You know how the only way to get a song out of your head is to listen to it? Turkey after Thanksgiving is kind of like that, too. You can’t wait to have buttery mashed potatoes and drown your plate in gravy for the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving but immediately after — the actual days when all of this is packed in your fridge — you don’t want to look at it. But you have to. You have to eat it all. We remix our leftovers to be craveable again by making pot pies. You can eat them right after Thanksgiving or freeze them to be baked off and enjoyed later when you’re comfortable looking at leftovers again.
This specific mix of ingredients stemmed from Diana’s Thanksgiving last year, but using chicken (or even a little roasted turkey from Whole Foods) any time of the year is just as satisfying. She had her sister, Venessa, whip these up from a handwritten recipe I texted to them and they cruised through all the Thanksgiving leftovers with smiles on their faces. We hope you enjoy these little guys as much as we do!
Happy Thanksgiving!
xx
ab + DZ
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 ½ pounds cubed or shredded chicken or turkey -- no skin!
- 2 medium carrots, ¼ inch dice, about 1 cup
- 1 onion, ¼ inch dice, about 1 cup
- 2 celery stalks, ¼ inch dice, about ½ cup
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 cups liquid -- we did a mix of chicken stock and cider
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup peas
- 1 tablespoon rosemary, minced
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
- 2 pie crusts -- can be store bought, our recipe, your favorite biscuit dough, WHATEVER, but it needs to be enough to cover 2, 9” pies
- In a large skillet or cast iron pan, heat 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Saute carrots, celery and onion until tender and just starting to brown, about 7 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 3 seconds. Remove vegetables from pan and aside in a large bowl. Melt remaining butter. Whisk in flour and cook until the flour appears to foam and just begins to brown. Whisk in milk and stir until mixture begins to thicken. Add liquid and Worcestershire and continue to cook until mixture coats the back of a spoon. Stir in reserved vegetables, meat, peas and parsley. Season as needed. Cool slightly.
- Distribute mixture to individual pie pans or ramekins -- about 8 to 10 ounces in size. Top with dough and pinch around the edges to secure any liquid that will bubble as they cook and cut a few vents in the top of the crust. Either freeze on a sheet tray for later use, or bake at 400°F until the crust is browned and the mixture bubbles, about 20 to 25 minutes. If baking from frozen, reduce heat to 325°F, bake until browned. Turn the heat off and allow the pies to rest in the warm oven for another 10 to 15 minutes to ensure they are thawed and hot.
- This recipe is merely a guideline -- we make pot pies with ALL our leftovers, cut up, and they're delicious. Be mindful of strong flavors, like Brussels sprouts, overwhelming the mixture. You can also top these with mashed potatoes for a Shepard's Pie-style eating experience. YUM!
