Do you have leftover vegetables, meat, or bones from your meals this holiday season? Put them to use in the satisfying and savory chicken pot pie recipe below. Here in the U.S., we produce about 25% more waste from November through January than during any other time of year. It is everyone’s job to come up with creative ways to reduce this number and protect our water. Let’s start in the kitchen!
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Leftover meat (turkey, chicken, beef, pork or ham) – about 1 lb.
- Leftover vegetables (corn, onions, peas, carrots, celery, green beans, etc.) – about 2 ½ cups of mixed vegetables
- Butter – 1/3 cup
- Flour – 1/3 cup
- Seasonings – ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, ¼ tsp celery seed
- Broth or Stock (chicken or beef) – 1 ¾ cups of broth/stock
- Tip: Make stock using leftover bones!
- Milk – 2/3 cup
- Pie Crust (homemade or store-bought) – 2 9-in. unbaked pie crusts
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 425°
- Cube your leftover cooked meat and vegetables then set aside.
- Heat up your butter in a pot. Stir in your flour and seasonings. Add chicken broth and milk and simmer until the filling is thick.
- Place the meat and vegetable mixture into your unbaked pie crust. Pour the broth/stock mixture over it. Cover with the top crust, seal the edges, and cut small slits into the top to allow steam to escape.
- Once the oven is preheated, bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and the filling starts bubbling.
- Allow the pie to cool completely before storing. Wrap the cooled pie tightly in aluminum foil and refrigerate for three to five days or place it in the freezer to last a few weeks. Reheat in the oven or in short bursts in the microwave.
We hope that you enjoy this comforting, resourceful meal. Remember that anytime that you reduce the amount of waste and trash going to landfills, you prevent the chance that it will end up in our storm drains and waterways. Let’s think about ways that we can protect our water all year round!
Sources:
Stanford University – Holiday Waste FAQs