Chicken pot ‘pie’ in a hurry

“Angelina went into the kitchen, her only hope of sanctuary, and started building a couple of sandwiches.” — Brian O’Reilly, “Angelina’s Bachelors”

There are nights when you have time to make something special for dinner and there are nights when you just want to pretend you have that kind of time. This recipe — a soup version of that ultimate comfort food, chicken pot pie — is for one of those harried nights when you’re running in between the kitchen and other rooms of the house and doing everything from stamping Christmas cards to laundry to catching up on work e-mails.

Enjoy! (The soup, not the crazy schedule.)

Chicken Pot “Pie” in a Hurry

Put two quarts of cool water into a large soup kettle. Add 1 1/2 pounds whole chicken breasts (skinless; frozen or fresh). Cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for an hour. Walk away from the stove and do whatever else you have to do until 15 minutes of this hour are left.

As the hour approaches, peel and slice 3-4 carrots. Set aside. On the hour, use a slotted spoon to transfer chicken to a plate. Using kitchen scissors, snip into bite-sized pieces and return to the soup kettle. Add carrots, 1 cup frozen peas, 1 cup frozen corn and 12 oz. of macaroni. Simmer another 20 minutes or until carrots are fork tender.

Taste a spoonful of cooled broth. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme and 1/2 teaspoon powdered onion. Taste once more. Adjust seasonings if needed. Finish with a splash of nut milk for a bit of creaminess and serve while piping hot.