Jasdip, I've mentioned before that I don't care for pot pies made from leftovers. But that said, what I would do, is simmer the vegetables that you are going to add to the potpie in some chicken/turkey broth. Then remove the vegetables and set aside and use the broth to thicken the roux. Season with some fresh thyme, add some cream and the vegetables back into the sauce along with the turkey.

I use various topping for my potpies from regular pastry, puff pastry and biscuits.

Chicken Pot Pie

Pie can be topped with herbed crust , Puff pastry, or topped with biscuits.

Dough
1 1/2½ cups all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 Tablespoons cold butter, cut into
1 inch pieces
1/4 cup cold solid vegetable
shortening cut into bits
1/4 cup ice water
Chicken filling
4 Large chicken breasts
5 Cups chicken broth
2 Teaspoons black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
4 springs fresh thyme
3 Large garlic cloves
2 Small carrots cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1 Small leek cut into 1/2 inch thick
pieces (about 2 cups)
1 Large sweet potato
1 or 2 stalks of celery
2 or three large baking potatoes cut
into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 Cup frozen peas
Sauce
4 Tablespoons butter
5 Tablespoons all purpose flour
1 Cup heavy cream
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
salt and pepper

Use any combination of vegetables. I have added fresh green beans cut into 1/2 inch pieces.

Cook the chicken in a soup pot with the broth, peppercorns, bay leaves, thyme and garlic. Bring to a boil over high head. Reduce the heat to low and simmer very gently until the chicken is cooked.

Remove the chicken from the pot and let cool. Remove meat from bones. Strain broth to remove peppercorns and herbs. Bring strained broth to a boil and add leeks, celery and carrot. Cook a couple of minutes and then add sweet potatoes and regular potatoes. Remove vegetables from
broth to a bowl with the chicken and set aside.

Make sauce, by melting butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add flour and then cooking stirring frequently with a whisk, until the mixture develops a nutty smell, about 2 minutes. Slowly add half the broth to the roux, whisking constantly until the sauce thickens. Add the rest of the broth along with the cream and chopped thyme. Increase the heat to moderate and allow the sauce to simmer, stirring occasionally, until it is well steeped with the flavour of thyme. Remove the pan from the head. Add the vegetables and chicken to the sauce. Add frozen peas. Season with salt and pepper.

Spoon filling into the pan. Cover with pastry, trucking in edge to seal to side of pan. Reroll the dough trimmings and cut out several leaf shapes to decorate. Make small incisions in the crust to allow steam to escape.

Bake in a 375 degree oven until crust in golden brown, for about 50 minutes.

Thanks so much for the recipe Ann! We're not fussy, and we love leftovers, so I think we'll be fine using leftovers in the pot pie. I'll make sure I cut them in larger chunks.

Even when I'm making it just for the pie, I cook everything ahead anyway, so the difference between leftovers and not is whether you make enough over to feed your family a meal first or not. :)

Turkey has a stronger flavor than chicken, so I prefer to use a chicken gravy or white gravy with it, rather than turkey gravy. That way it doesn't overpower the vegetables. I also only use potatoes if I need to extend. There are more interesting roots such as turnips, parsnips and rutabagas. Snap peas are good, cut in thirds if you don't have fresh green peas. Frozen peas work, but they get overcooked. Oh, when I said I cook everything first, that doesn't count peas, peppers or anything else that cooks fast. I might steam or roast the other veg, depending on the other flavors.

At this time of year, I make a whole wheat pie crust with some curry powder in it. Just a bit. Not enough to really taste like a curry. Just a bit earthy.

When I do a biscuit crust, I just spoon the dough on, or make a loosely shaped (don't over handle) sheet. I like to seal the pot well, so do pat it down the sides.

Unless they're falling to bits, I wouldn't cut my ingredients too bit. It's much nicer when there are a few different things on your spoon than just one.

Most of all, have fun. The whole point of a pot pie is that you can throw in whatever you have that'll taste good together.

Plllog, I'm not sure what you mean by the difference between leftovers and whether you make enough over to feed your family a meal first or not.

I agree that I don't want a pot pie made with leftover gravy. Chicken or turkey. I prefer a sauce that is started with a roux, and using the broth that the chicken for the pot pie is poached in, along with the vegetables along with some cream to enrich.

Darn, thanks to Jaspid, I now have a craving for chicken pot pie.

Ann

so if i say i used a store-bought deep crust, a bag of frozen peas and carrots, a couple packets of prepared store bought gravy mix and tons of turkey from boiling the bones and topped it with mashed potatoes, you will all cringe?

It lasted just about as long as it took to prepare for the oven, and was every bit as good as a good store bought, if you can find them any more.

better yet, the grandkid asked for seconds and said, 'mommy doesn't make it like that …'

dave

How the heck did a turkey pot pie post turn so sideways, so fast? Lol

Not sure why you think the post turned sideways.

I think that there are many ways to make a pot pie and everyone should make it their way.

Dave, no one is going to cringe. I think it is wonderful that you made your pot pie so good that your grandkid asked for seconds.

~Ann

Ann, it's what my mother said about a Julia Child recipe for paté. It called for braising a chunk of meat with vegetables before grinding it, and my mother said she left out the step of feed the pot roast (which it essentially was) to your family before grinding. I make my pot pies differently from you. I steam or roast the poultry and vegetables first, rather than poaching them in broth, and could easily make a simple dinner out of the whole bits. I don't use leftover gravy, but if I had it, I'd amend it and make it over to suit. Instead, I make a gravy much like you do, but using stock rather than a cooking broth. It comes out fine. :)

I've also made pot pie out of leftovers and that works fine, too. Soft veg don't work, of course, but I find that the poultry doesn't get overcooked in the pie.