I Tried Reese Witherspoon’s Chicken Pot Pie Casserole

I don’t know about you, but I have always been pro-Reese Witherspoon. She’s beautiful and talented—and her personality shines through and seems to be completely genuine. When I learned about her book Whiskey in a Teacup, I downloaded it right away on Audible. With Reese doing the voiceover herself, it felt like having a dear old friend in the car, sharing good advice and hilarious anecdotes. The book rang true with me because it brought back memories of my Mississippi childhood and reminded me of my family’s Southern traditions.

I wanted to dive right in and get cooking. No surprise, I was drawn to her comfort food recipes. I like chicken pot pies, but I’m not a fan of all the unnatural ingredients in store-bought versions. Reese’s five-step recipe only uses 12 ingredients, all of which I can pronounce.

Reese’s Chicken Pot Pie Casserole

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 2 cups frozen shredded hash browns
• 2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided*
• 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1 cup carrots, diced
• 1 cup celery, diced
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup cooked chicken, diced
• 1 (10.75 oz) can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry

* Note: The filling is super peppery. If you aren’t a huge fan of pepper front and center, I recommend reducing the amount of pepper in the filling or halving the pepper across the board in the recipe. For example, only 1/2 teaspoon each in the crust and the filling.

Step 1: Make the Crispy Hash Brown Crust

I mixed the eggs with half of the salt and pepper, then blended the hash browns into the mixture, carefully coating them in egg. I pressed the hash brown “crust” into a well-buttered 9-inch square casserole dish and baked at 400º F for 15 minutes.

(Use the rest of your frozen hash browns to make breakfast.)

Step 2: Create a Delicious Pot Pie Filling

While the crust cooked away, I sauteed the fresh vegetables in an olive oiled skillet over medium-high heat. Then, I took the mixture off the stovetop and stirred in the frozen peas. At this point it looked just like the inside of a chicken pot pie—I was super excited to eat this thing!

I then emptied the skillet into a large bowl and added the chicken, cream of mushroom soup and remaining salt and pepper. Here, Reese shared a good trick: Pour about 1/4 cup of water into the can, swirl around to remove any remaining soup and add to the bowl. I mixed the ingredients well and poured everything over the cooked hash browns.

Step 3: Top It with a Fluffy Pastry

Finally, I placed the sheet of puff pastry over the top of the dish. It took about 35 minutes of baking, but the puff pastry turned golden brown and the inside of the pot pie was bubbling deliciousness. (I recommend putting a cookie sheet on the bottom rack to catch any of the tasty goodness that might escape during cooking. It will prevent you having to clean the oven later. You’re welcome!)

Here’s What I Thought

What can I say? It’s a cozy dish to warm your insides and your heart. As a result, this recipe will become a staple in my home. It is so easy and wholesome, I really cannot speak highly enough about this comfort food superstar. I feel proud serving this to my family, as I know where every ingredient is from and don’t have to worry about extra, unneeded fillers, flavors or mass amounts of preservatives.

So, what are you waiting for? Go get Reese Witherspoon’s book Whiskey in a Teacup, make her delicious chicken pot pie to start, and then keep working your way through the book!

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The post I Tried Reese Witherspoon’s Chicken Pot Pie Casserole appeared first on Taste of Home.

Jennifer Schwarzkopf