Simple Roasted Chicken

Yes it's true! You can have a roasted chicken done in about an hour, on a weeknight, and have time to make a side dish! If I told you how easy this method is (not to mention how amazingly delicious), you probably wouldn't believe me. But here it is: Olive oil, salt, pepper, skillet, and your oven. That's all!

And the chicken of course. This fabulous recipe is from my favorite genius cooks at Cook's Illustrated. They tested countless methods to give us the best technique to roast a chicken without 24 hours of brining and planning. You would not believe how much flavor this little bird packed. And underneath that crispy golden skin? Tender, juicy breast meat that will have even dark-meat loyalists reaching for a second taste. Seriously, you have to try this recipe!

But don't throw away that carcass! After lunch, I picked off all the remaining chicken and set it aside. I then put the carcass, half an onion, a few garlic cloves, carrots, and rosemary in a pot. Covered it with water and let it simmer for 90 minutes to make stock. After straining and cooling, I skimmed the fat. As you're reading this, I have Southwestern chicken chili made with the extra chicken and stock waiting for me in the slow cooker. Yum!

A few notes: you may notice that the bird's legs are held together with a foil "rope." I did not have kitchen twine so I improvised and it worked perfectly! Also, the magazine offered a pan sauce but we didn't like the taste of it, and this chicken is perfectly delicious on it's own. One more thing, I didn't read correctly and covered my chicken while it was resting. This took away some of that crispy skin on top and made it kind of deflate as you can see in the photo. So keep your chicken uncovered while it is resting and all will be well. :)

Simple Roasted Chicken
Prep: 10 minutes / Cook: 50-70 minutes / Rest: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

1 (3-1/2 to 4 pound) whole chicken, giblets discarded
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

1. Place a 10 or 12-inch oven-safe skillet on the middle rack and preheat oven to 450 degrees (I used my 10-inch cast iron skillet).

2. Combine salt and pepper. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Rub entire chicken (top and bottom) with oil. Sprinkle salt mixture evenly over entire chicken. Tie legs together with twine or foil and tuck wing tips underneath bird.

3. Remove the skillet from the oven and transfer chicken to skillet, breast side up (it will sizzle!).  Place in oven and roast for 25-35 minutes, until breast meat registers 120 degrees and thighs read 135 degrees.

4. Turn oven OFF and leave chicken in the oven for 25-35 minutes, until breast meat reaches 160 degrees and thighs reach 175 degrees.

5. Transfer chicken to carving board and let rest, uncovered, for 20 minutes. You can use this time to prepare a side dish. Carve chicken and serve.

Print Recipe

Recipe source: adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Additional information:

This method works for several reasons. Preheating the skillet allows you to sear the thighs, giving them a head start from the breast meat. Turning off the oven halfway through helps the chicken's exterior cool rapidly, eliminating evaporation of all those precious juices. Heat inside the chicken will continue to cook the chicken until it reaches a safe temperature.

To check the temperature:
Breast: insert thermometer low into the thickest part of the breast, just above the bone. Withdraw slowly and check for the lowest temperature.

Thigh: Insert thermometer into the space betwen the breast and thigh. Angle probe outward slightly to pierce the meat in the lower part of the thigh.

Information from Cook's Illustrated September/October 2011

My Review

Stir-Fry with Rice Noodles

As you are reading this post, I am on a plane headed to Iowa!! I could not be more excited. 70 degree weather, GREEN grass, rain, and most of all a family wedding! Goodbye for now Texas! And happy Labor Day!

I have made this dish multiple times and absolutely love it. The rice noodles are a nice alternative to the usual rice, but you could easily serve it over rice if preferred. The fresh ginger with the garlic and sesame oil are what make this meal so delicious. Have you ever had sesame oil? We love it! The veggies are versatile here. I've made it with green onions, no red pepper; I think it would even be great without the chicken. I wouldn't pay much attention to the veggie measurements in the recipe (I don't, just eyeball it). Mix and match with your favorite stir-fry veggies and enjoy! As an added bonus, this recipe is light and healthy.

Stir-Fry with Rice Noodles
Total time: 30-40 minutes
Yield: 5-6 servings

2-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1-2 chicken breasts, cut into cubes
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
4 ounces uncooked Asian rice noodles
4 teaspoons canola oil
1 large head broccoli, cut up
1/2 of medium red bell pepper, cut to your preference (optional)
2/3 cup chopped green onion (optional)
3 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
2 teaspoons minced or grated fresh ginger root

1. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch, soy sauce, sesame oil and 1/4 cup water. Pour 1/4 cup marinade into a large resealable bag and add the chicken. Refrigerate for 20 minutes, turning to coat chicken.

2. Add 1/2 cup water, sugar, Worcestershire sauce and chili powder to remaining marinade and set aside.

3.  Drain chicken and discard marinade. Stir-fry chicken in a skillet with 2 teaspoons canola oil until cooked through. Remove to a plate.

4. Cook rice noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, stir-fry broccoli and pepper in 2 teaspoons canola oil for 4-5 minutes. Add the onions, if using, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute longer or until vegetables are to desired tenderness.

5. Return chicken to pan and add reserved marinade mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes until thickened. Drain noodles and toss with chicken. Serve.

NUTRITION FACTS: 1 cup equals 293 calories, 10 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 63 mg cholesterol, 498 mg sodium, 22 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 27 g protein. Note: these numbers are from the original recipe and some ingredients have changed. For example, I substituted water for chicken broth because I did not feel it was necessary for this recipe.

Print this Recipe!

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home

Simplified Chicken Cordon Bleu

Layers of chicken, provolone cheese, ham, fresh and buttery bread crumbs, with a creamy parmesan topping...what's not to love? I've never attempted to make the official chicken cordon bleu with the rolling and stuffing, but my thought now is, why bother? This is so much easier! And it tastes just as good, if not better than the fancy version, I'm sure of it. If your wish is to impress, go ahead; do the pounding, rolling, stuffing, and praying that it all stays together. As for me, I'll do the layers, thankyouverymuch.

Simplified Chicken Cordon Bleu
Prep: 10 minutes / Bake: 25-30 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

Chicken
3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
12 slices deli ham
6 slices provolone or swiss cheese
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Sauce
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules or one chicken bouillon cube, crushed
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Cut the chicken breasts lengthwise to get 6 thin pieces. Mine weren't perfect at all, just try to make everything the same thickness.

2. Place the chicken in a single layer in the baking dish. Top each piece with 2 slices ham and 1 slice cheese. Combine the bread crumbs and butter; sprinkle over the entire dish.

3. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the bread crumbs golden.

4. While chicken is baking, make the sauce. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, whisking constantly. Continue to whisk and slowly add the milk. Stir in the chicken bouillon and continue cooking, whisking slowly, for 3-5 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Add the Dijon and Worcestershire sauce. Stir in the parmesan cheese until melted.

5. Remove from heat. Stir in the remaining ingredients until cheese is melted. Cover and keep warm until ready to serve.

Click here to print recipe

Recipe adapted from mel's kitchen cafe

My Review

Chicken Taquitos

I took the plunge and changed the face of my blog. This was hard for me. Even though I was getting tired of the little floating flower things on the sides and the greenish color, I tend to get sentimental about little details. I wanted something more sophisticated. I'm excited because now I can make my pictures bigger too. I would love to know what you think!

For today, I have a delicious, inexpensive, and healthy meal to share with you! This comes from Hungry Girl, who is well known for her guilt-free recipes.

These chicken taquitos are packed full of flavor, you would never guess that they are light and healthy! I loved the flavor of the corn tortillas. And don't be afraid of the canned chicken, it is moist and tender. I admit, I sort of felt like I was opening a can of cat food, but these definitely tasted better than cat food! (although, I've never actually tried cat food). I enjoyed these with salsa and sour cream, and a kale salad on the side...however, I really didn't like the raw kale so I might not be sharing that recipe with you as I had planned! But in the end, this meal was healthful and delicious, and I know I will be making them again in the future. This simple recipe puts those frozen taquitos to shame!

Note: The recipe said to use a 9.75 or 10-ounce can of chicken. I found neither, so I used (2) 5-ounce cans.

Chicken Taquitos (Print)
from Hungry Girl 123
Prep: 25 minutes / Bake: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

10-ounces canned 98% fat-free white chicken breast in water, drained and flaked into small pieces
1/2 cup salsa
1/3 cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese (I used regular cheese)
1/4 teaspoon dry taco seasoning mix
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
Nonstick cooking spray
Toothpicks
Optional toppings: sour cream, salsa, enchilada sauce

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine the chicken and salsa. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

2. After 15 minutes, add the cheese and taco seasoning to the chicken. Mix and set aside.

3. Dampen two paper towels and place the tortillas between them. Microwave for about 1 minute. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray.

4. Take one tortilla and very lightly spray each side with nonstick spray. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the chicken onto the tortilla (I 'scored' my filling into 8 slices, like a pizza, so that I knew I had even amounts). Spread it evenly over the whole surface. Roll up the tortilla. Place seam-side down on the baking sheet and place a toothpick in the center to secure. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

5. Bake for 14-16 minutes, until crispy. Allow to cool for 5 minutes and serve!

NUTRITION FACTS: 2 tortillas equals: 197 calories, 2.5g fat, 594mg sodium, 22.5g carbs, 3g fiber, 2g sugar, 20.5g protein.

My Review

Creamy Tarragon Chicken with Couscous and Peas

Confession #1: I have been in somewhat of a blogging funk lately.

Confession #2: I have an AMAZING chocolate chip cookie recipe to share with you, but those pictures are locked away in the ol' laptop until further notice.

Confession #3: I think you should know that for some reason, the only way to see the pictures from my memory card on this new computer is to click on each individual file until I find the one I want! I'm sure the settings can be changed, but trust me, seeing 600+ little picture files all lined up makes you want to run away and forget about the whole blogging thing!

Confession #4: This is why there is only one picture on this post, and I don't even think it's the best one, I just happened to find it and decided it was decent enough to do the job. I possibly would have edited it (via auto-adjust. Go ahead, shun me) but I have no idea how to do that yet on this computer.

Confession #5: Typing on this keyboard still feels very strange after having a laptop for so long, and I'm not sure how I feel about it yet.

Confession #6: I love having a mouse now though! It's much better than the little square of something that you slide your finger on from the laptop.

I'm done now, I promise.

Now I'll get to the point here. This chicken recipe is from this blog and it is fantastic! I had a hankering to try couscous, and as soon as I saw this recipe, I knew I had to give it a whirl. The creamy sauce is packed full of flavor, and the couscous made a wonderful starchy bed for the delicious chicken. When cooking the couscous, I just followed the directions on the container, substituting half the water for chicken broth to give it more flavor. I steamed the peas in the microwave and then mixed them together.

I made a few changes to the recipe to make the process easier for myself. This dish is very simple and it's a great way to introduce yourself to this wonderful Israeli style pasta!

Creamy Tarragon Chicken with Couscous and Peas (Print)
adapted from Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice
Total time: 20-30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

2 tablespoons canola oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup half & half
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Black pepper, to taste

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cut chicken breasts into thin (1/4 to 1/2 inch) slices. Sprinkle chicken with tarragon. Add chicken to skillet; avoid turning until the first side is cooked. At this point, flip the chicken strips and add the garlic to the skillet, gently stirring as needed.

2. Add chicken broth and salt. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Start the couscous if you are serving it.

3. As soon as the chicken is cooked through, you can choose to remove it to a plate or keep it in the skillet (I left it in the skillet). Add the half & half, mustard, and black pepper to taste. Simmer for 3-4 minutes. Serve over couscous and peas.

My Review

Foil-Pack Apricot Chicken

First of all, let me say that I know these pictures are under par when it comes to good food photography. I know I'm not a good photographer and I don't pretend to be. Im okay with that. I happen have a really nice camera that does the work for me. I've only edited my pictures twice, and that was using the auto-adjust button. There are many food bloggers out there that amaze me with their photography. I just don't have the eye for it; nor do I have pretty accents, dishes, towels, etc. to make everything look like it's from a magazine. So I continue with my humble photos to show you my real passion, which is cooking and baking for those I love, and then sharing it with you!

But enough about that, let's get on with this chicken. It is from my Hungry Girl 1-2-3 cookbook, so it's light and healthy. As an added bonus, it's unique flavor combination tastes good too! The sweet apricot pairs nicely with the savory onion, and the foil-pack ensures that the chicken will be tender and juicy. Go ahead and give this guilt-free recipe a try!

Foil-Pack Apricot Chicken (Print)
from Hungry Girl 1-2-3
Prep: 15 minutes / Cook: 25 minutes
Yield: 2 servings

1/2 tablespoon buttery spread (I use Smart Balance)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup apricot preserves
1/2 tablespoon dry onion soup mix
2 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Resealable plastic bag
Heavy-duty aluminum foil
Salt and black pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place butter in a small bowl and microwave until just melted. Set aside.

2. In a bowl, combine vinegar, cornstarch. Stir until cornstarch is dissolved. Add preserves, melted butter, and soup mix. Mix well and set aside.

3. Place chicken in a large resealable plastic bag. Remove as much air as possible and seal. Using a meal mallet or heavy can, carefully pound the chicken until it is uniformly about 1/2-inch thick.

4. Transfer the chicken to the bowl with the preserves mixture and turn to coat.

5. Place a large sheet of aluminum foil on a baking sheet (enough foil to fold over the top and seal) and spray with nonstick spray. Lay chicken in the center of foil, and top with remaining preserves mixture.

6. Bring the long edges of the foil together and seal. Then pinch and roll the sides to seal. Bake for 25 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Allow to cool for a few minutes before cutting the packet to release steam. Season with salt and pepper if desired.

NUTRITION FACTS: 233 calories, 3.5g fat, 274mg sodium, 13g carbohydrates, 0g fiber, 3g sugar, 39g protein

My Review

Bourbon Chicken

I have made several variations of the asian-sauce with chicken and rice combination; but none of them have been this good.

Let me put it this way: my husband has declared this to be his favorite meal that I have made for him. He wants me to make it for our friends when they come to dinner. He just said today that he was craving this dish and didn't want to wait for our guests (which is next weekend). I think it is safe to say that this ranks right up there with taco ring.

This recipe is from Melanie, at My Kitchen Cafe. She has an amazing blog and all of her recipes have turned out delicious. This recipe is fantastic and it will definitely not disappoint you! As Melanie said, it is perfectly sweet with a little bit of zing. Served over brown (or white rice or fried rice or lettuce wraps), you can't go wrong.

Bourbon Chicken (Print)
from My Kitchen Cafe
Prep: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

1 to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast* (see review)
4 tablespoons canola oil
cornstarch (optional)
1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup apple juice
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce

1. Cut chicken into 1-inch cubes. Heat oil in a large skillet. Dust chicken with cornstarch, if desired. Fry in oil until lightly browned. Watch out for splattering oil! I kept the lid on as much as possible. Drain on paper towels and set aside. Wipe out any excess oil from the skillet.

2. In a small mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Mix well and pour into skillet. Bring to a boil. Add the chicken to the skillet. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, or until sauce is somewhat thickened.

My Review

Chicken & Broccoli Twice-Baked Potatoes

This recipe is a twist on your typical twice-baked potato, and it's filling enough to use as a main dish. Jeremiah made this for dinner on my first day of work. He had worked hard to make me a nice dinner and they tasted delicious! We have made them twice and I know we will enjoy them in the future too.

Chicken & Broccoli Twice-Baked Potatoes (Print)
adapted from cooksrecipes.com
Prep: 30 minutes / Bake: 30 minutes
Yield: 8 servings

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 large russet potatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup butter or margarine
8 ounces reduced-fat sour cream
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) cheddar cheese, shredded
1-1/2 cups broccoli, chopped small
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
Milk and additional butter (to taste)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Clean potatoes. Prick potatoes with a fork several times on each side. Place on a plate and microwave for approximately 7 minutes, rotating and turning potatoes halfway through. The original recipe says 14-17 minutes. I have a 'baked potato' setting on my microwave, so I just use that. I halved the recipe last time, so it was 6 or 7 minutes for 2 potatoes and I'm not sure how long 4 would take. Just make sure that the potatoes are slightly softened and tender.

2. While potatoes are cooking, sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes in oven.

3. Set potatoes and chicken aside to cool when done. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Combine remaining salt and pepper, butter or margarine, sour cream, cheese, broccoli, and garlic.

4. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop out pulp with a spoon or melon baller, leaving the shell intact. Mash pulp with additional milk and butter to taste (to sort of make mashed potatoes). Cut chicken into small cubes. Combine potatoes and chicken with the remaining filling.

5. Scoop filling into potato shells. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Optional changes

• You can cut the chicken and cook it in a skillet with a small amount of oil instead of cooking it in oven.
• You can also bake the potatoes in the oven instead of using the microwave. To do this, clean and prick the potatoes, then rub with vegetable oil. Bake the potatoes at 400 degrees for about 1 hour.
• You can put half the cheese in the filling and save the other half to sprinkle on top before placing the potatoes in the oven.

Stuffing Casserole

I found this recipe online last week and I wanted to share it with you because it's a great way to use your leftover Thanksgiving turkey! This casserole is very easy and quick, making it a good choice for busy weeknights.

Stuffing Casserole (Print)
from Taste of Home online
Prep: 20 minutes / Bake: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

1 box (6 ounces) chicken flavored stuffing mix
1 cup turkey or chicken, shredded or cubed, cooked or raw
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
1 (10-3/4 ounce) can 98% fat-free condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 (8 ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the stuffing mix according to package directions and set aside. Meanwhile, if you are using raw poultry, cut it up and cook it on medium heat, with a small amount of oil, in a skillet.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the meat, vegetables, soup, water chestnuts and 2 tablespoons of water.

3. Transfer to an ungreased 2-quart or 8x8-inch baking dish. Top with the stuffing . Bake for 25-30 minutes or until heated through.

My Review

• Preparation: 4
• This casserole was very easy to put together; I started with raw chicken and it would be even faster if your meat was already cooked. It takes about 50 minutes start to finish.
• Taste: 4
• This recipe was very good. The stuffing gives it a nice flavor and made me feel like I was already enjoying my Thanksgiving meal. I will probably make it again sometime.
• Cost: 5
• I don't think the ingredients for this cost more than $5.00, and it gives you 6 servings! It's a great way to use leftovers too.
• Clean-up: 4
• I had a pan for the stuffing, a skillet for the chicken, the mixing bowl, and the baking dish.
• Changes
• You could probably use some of your leftover Thanksgiving stuffing too if you have it!
• As mentioned above, you can use chicken or turkey, leftovers or raw.
• I wrote 98% fat free cream of chicken soup because that's what the can said, but it's probably equivalent to a light cream of chicken soup. I have also used the Campbell's Healthy Request soup too, but if my memory serves right, the 98% fat free had less sodium and fat than the healthy request.

Herbed Breaded Chicken

This herbed chicken is like those shake 'n bake packets but sooo much better! Herby and bready and yummy! Serve it with some roasted potatoes and it's irrestible. My pictures aren't the greatest because the lighting wasn't good, but the chicken is so delicious I had to share.



Oh yes, see all that starch?? Embrace it!


Herbed Breaded Chicken
source unknown

1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
4 (4 oz) boneless chicken breasts
1 cup bread crumbs
3 T fresh parsley, chopped
2 T parmesan cheese, grated
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 T butter, melted

Combine first 4 ingredients. Mix well and add chicken. Turn chicken to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.

Combine remaining ingredients and mix well. Dredge chicken in bread crumb mixture, pat crumbs to adhere. Place on prepared baking sheet. Discard marinade. Bake about 35 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

Crumb mixture, with my homemade bread crumbs again

Yield: 4 servings

Nutrition Facts: 300 calories, 20 g carbohydrates, 32 g protein, 546 mg sodium, 7 g fat, 85 mg cholesterol

My Review

• Preparation: 4
• This recipe takes about 1 hour start to finish.
• Taste: 5
• This is really delicious! I love the herbs and the chicken is very moist.
• Cost: 5
• This is definitely a cost-efficient meal. We even got the chicken on sale for $1.77/pound!
• Clean-up: 5
• The clean-up is super easy on this one too. One pan to wash, and it was covered with foil... so you could be sneaky like me and not even wash it... don't tell!
• Changes
• I used dried parsley instead of fresh. 3 T fresh = 3 tsp dried.
• I used my Smart Balance spread instead of real butter, works the same and it's a bit healthier.
• Feel free to experiment with the herbs you have in your pantry!
• Summary
• I've said it several times and I suppose I'll say it again...this is delicious! It's really easy to make and it is guaranteed to be delightful. It has good presentation too, (except in my dark picture) so it's great for company. Serve it with some roasted potatoes and you are in for a treat!

Pot Pie Perfection

For a little over a month, my husband and I didn't have jobs, so things were a little tight. One day I was hunting through my kitchen to find something to make for dinner. After doing some searching and deciding that cereal wasn't gonna cut it, I had 2 chicken breasts, some frozen mixed vegetables, and bisquick in my hands, ready to make something like a pot pie.

So I began searching through my recipe books for inspiration. I found one recipe that required boiling onions, celery, carrots and other vegetables with the chicken to make a broth. I had some garlic and baby carrots, so that would have to do. Then I ran into a problem, all the recipes I had (I ended looking at about 4 different chicken pot pie recipes while I made mine) said to use a whole chicken to make the broth, then take out the bones and all that. I only had chicken breasts. So I did some internet searching and decided I could still make the broth with the chicken breasts.

I set about making my broth. Simmer water, chicken, carrots, garlic, half a buillon cube, pepper and some rosemary for an hour and voila! Broth! After about 20 minutes, I took the chicken out and cut it into pieces so that it wouldn't get too dry. This was my mom's advice. I called her to ask about making the broth and she said that she always cuts up her chicken because it absorbs more moisure that way.

When the broth was done, I added the frozen vegetables and mixed in flour and water to thicken it. One of my recipe books called for sour cream, so I threw in a dollop of that for added creaminess. Here is a picture of the filling:


Now for the topping. 3 of my recipe books called for a pie crust topping. That would be easy, except I didn't have any shortening or butter to make the crust, so scratch that. And here's where the bisquick came in. With the inspiration of my husband, I decided to make the roll-out biscuits on the box and use those as the topping. We were having fun and decided to cut the biscuits with a flower cookie cutter, here's how that turned out:


Not quite as pretty as we imagined lol but it worked. Then we had some leftover dough, so we made some pumpkin-shaped biscuits to go with our theme:


I only had to bake the pot pie for about 8 minutes and it was golden brown and ready to eat! And I am happy to say that it was delicious! Here is the finished product:


We made the pot pie another time and decided to do a lattice top with the bisquick, it turned out pretty nice:


The second time I made the chicken broth I cut up the chicken before putting it in the water. I was quite surprised when I opened up the lid and found that there was hardly any liquid left! I guess my mom was right, when you cut the chicken, it absorbs more moisture. The difference was that the first time I cut it up about 20 minutes into the simmering process, instead of right away. Needless to say, I added some water and a buillon cube to save my pot pie and it turned out just fine!

I have to say that it was pretty fun to mix several recipes together to accomodate the ingredients that I had. I made my first broth/stock and boy did it smell delicious!