Alright, so today I felt like making something comforting, you know? The weather’s been a bit blah, and I just wanted a good old chicken pot pie. Not the fancy kind, mind you. I’m talking about the quick and easy version using Campbell’s soup. Some folks might turn their nose up, but hey, it works, and it’s saved me on many a busy evening.
Getting Things Ready
First off, I grabbed my trusty pie dish. Then, the crust. I always go for the refrigerated pie crusts – the ones you just unroll. Life’s too short to be making pie crust from scratch on a whim, at least for me. So, I unrolled one of those bad boys and pressed it into the dish. Done with that part.
Next up, the chicken. I usually have some cooked chicken breast in the fridge, leftover from something else. If not, I just quickly boil or pan-fry a couple of pieces. Today, I had some leftovers, so I just shredded that up. Easy peasy.
For the veggies, I’m a big fan of frozen mixed vegetables. A bag of those – peas, carrots, corn, green beans – straight into a bowl. No chopping, no fuss. That’s my kind of cooking when I want something simple.
Mixing Up The Good Stuff
Now for the star of the show, the shortcut king: a can of Campbell’s Cream of Chicken soup. I just plopped that right into the bowl with the veggies. Then I added the shredded chicken. Gave it all a good stir. Sometimes, if it looks a bit too thick, I might add a splash of milk or even a bit of water, but today it looked just right.
I usually taste it here. Most times, the soup has enough salt and seasoning, but I almost always add a good few grinds of black pepper. I like a bit of a peppery kick. But that’s it. No need for a spice rack full of stuff for this one.
Putting It All Together and Baking
Once the filling was mixed, I poured it into the pie crust that was waiting in the dish. Spread it out a bit. Then, I took the second pie crust and laid it over the top. I tried to crimp the edges with a fork, you know, to seal it and make it look somewhat homemade. It doesn’t always look perfect, but it tastes the same!
Oh, and don’t forget to cut a few slits in the top crust. This is important so the steam can get out while it’s baking. Don’t want a pie explosion, though it would make for a story, I guess.
Then, into the oven it went. I usually preheat my oven to around 375°F (that’s about 190°C). I let it bake for a good 30 to 40 minutes. You’re looking for that crust to get all golden brown and for the filling to be bubbling up through the slits. The whole kitchen starts smelling amazing around this point.
The Best Part
Once it looked done, I carefully pulled it out of the oven. Now, this is crucial: you gotta let it sit for a bit, maybe 5 or 10 minutes. That filling is like molten lava, and I’ve burned my mouth enough times to learn that lesson. It’s hard to wait when it smells so good, but trust me on this.
And then? Sliced it up and served it. It’s hearty, it’s warm, and it just hits the spot. It’s not gourmet cooking, and I’m not pretending it is. But for a super easy, satisfying meal that everyone in my house actually eats without complaining, this chicken pot pie with Campbell’s soup is a winner. It’s one of those practical things I actually make, again and again.
