Freeze-Dried or Frozen Chicken Pot Pie

Step 1

Add flour, cold butter, sugar, and salt to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles crumbles the size of a pea.

Step 2

Turn food processor on and drizzle in ice-cold water until the dough mixture just starts to hold together and looks wet all the way to the bottom (the amount of water will vary based on your flour and room conditions). I used just under a cup of cold water.

Step 3

Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface and give it a quick knead until a solid ball of dough is formed.

Step 4

Divide dough into four equal portions and chill for 20 minutes.

Step 5

When ready to bake, roll the dough out to about 1/4 inch and, using the ring of a mason jar (or biscuit cutter), cut out small circles of pie crust.

Step 6

Place them onto a cookie sheet lined with a Silpat mat and bake at 375° F for about 5 minutes (or until barely golden brown).

Step 7

Melt two tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Step 8

Add the chicken. Once the chicken is nearly finished cooking through, add the diced veggies and continue to cook.

Step 9

Once the vegetables begin to soften, add the remaining butter until melted.

Step 10

Sprinkle flour over the surface of your chicken and veggie mixture and stir until evenly distributed and the raw flour taste has cooked out (about 3-5 minutes).

Step 11

Once the flour has turned a nice golden brown, add the broth and cream and continue stirring.

Step 12

Add frozen peas, salt and pepper (to taste) and continue stirring while the liquid thickens.

Step 13

Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

Step 14

Divide the filling between four shallow pie pans.

Step 15

Roll out pie dough into four pie crusts and cover each pie pan with the crust.

Step 16

Make three small slits in the pie crust to allow for venting and bake at 375° F until the pie crust has cooked through (about 25 minutes).

Step 17

Fill up six wide-mouth pint-sized mason jars with chicken pot pie filling (leaving about two inches of head-space to allow for expansion), add a two-part canning lid, and place into the freezer until frozen.

Step 18

Once the mini pie crusts have baked and cooled, freeze them in a large ziptop freezer bag or freezer-proof container. Once the chicken pot pie filling is completely frozen, open each jar and top with a frozen baked pie crust right in the jar.

Step 19

To reheat in the oven: Defrost overnight in the refrigerator, remove the lid then place the jar into a preheated 350° F oven and bake until completely heated through and starting to brown on the top (about 25 minutes).

Step 20

To reheat in the microwave: Defrost overnight, remove the lid and heat in the microwave on high for a few minutes until heated through.

Step 21

Fill the dehydrator trays with chicken pot pie filling.

Step 22

Bake the mini pie crusts and place onto a separate freeze-dryer tray.

Step 23

Freeze dry filling and pie crusts completely.

Step 24

Once completely freeze-dried, crumble the pot pie filling and fill up approximately 12 pint-sized wide-mouth mason jars (I only filled six jars since I also froze six jars).

Step 25

Crumble one pie crust into each jar, add an oxygen absorber to each jar, then add a two-part canning lid.

Step 26

To eat: Boil approximately 1 cup water and slowly add to the jar. Add the lid and shake gently. Allow it to absorb the water for a few minutes, then enjoy!