Chicken Pot Pie

This homemade chicken pot pie recipe is pure comfort food at its finest. Luscious chicken pie filling is cooked inside a cast iron skillet then topped with a generous layer of puff pastry and baked to golden brown perfection in the oven. Step-by-step photos teach you how to cook this classic chicken dinner recipe.

There are two comfort foods that make me think of my mom and happiness, this chicken pie recipe and shepherd's pie.

I know for many a chicken pot pie recipe can seem daunting but it truly isn't. To make life easier you can use store-bought pre-cooked chicken and use store-bought puff pastry, making this an easy chicken pot pie! I even make it busy weeknights!

I have yet to meet someone who doesn't fall madly in love with homemade chicken pie, it's one of those dishes you keep going back for more of.

Ingredients

For this chicken dinner recipe you will need:

• Chicken Breast. My recipe includes cooking raw chicken breasts which will also then provide the chicken broth needed to create the sauce. But if you would prefer you can use already cooked chicken. Leftover store-bought rotisserie chicken works great!
• Bay Leaves. I love bay leaves, don't skip them!
• Salt and Black Pepper. Feel free to adjust accordingly I like to season as I cook so I will use some salt and pepper when cooking the chicken when sauteeing the veggies, and add more to the sauce once I've tasted it.
• Salted Butter. Because I am using salted butter this will also affect the amount of salt I need to add to the sauce, just keep that in mind!
• Brown or White Onion. I use brown or white depending on what I have on hand. Both work fabulously!
• Carrots. I tend to not bother peeling my carrots, I just give them a good cleaning, as the skins have more nutrients. Make sure to chop the carrots around the same size.
• Celery. Make sure you really clean your celery there can be dirt trapped inside the stalks!
• Garlic. You can use fresh or use pre-minced garlic.
• All-Purpose Flour. The flour will thicken the sauce to give you that thick, luscious gravy-like sauce. Make sure you let the flour cook with the veggies and butter for a little so it forms a paste-like texture. This helps also cook out the flour flavor.
• Chicken Broth. I use the chicken broth from the chicken cooked earlier in the recipe but if you are using pre-cooked chicken then feel free to use store-bought chicken broth or stock. I like to use low-sodium sock personally.
• Whole Milk. I like to use whole milk because it makes the gravy a bit richer. I find using all heavy cream is too much. But you could use more chicken broth and less heavy cream for the whole milk.
• Frozen Peas. The peas will go in at the very end.
• Frozen Puff Pastry. Your puff pastry will need to thaw a bit before you can roll it out so make sure to get it out plenty of time ahead!

Instructions

In a large stockpot add the chicken breasts and cover with water add bay leaves, salt and pepper. Place over medium heat and cook for 15-25 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F/ 74°C. 

Transfer chicken to a bowl to cool for 10 minutes. Keep the liquid the chicken cooked in to use as the chicken broth for the pie filling. I like to chop half of the chicken into chunks and take the other chicken and shred it by using a hand mixer to quickly and easily shred it. Set the chicken aside. 

Preheat the oven to 425°F/218°C. 

In a large 12" oven-safe skillet or dish add the butter and melt over medium-low heat.

Add the onions and saute for a couple of minutes then add the celery and carrots and a pinch of salt and pepper then saute for five-ish more minutes, the onions will be translucent and the celery and carrots will have started to ever so slightly soften. 

Stir in flour, garlic, and remaining salt and pepper. Stir well and cook for a couple of minutes until all the flour has transformed into a thick paste-like consistency.

Now deglaze the pan by slowly adding the chicken stock and using a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan, all those brown bits are super flavorful. Once all of the broth is added slowly stream in the milk.

Now mix continuously for a few minutes, until the mixture has thickened.

Add in the chicken and combine, then finally the frozen peas. 

Remove from heat and set aside while you prepare the top.

On a clean work surface roll out the puff pastry sheet and roll into a 14"X8" rectangle, reroll back onto the rolling pin to gently move on top of the skillet, and unroll there.

One side will be slightly exposed, use a sharp knife to cut the excess and use the excess to cover up the exposed pie filling.

Take another sheet of puff pastry and roll out slightly then cut squares to use as decoration around the side of the pie. Use a designed cookie cutter if desired.

Now you'll need to make an egg wash to bind the pastry decorations to the top and also to paint all over the pastry , to make an egg wash crack an egg into a bowl and add a splash of water then whisk to combine. Use a pastry brush to brush the egg-wash on to the pastry.

Use an egg wash to brush the back of each decoration so that it sticks to the pie top.

Cover the whole pie with an egg wash then make two slits in the center of the pie to help steam escape when baking. Bake for 20 minutes, if the pastry is browning too quickly cover with foil and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, you want deep golden brown pastry and a bubbling pie filling. Let cool for at least 5-10 minutes before serving. 

I hope you love this homemade chicken pot pie recipe!

How to make ahead of time

You can make this chicken pie recipe a day or two ahead of time. Once you have placed the puff pastry on top cover the whole pie in plastic wrap tightly. Refrigerate for up to two days ahead of time. Brush the egg was on top just before baking.

How to freeze

For the best tasting chicken pie, you can freeze the pie after you have added the puff pastry then bake fresh later. Keep in mind if baking later you might want to transfer to another baking vessel before adding the pastry top. This might make it easier to store in the freezer, like a disposable foil pan or a metal pan. I do not suggest glass as it might shatter from freezer to oven.

Cover the pie with plastic wrap tightly, then a layer of foil. When you are ready to bake it remove the plastic wrap and brush with an egg wash then cover with foil and bake at 400F/204C for 25 minutes covered then remove the foil and bake for an additional 20-30 minutes, the pastry should be golden brown and the chicken pie filling will be bubbling.

Can you double

You can definitely double the recipe just make sure you are using a very large oven-safe dish!

More chicken recipes

My curried chicken salad sandwiches are a family favorite! Another great recipe to use up leftover rotisserie chicken!

Chicken Parmesan Meatballs are a fantastic appetizer as well as a delicious topping to a bowl of spaghetti!

My friend Ari makes the best dinner recipes, this Stuffed Chicken Marsala is full of flavor!

★★★★★ Please let me know if you make this recipe by leaving a star rating and comment below!

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Recipe adapted from The Good Housekeeping Step-by-step Cookbook