When I was a kid, I loved those individual-size pot pies from the freezer section at the grocery store. I remember being thrilled when we got to have them for dinner. It usually only happened when my dad was out of town on a business trip. But then I grew up and married Paul and he absolutely refused to eat chicken pot pie. Like, pot pie and cottage cheese were his two big food aversions that he just couldn’t get over. They say the first year of marriage is hard. Learning about Paul’s abhorrence of pot pie definitely tested our relationship in a way I never knew it could be tested. I only kid. Sort of. So when we went to visit my childhood best friend and former college roommate, Carrie, and her husband a few years later and she announced that she was serving pot pie for dinner, I knew Paul was about to be faced with a challenge. But then Carrie served us the most amazing chicken pot pie EVER. I don’t say that lightly. It was so good that Paul had a Sam-I-Am moment and was even requesting second helpings. I asked her for the recipe and she told me it was from the Pioneer Woman’s cookbook. This was back in 2009 right after Ree’s cookbook had just been published. I totally jumped on board and bought one. Some of Ree’s recipes are still favorites today, but this is the one we make more than any other. It’s one of those back-pocket recipes, one that has been tried and tested again and again. We call them “Keepers”. As in, while eating dinner if something is really extra amazing we exclaim between bites of food: “Oh yeah, this one’s a keeper!” The only thing I changed from the original was to omit the white wine and use my perfect pie crust recipe rather than the Pioneer Woman’s vinegar pie crust recipe. This homemade chicken pot pie recipe is one of our oldest daughter’s most requested, all-time favorite foods, along with my chicken noodle & dumpling soup which is her other favorite food.
This is the Best Chicken Pot Pie Recipe in the World
Some might call it cheating, but there is only a top crust in this chicken pot pie recipe. Which is a big part of why we like it! I’m even a big fan of pie crust, but I feel like the crust-to-filling ratio is better, and you don’t have to worry about the bottom crust being undercooked or soggy with just a top crust. Don’t be intimidated by making pie crust from scratch. I promise it’s not as hard as you think! You can make an easy chicken pot pie by using a pre-made refrigerated crust, but there is a definite difference when the whole thing is homemade. The other factor making this the best homemade chicken pot pie recipe ever is that perfect gravy that isn’t too thick or gummy and is loaded with all my favorite pot pie fillings.
Ingredients for Chicken Pot Pie
1 unbaked single-crust pie crust Butter – for sautéing vegetables Celery & carrots – The dynamic duo when it comes to pot pie veggies. Large yellow onion – For delicious savory goodness. Frozen peas Cooked chicken – You can use leftover rotisserie chicken or boil some chicken in water on the stovetop until cooked through. Flour – To thicken the sauce. Chicken broth Chicken bouillon Heavy cream Ground thyme Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper Egg – For an egg wash
This homemade chicken pot pie recipe is packed full of classic pot pie vegetables – celery, carrots, onion, and peas. It is perfectly and simply seasoned with thyme, salt and pepper. And a little flour and cream help thicken the sauce and make a wonderfully rich filling that isn’t overly heavy. You can use leftover chicken, a Costco rotisserie chicken, or leftover turkey. But when I don’t happen to already have leftover chicken on hand, I will just boil a few pieces of chicken in water on the stovetop until cooked, then chop that up to use in our chicken pot pie.
The Best Chicken Pot Pie Recipe Substitutions and Variations
My chicken pot pie has simple ingredients that come together for amazing flavor. You can use leftover ham or turkey instead of chicken. And the sky’s the limit for what veggies you want to add. Potatoes, green beans, and corn are other favorites. You can also use frozen mixed vegetables or canned vegetables if that is what you have. The sauce can also be substituted with a can of cream of celery, cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup as the base. Just add your veggies, chicken broth, and chicken. But I will say this, nothing beats homemade and making your own sauce is really quite easy!
How to Make Homemade Chicken Pot Pie
If you don’t already have cooked chicken on hand for making chicken pot pie, my favorite quick method for cooking chicken to add to a dish like this is to just cook it on the stove. To do this, just add chicken pieces to a large pot and cover with water. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes. Then use tongs to transfer the chicken to a plate to cook so you can chop or shred it for your pot pie. To make the filling for the chicken pot pie, begin by melting some butter in a large pot or dutch oven on the stovetop over medium heat. Add all of the diced vegetables. I like a small dice as opposed to a fine dice or larger chunks like discs of carrots. A small dice is the perfect size to get bites with every flavor represented, rather than an overwhelming bite of carrot followed by a chunk of celery. On the flip-side, if you dice too fine, the vegetables will almost melt together and not be distinct. Cook the veggies, stirring occasionally, just until they start to soften and the onions start to turn translucent, around 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken. Sprinkle the flour over the top of the filling. Cook and stir for 2 minutes to remove the raw taste of the flour. Add the chicken bouillon and pour the chicken broth over the chicken and veggies, stirring to combine. Then add the cream and stir. Reduce the heat to low. Cook and stir for another 4-5 minutes until the filling thickens slightly. Pour into a large, deep pie plate (affiliate link). If you have too much filling, pour the extra into ramekins for individual mini pot pies. They are perfect for lunch the next day! Roll out the pie crust on a lightly floured surface, then gently lay it over the top of the pie filling. I don’t worry about making my crust look too pretty. Chicken pot pie is just perfect with a rustic-looking finish. Just trim any extra crust and press around the edges to seal in the pie filling. Be sure to cut slits in the top so the pie can vent while it bakes. I free-handed a small heart with a paring knife for this pie. I like to brush my pies with an egg wash made by beating 1 egg with 1 teaspoon of water. It gives a beautiful golden crust at the end. Bake the pie for 30-40 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the filling is hot and bubbly underneath.
Serving Suggestions for the Best Chicken Pot Pie Recipe
Chicken pot pie is a pretty hearty meal on its own and quite filling so I wouldn’t serve this with anything heavy. On the side you can serve a light salad like my raw Zucchini Salad or a simple salad with a vinaigrette or even a side of roasted veggies like brussel sprouts, zucchini, or potatoes.
Make Ahead and Storing Leftover Homemade Chicken Pot Pie
How to store Leftover Homemade Chicken Pot Pie
Storing this pie is quite simple. Just cover the pie tightly with tin foil or plastic wrap. The pie should stay good for up to five days. If you are wanting to freeze it, you can freeze the baked or unbaked pie for two to six months in the freezer. Just tightly wrap the pie in tin foil or plastic wrap and then place in a heavy duty freezer bag.
Can chicken pot pie be made ahead?
Yes, you can make this homemade chicken pot pie recipe in advance. Just make the filling and let it cool completely in the fridge stored in an airtight container. The crust can also be made in advance and chilled in the fridge or even frozen. When ready to bake, roll out the crust and use it to top the pie. Then bake like normal. Or you can make both the filling and let it cool completely. Pour the filling into a pie dish and top it with the crust, then freeze the whole pie. Just defrost overnight in the fridge before baking.
The Best Homemade Chicken Pot Pie: Common Questions
More Classic Comfort Food Recipes
Ground Beef Stroganoff Beef Steak Pie Smothered Pork Chops Best Shepherd’s Pie
Chicken Stroganoff
Baked Ziti
Crockpot Pork Green Chili Stew
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