Mini Chicken Pot Pie Cups with Artichoke Cream Sauce

Makes 4 servings of 2 crust cups each plus!

Ingredients:

1 package Betty Crocker Pie Crust Mix
1/3 C ice cold water
1/3 C + Flour for dusting rolling area
1 C +/- milk or heavy cream
3 medium carrots diced small
2 medium stalks of celery diced small
1/3 C white onion diced
Half a 14 oz can quartered artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
3 large chicken breasts, cooked and cut into small chunks, a little less than 2 C
Parsley to garnish
1 T Herbs de Provence
Salt and Pepper
3 T + more Butter for greasing muffin pan
2 T oil (I used sunflower)

Direction:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Grease or butter generously the insides of a regular sized, 12 slot muffin pan. Mix pie crust, using whole package, according to directions and roll out to about the size of an 11 by 17 pan. Using a knife, cut circles about 1 inch larger than the diameter of the opening of the muffin cups. Press the crust dough inside and form a cup, with a bit of a lip over the top. I was able to get 9 cups. Take a fork and prick the bottom of the crust dough 2 or three times each. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove and let cool. Reduce oven temp to 375 degrees F and cook again for about 14 minutes or until browned. Take out and cool. Twist a bit and remove carefully and place on a wire rack.
• Heat a large saucepan, pour in oil, and add the vegetables. Sauté until the onions are a little bit tender. Remove from pan, wipe out. Melt 3 T butter then add the 1/3 C flour. Make a roux. Cook it for about a minute or two to remove the raw taste. While still whisking, add the milk/cream a little at a time with the heat on medium. When the mixture just barely starts to thicken, add in the chicken, the sautéed veggies, and the artichoke hearts as well as salt and pepper and the Herbs de Provence. Heat through on low heat. Add a bit more cream if it gets to thick.
• To plate put two of the empty crust cups on the plate, ladle the chicken mixture, garnish with parsley.