Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients
1 (3 1/2-pound) broiler fryer
2 quarts water
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 stalk celery, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 medium onion, quartered
1 bay leaf
1 (16-ounce) package frozen mixed vegetables
2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
2 hard-cooked eggs, sliced
1 (9-inch) refrigerated piecrust

Directions
Combine first 7 ingredients in a large Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken, reserving broth in Dutch oven; discard vegetables and bay leaf. Let chicken cool; remove the skin, bone, and cut into bite-size pieces.

With a large spoon, skim fat (oily liquid) from surface of broth reserved in Dutch oven; bring broth to a boil. Add frozen vegetables and potatoes; return to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 8 minutes or until tender. Remove vegetables from broth, and set aside. Measure 3 cups broth; set aside. Reserve remaining broth for other uses.

Melt butter in Dutch oven over low heat; add flour, stirring until smooth. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add 3 cups broth and milk; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Stir in 11/2 teaspoons salt, 11/4 teaspoons pepper, and thyme. Add vegetables, chicken, and hard-cooked eggs; stir gently. Spoon into a lightly greased 13- x 9- x 2-inch baking dish; set aside.

Roll out piecrust on a lightly floured surface into a 15- x 11-inch rectangle (piecrust will be very thin). Place over chicken mixture; crimp edges, pressing against sides of baking dish. Cut slits in top for steam to escape; bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until golden brown.