In a house where both adults were active-duty military, anything that could be “cooked” without their help was highly sought after. Whether or not it was safe for us to do so at 10 years old, well, that was a different time, let’s just leave it at that. My passion for chicken pot pie was born. But, as I grew into adulthood, I realized the comfort dish I love is actually quite simple to make from scratch. I didn’t need to rely on the boxed version anymore. I also found that chicken pot pie doesn’t involve a lot of hard-to-pronounce ingredients or complicated steps. Now, I’m even more of a fan.
What Makes This Chicken Pot Pie Easy?
My commitment to making this an easy chicken pot pie develops in stages.
The chicken: I recommend a rotisserie chicken for this recipe. It’s super convenient and all you have to do is pick the meat off the bones. The veggies: I use frozen vegetables to stir into the filling, but give the gravy a lift by adding onions, garlic, and celery. The pie crust: Rather than make a scratch pie crust I use store-bought puff pastry. The stock: If you have homemade stock in your fridge then by all means use it, but there is no shame in saving time with store-bought stock. To find the best box stock check out our product review: Our Favorite Boxed Chicken Broth. The time: The finished chicken pot pie only takes 20 to 25 minutes to bake in the oven.
Tips and Tricks for Making the Perfect Pot Pie
What’s my roux supposed to look like? The roux, the flour and fat paste used to thicken the gravy, should be light in color (a pale yellow) and crumbly, but not dry. After adding the flour to the pan, the veggies should look like they’re coated in a crumbly, moist batter.How do I prevent lumps in my gravy? For a smooth gravy, add the chicken stock gradually about 1 cup at a time, whisking constantly. Add more stock only after the previous addition has been stirred until smooth.What if my gravy is too thick or thin? Your gravy should coat the back of the spoon, but be thin enough for you to see through it. If your gravy is thin, whisk together a tablespoon of all-purpose flour and a tablespoon of cold water. Whisk this flour slurry into the simmering gravy to thicken it up to the proper consistency. If your gravy is thick like pudding, whisk in 2 to 4 tablespoons of chicken stock to thin it.
Swaps and Substitutions for Chicken Pot Pie
You can make this easy chicken pot pie gluten-free or dairy-free, swap out the vegetables, or save this recipe for Thanksgiving and use up leftover turkey in place of chicken. I use a basic medley of peas, carrots, onions, and celery in this chicken pot pie, but feel free to add things like sliced mushrooms, small diced potatoes (sauté them with the onions and celery to soften them), or your favorite root vegetables. To make a gluten-free pot pie: Swapping the all-purpose flour for 1:1 Baking Flour (or your favorite gluten-free flour). Swap the puff pastry for gluten-free pie dough. To make a dairy-free pot pie: Use your favorite nut milk in lieu of the cow’s milk. Because the milk is used to make the gravy creamier, you can even omit the cow’s milk altogether.
What’s the Best Way to Reheat Chicken Pot Pie?
Once the chicken pot pie has been cut and served, I find the best way to reheat it is to cover it with aluminum foil and reheat it in the oven for 15 minutes, or until warmed through. Usually, I’ve stored the pot pie in the fridge in the same dish I baked it in. To avoid shattering my dish, I pop it into a cold oven. I set the oven to 350°F and allow the dish to warm up along with the oven. This lowers my wait time and protects my ceramic baking dishes. My 15-minute heating time begins when the oven has reached 350°F.
Make Chicken Pot Pie Ahead of Time
One thing I love about this recipe is that it’s so make-ahead friendly. Prepare the filling and top it with the dough as early as a day ahead. Wait until you’re ready to bake the pie to brush the egg wash on. The egg wash will dry out and crack as the pie bakes if you brush it on too early. To freeze this pie, assemble the pot pie, but don’t brush the egg wash on or bake it. Cover the unbaked pot pie with foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the pot pie in the fridge overnight. Thirty minutes prior to baking, remove the dish from the fridge to give it time to warm up—remember, shattered dishes are no bueno. Brush the egg wash on the dough and bake for 30 minutes in a 400°F oven.
Dinner Pie Recipes for Days!
Vegetable Pot Pie Cajun Turkey Pot Pie Leftover Turkey Pot Pies Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie with Carrots and Mushrooms Tex-Mex Shepherd’s Pie
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, sliced 1 medium (1 1/2 cups) white onion, diced 3 stalks (1 1/4 cups) celery, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 cup all purpose flour 3 cups chicken stock 1/2 cup whole milk 1 rotisserie chicken, bones and skin removed, meat shredded or diced 2 cups (about 8 ounces) frozen peas and carrots blend, thawed and drained of excess water 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, stems removed and roughly chopped, or 3/4 teaspoon dried rosemary 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, stems removed, or 3/4 teaspoon dried 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh sage, roughly chopped, or 3/4 teaspoon dried 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
For the puff pastry topping:
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed in the fridge 1 large egg yolk 1 tablespoon cold water Salt, optional
Reduce the heat to medium and sprinkle the flour over the veggies and fat in the pot. Stir the flour into the vegetables to create a roux, then cook the mixture for 1 minute to remove the raw, floury taste. The roux should look pale yellow and leave a thick coating on the vegetables. Once all of the liquid has been added, simmer the gravy until it thickens, about 5 to 6 minutes. The gravy will go from a thick, paste-like consistency to a smooth gravy that coats the back of your spoon. Taste the mixture and, if needed, adjust the seasoning with the salt and pepper. Pour the filling into a 9 x13-inch baking dish and allow it to cool for 15 minutes. Lay the rolled sheet of puff pastry on top of the baking dish. Brush the surface of the pastry with the egg wash and fold any excess dough over the top of the dough to create a crust. Crimp the edges as you would pie dough, then brush the fluted edge with more egg wash. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the surface of the dough, then use a knife to cut small slits in the surface to act as vents.
