, dump the chicken/veggies into your gravy. Or do it the other way around, if it looks like there’s too much gravy. This is basically your filling, so do it how you want. Heat it all up, adjust salt & pepper if needed.

  • Now throw the whole mess into a baking dish. Top with your stuffing. Throw it in a 350 degree oven uncovered for 15 min or so, if it’s all still hot. If you’ve let it cool down some, cover it with tinfoil, and cook for 15-20 min (until hot again) then uncover and cook for another 10 or so. Basically your just cooking it uncovered until the stuffing crisps up a little.

I think that’ll work. At least, that’s how I’d do it…

3

Thanks. I don’t have stock or bullion so I’ll put this on hold until I get a chance to get some.

4

Are you sure about that? (If it’s a boxed stuffing mix then the directions are certainly; boiling water, add ingredients, let stand for five minutes.)

Boiling for five minutes is a great way to get burnt stuffing . . . unless you like it that way!

CMC fnord!

5

I agree with the above, my box of Stove Top says to boil the water, add stuffing mix, remove from heat, cover and let stand five minutes.

6

I looked again and yes, you’re both right. The five minute thing was about the onions that the stuffing recipe calls for. I glanced at it the other day prior to posting and misread what it said.