Easy Winter Warm Up

Easy Chicken Pot Pie
From Pillsbury Magazine, "Casseroles & Slow Cooker Meals," date unknown
4 Servings

Crust
1 (15 oz.) pkg. refrigerated pie crusts

Filling
2 cups diced cooked chicken
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
1/4 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1 (12 oz.) jar roasted chicken gravy

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Soften pie crust as directed on package. Remove 1 crust from pouch; unfold crust. Place crust in bottom and up sides of 1-quart casserole.
2. In medium saucepan, combine all filling ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Pour into crust-lined casserole.
3. Remove second crust from pouch; unfold crust. With small cookie cutter or sharp knife, cut holes in crust. Top casserole with crust; seal edges with fork or flute, trimming edges if necessary.
4. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until filling is bubbly and crust is golden brown. If necessary, cover edge of crust with strips of foil after 15 to 20 minutes of baking to prevent excessive browning.

Story behind this recipe: I made this last week using leftovers from a roast chicken. While I didn't have store-bought gravy, I improvised, making a gravy from my Better Homes & Gardens general cookbook using chicken broth and butter. I also only had one crust, so I skipped lining the casserole with it and placed the crust on top. Even with the substitutions, it turned out pretty tasty. The cook's notes in the original recipe also suggest using turkey and turkey gravy or beef and beef gravy. Also use small cookie cutters to create holes in the top crust and arranging cutouts on top before baking. ~Karen