(Makes two 9-10” pies)

Ingredients:

- 1 bunch small-medium carrots with tops on (they’re sweeter)

- 1 whole head of celery (bonus if the ribs have some leaves—rinse & chop them up for the fresh herb mixture!)

- 1 small yellow onion

- 1 medium-large red potato

- 5 cloves garlic

- 1 package fresh poultry blend herbs (sage, rosemary, & thyme)

- 1 quart (4 cups) chicken broth

- 1 lb bag organic frozen peas

- 1/2 cup to 1 cup whipping cream or whole milk (depending on taste & how creamy you want)

- 2/3 cup flour

- 1 tbsp butter or vegan butter (I use Earth Balance)

- 1 tbsp Better Than Bullion roasted chicken base

- 1 package pre-made refrigerated pie crusts (Or your favorite crust recipe)

- 1 egg + tablespoon of water (for egg wash)

- Olive oil

- Salt and Pepper

Step 1: Prep your ingredients.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray oil or grease two pie dishes. Open up pie crusts  and bring to room temp, either on the counter for 30 minutes, or on top of the preheating oven for 15-20 minutes.

Chop carrots, celery, onion, and potato into 1/4” dice. All can go in the same bowl, as they go into the pan at the same time. Mince garlic cloves. Pick herb leaves (sage, rosemary, thyme and celery leaves if you’ve got them) from stems and chop very fine—all herbs can go into a small bowl together. Gently defrost the peas in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between, being careful not to cook them—you just want to get them unfrozen. Measure out your flour, cream, and broth. Beat the egg with the water and set aside.

Step 2: Cook the filling.

Heat a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When oil is shimmering, add the carrots, celery, onion, and potato and stir well to coat the veggies. Cook for 5 minutes, then add garlic and stir well. Turn heat down slightly and cover veggies. Cook for 10-13 minutes covered, stirring occasionally. Uncover and check for tenderness—the veggies should be fairly tender when bitten into, but not mushy. When veggies are tender, add fresh herbs,  shredded chicken, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Cook another 2 minutes, stirring, then push veggies to the side to reveal the bottom of the pan. Add vegan butter and melt. Add flour and stir to combine with butter, then stir everything together, coating the veggies, and cook another 2 minutes. Add chicken broth, thawed peas, and Better Than Bullion, stirring to dissolve and turn heat up slightly to bring to a simmering boil. Stir constantly to avoid sticking. Turn heat down to medium-low and simmer, stirring fairly frequently to allow flavors to come together for about 7-10 minutes. Add cream and remove from heat, stirring to combine. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper as needed. 

Step 3: Assemble the pies.

Pour half of the filling into each prepared pie dish. Unroll your pie crusts on a clean, dry surface and carefully cover each pie dish, gathering the crust at the rim and pressing with a fork to seal the edges. Make slits in the top of the crusts to allow steam to vent. Brush egg wash over each pie crust. 

Step 4: Bake the pies.

Put both pies in the middle rack of the oven and line the rack below with aluminum foil to catch any liquid that bubbles over the edges of the pies (this will avoid smoke and burning on the bottom of the oven). Cook for 25 minutes and check crust edges. If edges are getting too dark, cover with tin foil or pie crust shields. Cook another 20-35 minutes or until inside is bubbly and crust is golden brown, keeping an eye on the edges to avoid burning. Let pies rest for 10 minutes before serving.