Chicken in a Pot

Ingredients

• 1  bay leaf 
• 0.3 teaspoon pepper black
• 10  peppercorns black
• 5  carrots 1-inch-thick cut into pieces ( 3/4 pound)
• 3 pound meat from a rotisserie chicken 
• 48 ounce less-sodium chicken broth fat-free canned
• 2 tablespoons flour all-purpose
• 2  leeks trimmed cut into 3 pieces
• 0.5 cup milk 2% reduced-fat
• 2  onions quartered
• 1 pound potatoes red
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 1.5 tablespoons stick margarine 
• 4  thyme sprigs 
• 4  allspice whole

Equipment

• sauce pan
• whisk
• slotted spoon
• dutch oven
• cheesecloth

Directions

1. Place first 4 ingredients on a double layer of cheesecloth. Gather edges of cheesecloth together, and tie securely.
2. Place cheesecloth bag, potatoes, and the next 7 ingredients (potatoes through black pepper) in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 25 minutes. Turn chicken over and cook 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender and chicken is done.
3. Remove chicken and vegetables with a slotted spoon; set aside, and keep warm. Discard the cheesecloth bag. Return the broth mixture to a boil, and cook until reduced to 4 cups (about 15 minutes).
4. Remove from heat. Reserve 3 cups broth mixture for another use.
5. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour; reduce heat, and cook 1 minute.
6. Add 1 cup broth mixture, and stir with a whisk. Stir in milk. Cook until thick (about 8 minutes), stirring frequently.
7. Remove meat from bones; discard bones and skin. Chop chicken. Arrange vegetables on a platter, and top with chicken. Spoon sauce over chicken and vegetables.
8. Sprinkle with chives, if desired.