LEFTOVER MASHED POTATO FRIED CHICKEN POT PIES

If I am aiming to make my fiance happy, I always know I need to include a little fried chicken in the equation. Yesterday, I was pressed for time, had a dinner date with a group of my girlfriends, and didn’t want to leave the house without feeding my boys. When I say my boys … I mean my old man and my 4-year-old. I thought, “What can I make that will please both their palates AND make them feel special before running out of the house?” I looked in the fridge and saw a plate of leftover fried chicken sitting there next to a small bowl of leftover mashed potatoes from two nights before. I was tempted to have them reheat that and rush out to meet my friends, but then I realized it wouldn’t take me that long to quickly repurpose those leftovers into fabulous pot pies! I quickly whipped up eight of them and the boys were happy. Enjoy!

Mashed Potato Fried Chicken Pot Pies

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups leftover mashed potatoes (cold)
2. 3 cups fried chicken (cut into little pieces – skin included, discard bones), about 6 to 7 pieces
3. 1 small can of corn (drained)
4. 4 tablespoons butter + a little extra to grease the ramekins
5. 1 onion (diced)
6. 3 cups mushrooms (chopped small)
7. 1 tablespoon minced garlic
8. 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
9. 1/2 teaspoon Lawry’s seasoning salt
10. 4 cups chicken broth
11. 2 tablespoons corn starch
12. 2 tablespoons cold water
13. 1 box of pie crust (2 crusts per box – I used Pillsbury)
14. 1 egg
15. 1 tablespoon water

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit.
• Place 8 ramekins on a cookie sheet. Grease each ramekin with a small dab of butter.
• Equally divide the mashed potatoes among the 8 ramekins.
• With the back of a spoon smooth out the potatoes to line the bottom of each ramekin.
• Equally divide the cut fried chicken among the 8 ramekins.
• Equally divide the corn among the 8 ramekins. Set to the side
• Make the gravy: In a medium pot over a medium flame melt the butter.
• Once butter is melted add in onion and saute for about 5 minutes.
• Add in mushrooms. Mix in to combine. Allow to saute with onions for an additional 5 minutes. Mixing every so often.
• Add in garlic, basil and Lawry’s. Mix to combine and continue to cook for another 3 minutes.
• Add in chicken broth and bring to a boil.
• In a small bowl mix corn starch and 2 tablespoons of cold water together. Mix until corn starch dissolves.
• Pour corn starch mixture into boiling chicken broth/mushroom mixture. Mix to combine. Remove from flame and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
• Unroll both pie crusts and cut into 4 parts each, for a total of 8 parts. With a fork, poke holes on the tops of each crust piece.
• Pour 2/3 cup of gravy into each ramekin, then top each ramekin with a crust piece. Pinch them at the edge to create a closure on each ramekin.
• In a small bowl whip egg and 1 tablespoon water together to make an egg wash. Then brush the tops of each pie with egg wash.
• Place in the oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
• Let cool for 5 minutes before eating.
• Enjoy!