A Different Chicken Pot Pie (for The Freezer)

Total Time: 1 hr 6 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 51 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts or 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups button mushrooms, quartered
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 yukon gold potatoes
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup cream cheese (light)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Recipe

• 1 topping: peel potatoes and cut into 1/2 inch chunks.
• 2 in a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cover and cook potatoes until tender, 15 minutes; drain and return to pot.
• 3 add milk, cheese, butter, salt and pepper; mash until smooth, set aside.
• 4 meanwhile, cut chicken into 1/2 inch chunks.
• 5 in a separate large saucepan, bring stock to boil.
• 6 add chicken, mushrooms, onion, carrots, garlic, bay leaves, salt, pepper and nutmeg; reduce heat, cover and simmer until chicken is no longer pink inside, about 6 minutes.
• 7 stir in peas, mustard and lemon juice.
• 8 in a small bowl, whisk flour with 1/3 cup cold water; whisk into stock mixture and bring to boil.
• 9 reduce heat and cook, stirring often, until thick enough to coat back of spoon, about 5 minutes.
• 10 combine chicken/veggie mixture with stock mixture.
• 11 make ahead meal: ladle into four 2 cup ovenproof or foil dishes.
• 12 spoon or pipe potato mixture over top.
• 13 let cool for 30 minutes.
• 14 refrigerate until cold.
• 15 cover with foil and overwrap with heavy duty foil; freeze for up to 1 month.
• 16 thaw in refrigerator; remove heavy duty foil.
• 17 bake on rimmed baking sheet in 400f degree oven or toaster oven until knife inserted in centre for 5 seconds feels hot when touched, 25 minutes.
• 18 uncover and broil until golden, about 3 minutes.
• 19 or for dinner tonight: scrape chicken mixture into 10 cup casserole dish, spoon or pipe potato mixture over top.
• 20 cover and bake in 400f degree oven until hot, 20 minutes.
• 21 uncover and broil until golden, 3 minutes.