[Freezer meal] Chicken Potpies

This chicken potpie recipe is from a Taste of Home cookbook my mom gave me. I've made it several times and have adapted things here and there to liven up the flavor a bit. It is meant to make more than one dish so that you can freeze the extra to pull out and bake at a later date. It is filling, homey food that I've given to new mothers and sick friends to either keep in their freezer or bake fresh for dinner.

 Chicken Potpies

 adapted from Taste of Home Freezer Pleasers Cookbook

4 cups cooked, shredded chicken

1 pkg. (32 oz.) frozen Southern-style hash brown potatoes, thawed

1 pkg. (16 oz.) frozen mixed vegetables, thawed and drained

1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1 can condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted

1 cup milk

1 cup sour cream

1/2 diced onion, sauteed

2 Tbl. flour
1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. garlic salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1 cup medium or sharp shredded cheddar cheese

1 pkg. (15 oz.) refrigerated pie pastry, brought to room temp.

1 Tbl. oil, more if needed

In a frying pan, sautee diced onion in 1 Tbl. oil over medium heat until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove onions and set aside, leaving remaining oil in the pan (add more if needed for the chicken). Season chicken with salt and pepper and pan fry until fully cooked; shred and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the chicken, potatoes, vegetables, soups, milk, sour cream, sauteed onion, flour and seasonings. Fold in shredded cheese and stir until well combined. Divide between two 9-inch deep-dish pie plates.* Roll out pastry to fit the top of each pie. Cut slits in pastry. Place over filling; trim, seal and flute edges.

Cover and freeze one potpie for up to 3 months. Place the second potpie on a cookie sheet** and bake at 400° F for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.

To use frozen potpie: Remove from the freezer 30 minutes before baking. Cover edges loosely with foil; place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 425° F for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° F; remove foil and bake 50-55 minutes longer or until golden brown. Serves 6.

*I don't have deep-dish pie plates, so this actually fills up three normal sized pie plates instead of two. You'll need an extra pie crust if that's what you plan on doing. Or you can bake in a larger casserole dish.

**When I made these a couple of days ago, I forgot to place the potpie on a cookie sheet before baking, and it bubbled over and my house still smells like the smoke that resulted. So use the cookie sheet!