Homemade Chicken Pot Pie is classic comfort food made easy with refrigerated pie crusts, rotisserie chicken, or fresh chicken. Packed with delicious vegetables and tender chicken, it makes a perfect weeknight dinner.
Introduction
This recipe is a simple old-fashioned pot pie and a basic recipe that you can modify for your needs. Please don't feel you need to do this precisely as I did. Make it a turkey pot pie with leftover turkey. Add more veggies or make your own crust. Or spice to your taste.
I take requests for recipes, especially if they come from my wife. Chicken pot pie is one of her favorites, and we had several packages of Pillsbury pie crusts left.
I researched many recipes for this, but none did it for me. For example, the ATK (American Test Kitchen) chicken pot pie recipe has 25 ingredients. I have 10. Guess which one has less work? I knew what I wanted and went full speed ahead with the simple technique I planned at the beginning.
There are lots of things you can vary in this recipe. But my method is straightforward with excellent results. I included more steps than I usually include, but they are baby steps and go quickly.
My Rating
This is an "everyday" type recipe for a family, not a company. But a very solid 4. Much better than you will get in most places. It's got a great taste that warms to the bone.
🐓Ingredients for Chicken Pot Pie
Chicken (or Turkey)
Any chicken will do. It should be shredded or diced into fork-size bites.
I have included instructions for raw chicken, which is what I usually use.
But, precooked chicken is an excellent choice, like a rotisserie chicken. Mix the precooked chicken in when the veggies are added. You will need 3 to 4 cups of chicken.
This recipe makes a great turkey pot pie. Mix 3 to 4 cups of the leftover turkey with the vegetables, just like the precooked chicken.
Pie Crust
The pie crust can be homemade, but that takes this recipe from easy to moderately complex for most people. I would need to change the name from "easy."
The recipe uses two pie crusts, so the refrigerated two-pack is perfect.
Vegetables
The vegetables can be any of your choices, but you need about 2 cups total, so mix and match what you want.
Most commonly, carrots and peas are added. Potatoes are also commonly added with mushrooms and celery.
Be sure to cut the carrots thin. Quarter-inch is just about right. Thick will not cook well. Also, if you use potatoes, they need to be small cubes.
You can use frozen mixed vegetables if you want.
Seasoning
I consider pot pie as simple comfort food, so I keep it simple with a small onion along with salt and pepper.
Add some rosemary, fresh thyme, poultry seasoning, or garlic powder if you want to be a fancier flavor.
👨🍳How to Cook Chicken Pot Pie
- While the oven preheats, chop vegetables and trim chicken.
- Cook chicken and onion in a large skillet.
- Remove the chicken and make an easy slurry gravy.
- Add the vegetables and chicken back into the gravy and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Prepare a standard size pie pan with a refrigerated crust.
- Fill the pie crust with fill with the gravy mixture.
- Cover with a second pie crust and vent.
- Bake for about 40 minutes. Protect the edges with foil about halfway through baking.
- Be sure to let the pie set for at least 10 minutes before cutting.
❓FAQs
A standard pie pan is 9 inches and 1-¼ inches deep. There are bigger and deeper pans. It can be a bit bigger, but the stand pan is best.
Yes, but please don't. Making your own is very easy and much better.
I use a combination of broth and milk to make a tasty creamy gravy for the filling.
See How to Make Gravy from Scratch for more information on homemade gravy.
Yes. To make thicker gravy, make up more of the milk/flour mixture and slowly whisk into the gravy until you get the thickness you want.
Add a little broth, milk, or water to make the gravy thinner.
Yes, like most pies, the edge will overbake. There are metal shields sold to protect the crust edge, but foil will also work. Leave the shield or foil on for the first half of baking, then remove.
There is an old trick of putting pies on baking trays preheated in the oven. It will melt the fat in the crust faster and create a shield to prevent the filling from penetrating the crust.
❄️Storing Chicken Pot Pie
After cooking, chicken pot pie can be stored refrigerated for 3-4 days covered. It can also be frozen for 3-4 months, sealed airtight.
Uncooked chicken pot pie can be sealed airtight with plastic wrap and foil for 3-4 months. To cook, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then bake like fresh.
📖Comfort Food Recipes
Classic Tuna Noodle Casserole with Parmesan Topping
Cheesy Chicken, Broccoli and Rice Casserole
Part of the Leftover Ham and Turkey Recipe Roundup
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°. Dice one small or ½ medium onion and two carrots. Try to keep the carrots no thicker than ¼ inch.
Clean and cut two skinless boneless chicken breasts into ½ to ¾ inch cubes. If you have one of those huge breasts, one will do. If using precooked chicken or turkey, skip to mixing the flour solution, saute the onion and proceed.
Use a large pan over medium-high heat with 2 teaspoons of oil. Add chicken and onion. Cook until onion is transparent—about 8-10 minutes.
While chicken cooks, mix ½ cup milk with ⅓ cup of flour and mix well either in a bowl with a whisk or a Tupperware shaker.
Pour the chicken into a bowl and set it aside. Leave as much of any liquid in the pan, and the onion doesn't matter if it stays with the liquid.
Add one 14 oz can of chicken broth, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then decrease to medium heat.
Slowly add the milk/flour mixture while continuously whisking. Continue to whisk until thickened, about 2-3 minutes. You may not need all the flour solution.
Stir the chicken and veggies into the gravy and simmer for 5 minutes to precook the vegetables while you get your pie crust ready if not done already.
Add the mixture to the pie crust and cover with a second crust.
Pinch and seal the edges together and cut multiple slits in the top crust to vent steam.
Bake, and after about 20 minutes, protect the edge of the crust with aluminum foil or a shield to prevent burning.
Bake for about a total of 40 minutes until golden brown. Let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
📖Recipe
Easy Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients
- 2 pie crusts
- 2 Skinless boneless chicken breast - 1 to 1 ½ pound
- 1 small onion - chopped or ½ medium
- 2 medium carrots - pealed and cut into ¼ inch slices
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 14 oz chicken broth
- ⅓ cup flour
- ½ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Optional ingredients
- 3-4 cups precooked chicken or turkey - replace the raw chicken
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms - optional
- 1 rib diced celery - optional
- 1 large potato-diced small - optional
- 1 egg whipped and brushed on the top crust - optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°. Dice one small or ½ medium onion and two carrots. Try to keep the carrots no thicker than ¼ inch.
- If using fresh chicken, clean and cut two skinless boneless chicken breasts into ½ to ¾ inch cubes. If you have one of those huge breasts, one will do. If using precooked chicken or turkey, skip to mixing the flour solution and saute the onion and proceed.
- Use a large pan over medium-high heat with 2 teaspoons of oil. Add chicken and onion. Cook until onion is transparent—about 6-8 minutes.
- While chicken cooks, mix ½ cup milk with ⅓ cup of flour and mix well either in a bowl with a whisk or a Tupperware shaker.
- Pour the chicken into a bowl and set it aside. Leave as much of any liquid in the pan, and the onion doesn't matter if it stays with the liquid.
- Add one 14 oz can chicken broth, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then decrease to medium heat.
- Slowly add the milk/flour mixture while continuously whisking. Continue to whisk until thickened, about 2-3 minutes. You may not want to use all the flour solution.
- Stir the chicken and veggies into the gravy and simmer for 5 minutes while you get your pie crust ready if not done already.
- Add the mixture to the pie crust and cover with a second crust.
- Pinch and seal the edges together and cut multiple slits in the top crust.
- Bake and after about 20 minutes protect the edge of the crust with aluminum foil to prevent burning.
- Bake for about a total of 40 minutes until golden brown. Let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
My Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- You can use skinless boneless chicken thighs or precooked chicken or turkey. If the thighs, then 1 to 1 ½ pounds. If using precooked chicken or turkey, then 3-4 cups.
- You need about 2 cups of veggies. I chose peas and carrots. Mushrooms, celery, and potatoes are common choices. You can use frozen mixed vegetables.
- Be sure the carrots are cut only about ¼ inch thick. If using potatoes, the small cubes.
- You can make your own pie crust but that is too much work for me.
- This is pretty bland. Add some rosemary or thyme if you wish—other options in the post.
- This makes a great turkey pot pie—excellent use of your Thanksgiving leftover turkey.
- Good refrigerated for 3-4 days. See post for freezing instructions.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Originally Published May 10, 2012. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Brad
Hi Dan,
I was thinking of adding celery and potatoes to the pot pie. Could the celery be cooked with the chicken and onion and would the potatoes be added with the chicken broth and be boiled?
Thanks,
Brad
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Brad,
I would guess to add them with the carrots and be sure to cut them small. Simmer for about 10-15 minutes before adding the peas and moving to the crust. That is all a guess but that cooking combined with the time in the oven probably will do it. If you try it, post back here so others will know.
Dan
Lee
Your earlier recipe with buttermilk or milk and some vinegar is more handy and easier to do.
Lee
Yes, it was very nice, can't remember exactly what type of flour and how it was mixed with milk and vinegar. It also added rosemary and garlic (it is never too much garlic) while cooking the chicken.
Catherine
I will try that! I love your site and visit often.
Betsie
What size pie dish is used?
Thank you,
Betsie
DrDan
Hi Betsie,
Welcome to the blog.
Standard 9 inch pie pan.
Dan
Catherine Langell
I love this recipe and have made it many times. Only issue I can't solve is why the sauce/filling is runny after I bake it. When the pie goes in, it's thick but after I bake it, it comes out runny and does not thicken upon cooling.
DrDan
Hi Catherine,
Welcome to the site or at least commenting.
I admit it is a bit runny. The more flour, the thicker it will be, so increase the flour. So try 1/2 cup of flour or even a little more. The should help a lot.
Dan