Chicken Pot Pie

Name: Chicken Pot Pie
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 75 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: For the pie crust:; 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 tablespoon sugar; 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes; 6-8 tablespoons ice water; For the filling:; 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced (rotisserie works perfectly); 1/3 cup unsalted butter; 1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1/3 cup all-purpose flour; 1 3/4 cups chicken broth; 2/3 cup whole milk; 1 cup frozen peas; 1 cup frozen sliced carrots; 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels; 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme; 1/4 teaspoon celery salt; 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

Published by Fork Around & Find Out Kitchen — presented in the Lila editorial voice. Editorial standards

Quick Answer

To make chicken pot pie, prepare a cold butter pie crust, cook onion, garlic, flour, broth, milk, chicken, peas, carrots, and seasoning into a thick filling, then bake it between crusts at 425°F until the top is golden and the filling is bubbling. Let it rest before slicing so the inside sets instead of flooding the plate like a small poultry emergency.

Jump to Recipe

A chicken pot pie should slice like it has a plan. You want a buttery crust that flakes when the fork hits it and a creamy chicken filling that stays on the plate instead of escaping across it like a small dairy-based emergency. This version gets there by keeping the butter cold in the pie dough and cooking the onion, garlic, flour, broth, and milk into a genuinely thick sauce before the chicken, peas, and carrots go anywhere near the crust.

That thickness matters because the vegetables release moisture and the filling loosens again as it bakes. Starting with a sauce that coats the spoon gives the finished pie enough body to hold together beneath the top crust. Bake it at 425°F until the pastry is deeply golden and the filling is bubbling, then give it a rest before cutting. That last part is annoying because the kitchen smells like chicken pot pie and everybody has already found a fork, but resting is what turns the inside from lava with peas into an actual slice of dinner.

Prep35 minutes

Cook40 minutes

Total75 minutes

Serves6 servings

DifficultyMedium

Ingredients

Servings

For the pie crust:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
6-8 tablespoons ice water
For the filling:
3 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced (rotisserie works perfectly)
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup whole milk
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen sliced carrots
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

Instructions

1Make the pie crust: Whisk together flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Add the cold butter cubes and work them into the flour using your fingertips or a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbles with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining. Those butter pieces are not a problem — they are the point.
2Add ice water one tablespoon at a time, mixing gently with a fork after each addition, until the dough just comes together when pressed. You should need between 6 and 8 tablespoons. Do not overwork it. Divide the dough into two equal discs, wrap each in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
3Preheat your oven to 425°F. While the dough chills, make the filling. Melt butter in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes until softened and translucent.
4Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Add the flour and stir continuously for 2 full minutes. The mixture will look thick and a little pasty — this is correct. Do not skip the two minutes. This step cooks the raw flour taste out of the roux.
5Slowly pour in the chicken broth while whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Add the milk and continue whisking until the mixture is smooth. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, and cook for 3-4 minutes until thickened to a gravy-like consistency.
6Stir in the frozen peas, carrots, corn, shredded chicken, salt, pepper, thyme, and celery salt. Taste the filling and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes while you roll out the dough.
7On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disc of dough into a 12-inch circle. Carefully transfer it to a 9-inch pie dish, pressing gently into the bottom and sides and letting the excess hang over the edge.
8Pour the cooled filling into the crust-lined pie dish and spread it evenly. Roll the second dough disc into an 11-inch circle and lay it over the filling. Trim both crusts to about 1 inch of overhang, then fold the edges under and crimp them together firmly with your fingers or a fork.
9Cut 4-5 small slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape. Brush the entire top crust and edges with the beaten egg wash.
10Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet (this catches any drips and also prevents you from cleaning your oven later). Bake at 425°F for 30-35 minutes until the crust is deep golden brown and the filling is visibly bubbling through the vents.
11Remove from oven and let the pie rest for at least 10-15 minutes before slicing. Cutting into it immediately will cause the filling to run. Waiting is hard. Wait anyway.

Nutrition Information

Estimated per serving: 1 of 6 servings.

790Calories

31 gProtein

57 gCarbohydrates

49 gTotal Fat

28 gSaturated Fat

4 gFiber

8 gTotal Sugars

1260 mgSodium

205 mgCholesterol

Estimated from the ingredients and quantities in this recipe using standard food-composition values. Brand choices, trimming, cooking loss, optional ingredients, and actual portion size can change the numbers. How we calculate nutrition estimates.

Pro Tips

Cold butter is the entire reason pie crust works. If your kitchen is warm or your hands run hot, put the butter back in the freezer for 10 minutes before you start and work fast. Warm butter makes a mealy, flat crust and I have the potluck scar tissue to prove it.
Let the filling cool for at least 10 minutes before it goes into the bottom crust. Pouring hot filling into raw pastry dough starts steaming the bottom crust from the inside and you end up with a soggy base. Give it time.
If your edges are browning too fast before the center is done, tent a strip of aluminum foil loosely over the edges. This is a practical technique. The foil does not know it looks ridiculous.

Substitutions

homemade pie crust → 2 refrigerated store-bought pie crusts Completely acceptable on a weeknight or when life is happening. Thaw per package directions before using.

whole milk → heavy cream Richer, thicker filling. Use if you want something more luxurious or if that's what you have.

whole milk → unsweetened oat milk or almond milk Works for dairy-free versions. The filling will be slightly thinner but still good.

cooked chicken → leftover turkey The single best use of Thanksgiving leftovers. Same quantity, same method, genuinely better than doing nothing with that bird.

frozen mixed vegetables → diced fresh carrots, celery, and potatoes Sauté the carrots, celery, and potatoes with the onion for 8-10 minutes until just tender before adding the flour.

unsalted butter in filling → olive oil Works for dairy-free filling. The flavor will be slightly less rich but the roux functions the same way.

Storage Instructions

Cover leftover pie tightly with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat individual slices in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes to keep the crust from going completely limp. Microwaving works for the filling but the crust will not recover its dignity. The whole assembled pie can be frozen before baking: wrap tightly in two layers of plastic wrap and one layer of foil, freeze for up to 3 months, and bake from frozen at 425°F for 60-70 minutes, covering the edges with foil for the first 30 minutes.

Make Ahead

The pie dough can be made up to 3 days ahead and kept refrigerated, or frozen for up to 3 months. The filling can be made 1 day ahead, cooled completely, and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Assemble and bake the day you plan to serve it. You can also fully assemble the unbaked pie, cover it tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking — add 5-10 minutes to the bake time if starting from cold.

Build the plate