The BEST recipe for Chicken Pot Pie! Carrots, peas, and rotisserie chicken (or use leftover turkey from Thanksgiving!) come together in a deliciously flavorful gravy. All wrapped up in a buttery, flaky chicken pot pie crust! If you’ve only tried frozen pot pies from the store…please, I’m begging you, make this. Originally posted November 22, 2016.
Table of Contents
- How to make the Best Chicken Pot Pie
- This is the Best Chicken Pot Pie Recipe!
- What is in a Chicken Pot Pie?
- Chicken Pot Pie Crust Recipe
- Homemade Chicken Pot Pie Recipe tips
- What to serve with Two Crust Chicken Pot Pie
- How to store Double Crust Chicken Pot Pie
- Best Chicken Pot Pie Recipe FAQs
- More pot pie, oh my!
- Best Chicken Pot Pie Recipe with Double Crust Recipe
Eric’s grandpa is 86 years old and still gets up and goes to work every day. No, I’m not kidding. He had surgery last week. ON HIS BRAIN. He went back to work a couple days ago.
He owns the hardware and furniture store in the little town where Eric grew up, Sidney Montana. (Where are all my Sidney folks??) He doesn’t do it alone of course; it’s a family business that’s been around 100 years.
So I get this text a few weeks ago from Kris, my mother-in-law (who also owns the store) with this picture:
“Bumpa keeps bringing in stuff from his house and trying to sell it!” The tag says, “Trunk Cocktail Table, nice trade in.” Trade-in! As if!
Kris and the rest of the family always have to keep their eyes open for random junk that Bumpa will try to sell in the store so that they can take it off the shelves before anyone sees it. (The trunk was actually a great idea since they are so trendy right now, it sold in just a couple days.)
But one time he tried to sell a shoe horn. Another time he tried to sell an outdoor temperature gauge that had been hanging in his backyard for 40 years. The girls who work the front counter wrapped it up and gave it to him for Christmas. Someday on his tombstone they’ll write, “Paul: Father, Husband, and The Best Darn Salesman in Richland County.”
How to make the Best Chicken Pot Pie
I have been trying to share this chicken pot pie recipe on my blog for years. I’ve made it SO many times and it is a huge family favorite. (Isn’t chicken pot pie everyone’s favorite?) But every time I try to shoot it for the blog something goes wrong–I over bake it, or the photos are washed out, etc.
Today I almost dropped my phone directly on top of the pie while holding it with my shoulder, chatting with my sister and trying to take overhead photos. (When am I going to learn that multitasking is not the path to success for me?? It is usually the path to tripping and dropping things.)
This is the Best Chicken Pot Pie Recipe!
You might think, with this homemade, from-scratch crust, that I’m not about taking shortcuts. But you would be wrong. Being a working mom with four kids has made a shortcut lover of me–that is, when they don’t impact the overall quality of my dinner.
Store bought crust? Get that outta here. Rotisserie chicken? Come to mama.
The thing is, a flaky homemade crust is what really elevates this recipe, making it totally unlike a chicken pot pie from the freezer section at the grocery store. Rotisserie chicken is already just as delicious as chicken you cook yourself, and it makes this recipe a lot more doable for busy people (like us!!) who want a warm, comforting pot pie but don’t want to spend 2 hours making it.
What is in a Chicken Pot Pie?
Here’s a quick shopping list to help you gather your ingredients. See the recipe card below for the full ingredients and instructions!
- Flour
- Sugar
- Salted butter
- Butter flavor shortening
- Egg
- Onion
- Carrots
- Celery
- Chicken broth
- Milk
- Celery seed
- Fresh or dried thyme (optional)
- Shredded rotisserie chicken (1 lb, about 4 cups)
- Frozen peas
Chicken Pot Pie Crust Recipe
This pot pie is amazing. It starts with the most gorgeous tender and flaky crust you can imagine. The crust recipe has half an egg in it, which is kind of annoying, but it makes the dough really workable and tender. Plus for this recipe, we are going to use the other half to brush the top of the pie.
Making the filling
I know I just went on about the crust, but the filling! Oh the filling. Juicy dark and white meat from a rotisserie chicken and veggies sautéed in butter. The sauce is amazing.
I seriously can’t think of anything more comforting than chicken pot pie. It’s my favorite! If you have leftover turkey on Thanksgiving, you could use that instead of the chicken.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Check out my Thanksgiving board on Pinterest if you need more menu ideas.
Homemade Chicken Pot Pie Recipe tips
Making this homemade chicken pot pie is simple. Here are my tips for making a pot pie you and your family will love!
- Use rotisserie chicken. Why cook your own chicken from scratch when rotisserie chicken is often the same price (or even less) per pound of actual meat? (Plus, it saves time. And I am all about saving time whenever possible.)
- Use half an egg in the crust. Pie crusts don’t always include egg, but it helps keep the crust together; plus, you can use the other half of the egg for brushing on top and creating a gorgeous, picture-perfect golden brown crust.
- Make an easy homemade sauce. Creating a roux from scratch isn’t actually that hard, and it tastes way better than something from a can.
- Make your crust from scratch. I know that pie crust can be intimidating, but it is SO worth the effort. Store bought crust has nothin’ on pie crust from scratch. Remember, it doesn’t have to look perfect! It will still taste absolutely incredible.
What to serve with Two Crust Chicken Pot Pie
This chicken pot pie is a great main dish all its own–it’s got protein, veggies, and did I mention that gorgeous golden brown crust? But if you’re serving a hungry group or you’d like to fancy up your dinner, here are some of my favorite pairings.
Easy Broccoli and Bacon Salad << a cool and crunchy salad to go with your hot pot pie.
Oven Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Browned Butter << prep while the pot pie is baking, then pop it in the oven while you set the table. So elegant!
Lemon Dijon Green Beans Almondine << you can even make this one ahead of time!
Apple Gorgonzola Salad << a super fresh and delicious copycat recipe from Buca di Beppo.
Soft and Fluffy Parker House Rolls << another amazing comfort food for your supper table.
How to store Double Crust Chicken Pot Pie
You can store this chicken pot pie in the fridge for 3-4 days. I love heating this up for lunch, talk about treating yourself! I just microwave it until it’s warmed through.
Can you freeze chicken pot pie?
Yes, you definitely can. If you want to freeze the finished pot pie, you totally can, just go ahead and wrap it tightly before freezing for up to 3 months. If you’d prefer to assemble it but not bake it until you’re ready to eat it, then you can just follow the instructions through step 19, wrap tightly and freeze. When you want to bake it, you don’t need to defrost it first–just bake straight from frozen, but expect to add 20 minutes or so to the baking time.
Best Chicken Pot Pie Recipe FAQs
The secret to keeping the bottom crust from getting soggy is to always add hot filling, never cool filling. If you do want to make the filling ahead of time, you can–even refrigerating or freezing it–you just need to heat it up again before putting it in the crust.
No need! When you’re making a fresh homemade pie crust and adding hot filling, the bottom crust won’t get soggy. Plus, it tastes a million times better than store bought crust.
While you might want to poke holes in the bottom of some pie crusts, it’s not a good idea when you’re making chicken pot pie. The liquidy filling can make the bottom crust soggy if you’re creating little holes for it to seep into.
Some chicken pot pie filling may not have the necessary ingredients to thicken. This pot pie filling includes a roux with flour in it, which acts as a thickener. Also, you’ll notice we’re letting the pot pie rest for 10-15 minutes after we take it out of the oven. That lets the filling set up a little more so it’s not running all over your plate.
The best way to thicken a pot pie filling is to base it on a roux–a fancy way of saying a simple sauce made of butter, flour, and milk. The flour is a thickener and will naturally thicken your pot pie filling to the ideal consistency.
More pot pie, oh my!
Mini Chicken Pot Pies (Quick and Easy!) << no lie.
One Skillet Chicken Pot Pie << this is basically the same filling, but it’s way faster because you only need on skillet and one pie crust.
Classic Shepherd’s Pie with Crispy Cheddar Topping << ultimate comfort food.
Chicken Parmesan Pot Pie << super easy.
Chicken Pot Pie with Chestnut Biscuits from Snixy Kitchen
Mushroom Bourguignonne Pot Pie from Oh My Veggies
Bubble Up Chicken Pot Pie Casserole from Emily Bites
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Best Chicken Pot Pie Recipe with Double Crust
Ingredients
For the pie crust:
- 1/4 cup water, very cold
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup salted butter, 1 stick, cold
- 6 tablespoons butter-flavored shortening
- 1 egg, beaten and DIVIDED
For the filling:
- 1/2 cup onion, chopped
- 1 cup carrots, chopped
- 1/2 cup celery, chopped
- 1/2 cup butter, 1 stick
- 1/2 cup flour
- 2 & 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup milk
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon celery seed, to taste
- 1 sprig thyme, fresh, or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, optional
- 1 pound rotisserie chicken, shredded, about 4 cups
- 1 cup frozen peas
Instructions
- Measure out 1/4 cup water into a glass measuring cup and stick it in the freezer.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt.
- Use a pastry cutter or fork to cut in the butter and shortening. Cut until it looks like coarse crumbs. Don't overdo it! You want pea-size pieces of butter.
- In a small bowl beat one egg. Pour half of the egg (you can just eyeball it) into another small bowl and save it for brushing the top of the pie.
- Add the 1/4 cup water in the freezer to the half beaten egg.
- Beat it together, then add it to the shortening mixture. Stir until it is just coming together, then use your hands to knead it once or twice (only to make it come together). Divide the dough in half.
- Generously sprinkle flour onto a sheet of parchment paper or a pastry cloth (or right on the counter) Roll the dough with a rolling pin, using as much flour as you need so that it doesn't stick. Invert the parchment paper onto a deep 9-inch pie pan and gently peel off the paper. (Or transfer it the way that sounds easiest to you. I often loosely roll the dough onto my rolling pin and then unroll it into the pie plate.) Stick the pie plate in the fridge if you have room.
- Roll out the remaining dough and set aside.
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
- Chop the onion, carrots, and celery.
- In a large skillet, melt 1/2 cup butter over medium heat. When it is hot, add the onions, carrots, and celery. Saute, stirring occasionally until veggies are soft, about 5-7 minutes.
- Make the roux. Tilt the pan* to one side so the butter pools. Add the flour to the butter (try to keep the veggies separate to avoid flour lumps) and whisk together.
- Still tilting the pan, gradually (this means not all at once!) pour in the chicken broth and milk. Heat should still be on medium. Whisk together, still avoiding the veggies so that you don’t have to deal with flour lumps. When all the lumps are gone, stir in the veggies.
- Add 3/4 teaspoon salt, pepper, celery seed, and the sprig of thyme, if you’re using it.
- Cook the sauce for a couple minutes until it thickens a bit.
- Add the chicken and peas and stir. Remove from heat. Remove the thyme stem.
- Pour the mixture into the pie shell.
- Top with the other pie shell. Fold the top pie shell underneath the bottom so that it is sealed, then crimp however you like.
- Brush the top of the pie and the crust with the remaining half beaten egg. Use a sharp knife to make several slits in the top of the pie so that it can vent.
- Bake at 425 for 15 minutes. If you are worried that the pie will spill over, place it on a baking sheet.
- After 15 minutes, cover the crust of your pie so it doesn’t get too brown.**
- Continue baking for another 12-15 minutes, until the crust is golden brown all over.
- Remove from the oven, let stand 10-15 minutes, then devour.
A perfect dinner loved every bit of it. Thank you
This recipe is perfect! The crust might be the best part, so yummy. I’ve made this multiple times, family favorite! Thank you!
This recipe was fantastic! Just a note: when it came time to add the flour for the roux, I sprinkled it on the butter and veggies. I let it cook out for a minute then slowly poured the milk in. The sauce thickened quickly. Then I added the broth. Worked perfect!Â
I’m so glad you loved this recipe Penny! Thanks for adding your notes about making the roux!
Can you used cooked chicken breast?
Rotisserie chicken is too expensive for what you get.
Hi Georgianne! Yes, you can absolutely use cooked chicken breast. Enjoy!
This was the most perfect flaky chicken pot pie crust. Though made a few minor adjustments. I omitted the sugar from the recipe. I also chilled the dough before rolling and chilled again once I put the 1st dough into the pie plate before filling. I baked as directed for the first 15 mins, then covered crust edges and baked for 20 mins. Then after the 20 mins, I lowered oven temp to 375 degrees and baked for an additional 10 mins. It turned out awesome! Thank you for this recipe! Will definitely use this again!
Thank you for telling us all your tips Lindsey! I’m so glad the pie turned out well and that you loved the crust. There is just nothing better than a homemade crust. Thank you for the review!
I really like this crust. Beautiful golden color. I did however bake the pie longer at a lower temperature to allow the bottom crust to get more firm. I do not like soggy dough, Just my preference.
Great tip Angelique! I didn’t have any issues with a soggy bottom. I think everyone’s oven is different!
Wow! You did an incredible job with this recipe! It’s delicious! My entire family loved it. Thanks so much for sharing!
This sounds really good. I make one vey similar. But next time you make it. sprinkle some celery seed on the top crust and roll it in with the rolling pin before you put it on the pie. It makes for a more savory dish.
That’s a great tip Sheila! There is just something about celery seed, right? It’s so good. I never would have thought to add it to the crust. Good idea! Thanks for sharing!
Hello! This was PHENOMENAL. I do have a question – I made the crust with whole wheat flour and all butter (instead of the butter and butter flavored shortening mix). The crust was so good but stuck to the glass pie plate I used. Do you have that problem with the crust when making it with white flour? Do you have any suggestions for keeping the crust from sticking? Thank you!!
Hey Ellvee! You are brave, whole wheat crust! I’ve never tried it. I’ve only ever tried experimenting with half whole wheat in recipes, and never with pie crust. I don’t know how to help you for sure. I would spray the heck out of that pie pan next time if I were you! (I will say that I have made all butter crusts and they come out of the pan just fine-I think the flour is the culprit here.)
Oh I cannot wait to make this! My husband is a chicken pot pie LOVER and I’m going to make this for his birthday in February. I am so excited, especially since he has no idea! Hee hee heee. >:)
Thank you for sharing!!!
Delicious recipe but where I come from this is Baked Chicken Pie and not Chicken Pot Pie. Potpie is boiled broth that has onion, celery, potatoes and chicken in it. A homemade dough is made, cut into squares or ribbons and then dropped intp the broth and boiled.
Oh that’s so interesting! I would love to read a book someday about recipe names and where they all come from and how they differ regionally. The dish you describe, with the homemade noodles cut into ribbons, is called Chicken Noodle Soup, here’s my recipe, check it out! https://thefoodcharlatan.com/chicken-noodle-soup-recipe/ mine doesn’t have potatoes though. Thanks for the comment!