Pot Pie Soup

It's 21 degrees here in the frigid wasteland that is New Jersey. Perfect weather for this new recipe I found on the Food Network website. I wish I had been able to post pictures, like with other recipes I've posted, but we are having some technical difficulties, lol.

Usually, when I follow someone else's recipe, I have tons of "hmmmmmm" moments, when I realize that there are changes I can make or things that I will try the next time I make it. There wasn't a lot I'd change in this one. Any comments I've added will be in parenthesis.

Chicken Pot Pie Soup
(Aaron "Big Daddy" McCargo Jr.)

Ingredients
4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced.
2 quarts water
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 Tbsp chicken bouillon flavoring
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 small white onion, diced (1/4 cup)
2 stalks celery, diced (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 pounds frozen mixed vegetables
1 cup heavy cream
Pinch sea salt
1 store bought pie crust, cooked to package directions, cooled, and broke into pieces

Add diced potatoes to a large bowl filled with cold water, set aside. (This will make them quick to add later, but keep them from turning brown.)

Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add chicken, reduce heat to a simmer and allow to poach, about 8-10 minutes (don't worry if the chicken is a mite undercooked, it will get plenty of cooking time.) Remove the chicken to a plate to cool. When cooled, dice. Continue to simmer the broth, adding the bouillion cube until reduced by half, about 10 more minutes. (Bouillion is very high in salt. Next time I make this, I will probably skip this and just poach the chicken in some of our jarred chicken stock and be done with it).
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. (I know it seems like a lot of oil, but it really needs it. Details to come.) Add the onions and celery, cooking until translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in the flour and whisk until it forms a roux. (Here is where the amount of oil comes in - you want to be able to make a "roux", and you need the liquid. A roux is just a slightly thick paste that will be used to thicken a liquid later. Make sure to whisk it well, and get all the flour incorporated.) Add the Italian seasoning and pepper, cook for 3 more minutes. (Make sure to give it the full 3 minutes, though you may want to lower your heat a bit here. Cooking the roux will keep the soup from tasting floury later.)

Whisk the roux into the broth and bring back to a boil. Drain the potatoes. Add the potatoes and chicken to the broth over low heat. Stir in frozen vegetables (I used a 1 pound bag, and it was plenty.) Place a lid on top and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. (On low heat, my potatoes were not done in 15 minutes. Next time I'll put the heat up to medium.)

Stir in cream and a pinch of sea salt and cook for 5 more minutes.

Ladle soup into bowls and top with pie crust pieces.

This tastes just like chicken pot pie. Delish! Perfect for a cold winter dinner! And of course it could be converted to a beef recipe or just a veggie dish, by changing the bouillion/broth and changing or deleting the meat.