Chicken Pot Pie with Cornbread Topping

I made this last night, and it hit the spot for all of us. Reminded us a little bit of Cracker Barrel! I found the recipe in an old Good Housekeeping book and altered it a bit for use here. I think there's a lot of flexibility in the veggies that you use. For example, the original recipe called for lima beans, but I substituted some cut-up zucchini and added some green beans. Also a great way to use up those little bit of left over veggies. I served it with steamed broccoli, and it was a great combination.

Chicken (or turkey) filling:
1 T. butter
2 carrots, sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 c. chicken broth
3/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1/4 t. thyme
3 T. cornstarch
1 1/2 c. milk
3 c. shredded chicken or turkey
1 can whole kernel corn (or 1 pkg frozen)
1 can green beans (or 1 1/2 c. frozen)
handful of frozen peas
1 fresh zucchini, sliced and quartered

Cornbread Crust:
1 c. flour
1 c. ground polenta
2 T. sugar
3 T. baking powder
1 t. salt
4 T. cold butter
1 1/2 c. milk

Preheat oven to 375F. For filling, in large saucepan, melt butter. Add onions and carrots and cook for 5 minutes. Add broth, salt, pepper, and thyme; heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 10 minutes till veggies are tender. Add zucchini the last 5 minutes. Meanwhile in small bowl, mix cornstarch and 1/2 c. milk till well-blended. Add cornstarch mixture and remaining milk to saucepan with carrots. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in chicken, corn, frozen peas, green beans. Blend well. Pour into well-buttered 9x13 baking dish.

Prepare crust by mixing flour, polenta, sugar, and baking powder together in bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or fork. Add milk and stir till well blended. Pour crust over top of chicken mixture and smooth out as much as possible.

Bake approximately 30 minutes till top is brown and filling is bubbling.