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Olivia Mack McCool
Olivia Mack McCool
Olivia is a food stylist, recipe developer and mom based in NYC. If she’s not on set making recipes come to life in front of the camera, she’s developing them in her tiny kitchen. All of her recipes have passed a few tests: easy, delicious, and approachable — on occasion baby-approved as well!
published Mar 7, 2024
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Hearty, comforting, and flavorful — it doesn’t get any cozier than this.
Serves6 to 8Prep30 minutesCook1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutesreviews
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Chicken pot pie is quintessential comfort food for so many people. Nothing’s cozier than a warm, savory filling encased in a buttery, flaky pie crust. Maybe you’ve only ever ordered it at a restaurant or baked one you bought in the freezer section at the grocery store, but making one from scratch at home is totally doable. The result will blow all other chicken pot pies you’ve ever had out of the water.
With this recipe, I’ll walk you through my helpful tips and tricks so that you can make your very own chicken pot pie at home. I promise that it’ll be hearty, comforting, and flavorful. The best part: Chicken pot pie makes amazing leftovers, and they’re even arguably better the next day.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- The crust is “shatteringly crisp on top and bottom.” (Exact notes from our cross-tester!)
- It freezes beautifully! Trust us, you’re going to want to double the recipe so that you can have one ready to go on a busy night.
Key Ingredients in Chicken Pot Pie
- Shredded chicken: This is a great place to use up leftover roast chicken or a store-bought rotisserie chicken. The recipe calls for 2 1/2 cups of cooked chicken and that is approximately the meat from one breast, one thigh, and one drumstick. But any combination of white and/or dark meat works here.
- Chicken broth: The difference between a good and a great pot pie lies with the kind of broth used. Store-bought broth is fine, but using a homemade chicken broth will take your pie to new heights. If you can’t make homemade happen, my favorite alternative is making broth from a chicken base like Better Than Bouillon.
- Vegetables: Onion, carrots, celery, leek, and garlic create the aromatic base here. Leeks add even more flavor than just onion alone. Mushrooms would be a welcome addition here too.
- Herbs: This recipe calls for just thyme because it’s a classic pairing with chicken. But rosemary, sage, or even tarragon could work here.
- Pie crust: You will need 2 crusts for this recipe. Of course store-bought crust would be fine, but a homemade crust is really the move here. Nothing beats the flavor and flakiness of homemade.
How to Make Chicken Pot Pie
- Make the pie crust: If you’re making your crust from scratch, you can do so in advance to make things easier. The disks of dough can be made up to 4 days ahead and refrigerated. The wrapped dough can also be placed in a freezer bag and frozen for up to 3 months; thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using.
- Make the filling: The filling starts with sautéing the aromatic vegetables in butter until soft. The garlic gets added after so it doesn’t burn during that time. A sprinkle of flour will thicken your filling and the liquid comes from chicken broth and a healthy dose of cream. This simmers away until ultra glossy and thick before folding in your cooked chicken and frozen peas.
- Cool the filling. It’s very important that the filling cools down before you fill the pie. A hot filling will melt the butter in the pie crust too fast. I like to make my filling the day or morning before and keep it in the refrigerator until I’m ready to bake. This not only ensures that it is cooled, but also feels easier than doing it all at once.
- Assemble and bake the chicken pot pie. Bake until the crust is deeply golden-brown and the filling is bubbling. If the crust is browning too quickly, cover with a sheet of aluminum foil for the remaining time. Then, let cool for at least 20 minutes before serving so that the filling can thicken slightly.
How Do You Thicken Chicken Pot Pie Filling?
It’s important that the filling be thick enough so when you slice into your pie it doesn’t just run all over. This is achieved with both the ingredients you choose and the cooking method. When flour is added to the buttery vegetables, it creates a roux. Once you add the broth and let it simmer, this will create a thick sauce.
In addition, allowing the pie to cool after you bake it also contributes to the texture of the filling. You should allow your pie to cool for at least 20 minutes but even up to 1 hour is better (if you can handle not breaking into it right away).
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
You can store leftovers right in the pie dish you baked it in. Simply cover with foil or plastic wrap then reheat in a 350°F oven until warm.
This is also a great recipe to make ahead. I mentioned how you can make the filling and crust ahead, but you can also make the entire pie ahead of time and freeze. Because there is a bit of effort involved in this recipe, it’s worth considering making two and freezing one (it’s what I do all the time). It freezes well either fully baked or unbaked.
Chicken Pot Pie Recipe
Hearty, comforting, and flavorful — it doesn’t get any cozier than this.
Prep time 30 minutes
Cook time 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes
Serves 6 to 8
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1
medium yellow onion
- 2
medium carrots
- 2
medium stalks celery
- 1
large leek
- 1
large clove garlic
- 8 sprigs
fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick)
unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 teaspoons
freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
- 1/3 cup
all-purpose flour
- 2 cups
low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup
heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon
Dijon mustard
- 2 1/2 cups
shredded, cooked chicken (about 12 ounces)
- 1/2 cup
frozen peas (do not thaw)
- 2
store-bought or homemade pie crusts (at least 1 pound total), thawed if frozen but still cold
All-purpose flour, for dusting
- 1
large egg
Instructions
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Prepare the following, adding each to the same medium bowl as you complete it: Peel and dice 1 medium yellow onion and 2 medium carrots (about 1 1/2 cups each). Dice 2 medium celery stalks (about 1 cup). Thinly slice the white and light green parts of 1 large leek crosswise (about 1 cup).
Mince 1 large garlic clove. Pick the leaves from 8 fresh thyme sprigs until you have 2 teaspoons, or measure out 1 teaspoon dried thyme.
Melt 6 tablespoons unsalted butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion mixture and cook, stirring often, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
Sprinkle 1/3 cup all-purpose flour over the vegetables and cook, stirring often, for 1 minute to cook the floury taste out. Add 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 1/2 cup heavy cream, and 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard. Cook and stir until no flour lumps remain. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce is very thick, 6 to 8 minutes.
Turn off the heat. Add 2 1/2 cups shredded, cooked chicken and 1/2 cup frozen peas, and stir to combine. Taste and season with more kosher salt as needed. Let cool at room temperature for 1 hour or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 24 hours.
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F.
Roll out 1 of the pie doughs on a floured work surface into a round about 12 inches in diameter. Transfer into a regular 9-inch pie dish (not deep dish). Trim the edges with kitchen shears as needed so there is a 1-inch overhang. Transfer the filling into the crust.
Repeat rolling out the second pie dough into a 12-inch round. Place over the filling and trim the extra overhang. Tuck both overhangs under, creating a sealed edge all around the pie. Using two fingers or a fork, crimp the edges, sealing the crusts together.
Place 1 large egg in a small bowl and whisk with a fork to break up. Brush a thin layer of the egg all over the top of the pie. Season lightly with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Cut 3 to 4 (1-inch) slits through the top crust to allow steam to escape.
Place the pot pie on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the crust is deeply golden-brown and the filling is bubbling, 45 to 55 minutes. Check after 20 minutes of baking: If the crust is browning too quickly, cover with a sheet of aluminum foil for the remaining time. Let cool for at least 20 and up to 45 minutes before serving so that the filling can thicken slightly.
Recipe Notes
Make ahead: The pie crusts can be made 4 days ahead and refrigerated. Alternatively, they can be made up to 2 months ahead and frozen. The filling can be made up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
You can freeze this pot pie fully baked (and cooled) or unbaked (assembled but without the egg wash, salt and pepper, and slits). Wrap well in plastic wrap and/or aluminum foil. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. For a fully baked pie, unwrap and reheat in a 350ºF oven until heated through, 20 to 25 minutes. For an unbaked pie, unwrap and proceed with brushing on the egg wash, seasoning, and cutting the slits. Bake at 425ºF for 45 to 55 minutes.
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poultry
Chicken
Main Dish
Make Ahead
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Baking
