Chicken Potpie might sound involved, but it's really not. It's a nice change from chicken soup and it sticks to your ribs, which is great for cold weather. To this recipe I added red lentils and leftover rice, which made the dish thick and hearty, but if you like a little more liquid then use red lentils OR cooked rice. The red lentils don't take long to cook, they dissolve nicely and they lend a pretty color to the dish.

Filling
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 large carrots, thickly chopped
1 large russet potato, or two medium red potatoes, cubed
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chicken stock
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/3 cup red lentils OR 1/2 cup cooked rice
2 cups cooked chicken, cubed
1/2 cup frozen peas
3/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. rubbed sage

Crust
1 cup GF flour blend (I used High Protein Blend)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup dairy free, soy free margarine or shortening
3 tbsp. cold water
1 tsp. cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Set aside a casserole dish, about 1 1/2 quarts.

For the filling:
Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add the onion and carrot, cooking until onion is translucent. Add the potato, cover and cook 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook uncovered 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock, lemon juice and lentils. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook 15 minutes (skip the simmering if using cooked rice instead of lentils). Turn off the heat and add the chicken through the sage. Adjust seasonings to taste. Pour into the casserole dish, set aside.

For the crust:
Sift together the flour and the salt. Add the margarine or shortening and cut with a pastry knife until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the water and the vinegar and mix with a fork until well-blended - it should not be sticky or dry. Turn onto a piece of wax paper and knead a couple of times until the dough is smooth. Roll the dough, coating the rolling pin with flour as necessary, to about 1/4 inch and about 1/2 inch larger than the casserole dish. Pick up the wax paper and flip the crust on top of the casserole filling. Peel off the wax paper gently. Roll the overhanging crust into the casserole dish, staying as close to the sides as possible.

Bake the potpie:
Flute the edges of the crust. Vent with a sharp knife to allow steam to escape. Place the casserole in the oven - it is a good idea to put tin foil on a lower rack to catch drips. Bake about 45 minutes or until the filling is bubbly and the crust is golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.