Chicken-Not-Pie

This may have been one of the first recipes that I created where I thought, "I should really start a food blog."  It's not beautiful to look at, or complicated to make.  It is delicious, easy, and comforting.  The first time I made this meal was for a cast party.  It was a chilly winter day and I was getting ready to host 25 hungry actors and production staff, and really all I wanted to have was a big chicken pot pie.  Now, since I was going to be at the theater up until a few minutes before everyone arrived, it dawned on me that I could call on my dear old friend, the crockpot.

We have been through a lot together, some good, some not so good, but on this particular day, she really came through for me.  Basically, what I did was think about what goes into a pot pie, throw it all together in the pot, and when I got home, I baked off some flaky biscuits and tada!!!  Deconstructed chicken pot pie, or as I've come to call it:  Chicken Not Pie.  It was a huge hit and the recipe has definitely made its way through my friend group.

Here's what you need:

1 small onion, diced

1-2 clove of garlic, minced (I left this out this time because I didn’t have any)

2-3carrots, cut up in bite sized pieces

2-3 pieces of celery (I like the ones on the inside with the leafy greens) cut to bite sized pieces

1 good sized russet potato cubed

3 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces

salt, pepper, any fresh herbs you like-I used parsley this time, but rosemary, thyme, and sage have been yummy in the past

1 can each of cream of chicken soup and cream of celery (I used the low fat

of the chicken)

1 cup of frozen peas

Now really all you have to do is throw everything into the crockpot, except the peas, season with salt and pepper, mix it together and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 7-8.  When you pre-heat the oven for the biscuits,   toss the peas into the crockpot and stir them in.

Just before serving bake off some biscuits, I like the easy flaky ones in a can, but by all means, make homemade ones if you have the time!  Break a biscuit in half, put them in the bottom of a bowl, and pour the chicken "filling" on top, or do one half on the bottom and top it with the other half.

  Curl up with a good book, or invite a bunch of friends over and enjoy!  

I have to add that I've had a weekend of killer migraines, and it was so comforting to get this started today, crawl in bed with the kitties for a medicine induced nap, and then wake up to the delicious smell of Chicken Not Pie, bubbling away.  Perfect for a tough day with brain pain!