Best Chicken Pot Pie

I'm a big fan of all-in-one meals.

As a full time medical student, I am always studying. Whether that is the whole truth or not, we must admit there are never enough hours every day so anytime saved in the kitchen means an extra hour or two of Food Network studying. 

Not only does a hearty Chicken Pot Pie have the starch, the protein, vegetables, dairy we need everyday,  it is also one of those satisfying meals that gives you a warm fuzzy feeling inside. The bite of crunchy flaky buttery crust over a mouthful of creaminess,  I just couldn't stop going for seconds. 

Can you?

 Recipe
-adapted from various sources on allrecipes

2 pieces of chicken breasts or thighs (if you're a dark meat lover like me), cut into chunks
1 can of pea and carrots
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1/2 cup of chicken broth
Garlic
Salt and pepper
Italian seasoning 1 tbsp
1 cup of milk
1/2 cup of all purpose flour
1 sheet of frozen puff pustry sheet (Pepperidge), defrost at room temperature
1 frozen deep dish pie crust (Pillsbury)
egg+ 2 tbsp of water

Preheat oven to 400F.
1. Fry onions and garlic over medium-high heat olive oil in the pan.
2. Add chicken.
3. Season with salt, pepper and italian seasoning.
4. When the chicken is almost cooked, add peas, carrots and chicken broth.
5.  Combine milk and flour in a bowl and add to chicken mixture.
6. Adjust taste accordingly with salt and pepper.
7. Place the mixture in the pie crust and overlay the puff pastry over the pie.
8. Cut off excess from edges and crimp with a fork.
9. Brush egg mixture over the top and bake for 25-30 min, until golden brown.

Baked Pork Chops with Fried Rice (焗豬扒飯）

Finally done with the Respiratory module before Xmas and it's FREEDOM!!!! I am now almost halfway done with med school!! I was all ready to spend Christmas back in Singapore with my parents until the blizzard hit yesterday. Of course, being in the South did not bode well for traveling since nobody can deal with the snow and ice. All flights are canceled and I won't be able to fly out till Tuesday =(

 

Meanwhile, if you're looking for a cozy meal in this chilly weather, try this delicious Baked Pork Chops over Fried Rice recipe from Hong Kong. It was one of my favorite meals to order as a child at any HK Cafes ( 茶餐厅）and since there are no good Chinese food in the area, my kitchen has become my #1 Chinese Restaurant in Richmond. :) My favorite part of this dish is the melted mozzarella spread over finely baked loin chops and tomato sauce.

Ingredients: 
4 pieces of pork loin/pork chops (flattened with the back of your knife, makes it softer)
1/2 yellow onion
1 bell pepper
1 tomato, sliced coarsely
6-7 fresh mushrooms (sliced)
2 cups of rice (leftover rice even better)
2 eggs, beaten
2 garlic cloves, diced
mozzarella cheese + any cheese you like ( I used some colby and monterey cheese as well)

Marinade for Pork Chops:
3 tbsp of light soy sauce
2 tbsp of shaoxing wine (chinese cooking wine)
1 tbsp of sugar
1 tbsp corn starch
1 tsp salt
dash of white pepper
dash of sesame oil

Seasoning/sauce:
5 tbsp tomato paste ( you can also use tomato sauce
3/4 C of chicken stock
salt and sugar to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Rinse and wipe dry pork chops. Use the back of a chopper to tenderize them. Mix well with marinade and leave for 30 minutes. Put pork chops in a frying pan over high heat until both sides are brown. Set aside.
3. Add oil in frying pan,  toss in white rice, stir well. Sprinkle salt and pepper and a dash of soy sauce. Cook for about 3 minutes, then make a hole in the middle and pour in the beaten eggs. When the eggs are almost cooked, stir the rice and eggs around. It's like making scrambled eggs in rice! Arrange on an oven proof ceramic plate.
   
4. Add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil to sauté onion & minced garlic. Toss in mushrooms and leave them to cook until dry. Add green peppers, tomatoes, add a dash of cooking wine & liberally sprinkle salt.  Add tomato paste, chicken broth gradually. Adjust consistency of sauce accordingly with flour and add salt and sugar to taste. Toss in pork chops. Place sauce mixture over fried rice. Sprinkle cheese generously on top.
5. Bake in the oven at 400F for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until cheese turns golden.
6. Enjoy!