Easy Chicken Pot Pie
This easy chicken pot pie starts with a quick, creamy sauce built on butter, stock and milk, so the filling is rich without being heavy. Cooked or rotisserie chicken keeps the work short, and a single top crust bakes up crisp and flaky instead of turning soggy underneath.
By Priya Raman
Published
- Prep Time
- 20 mins
- Cook Time
- 45 mins
- Rest
- 10 mins
- Total Time
- 1 hr 15 mins
- Servings
- 6 servings
How do you make Easy Chicken Pot Pie?
Cook diced onion, carrots and celery in 5 tbsp butter, stir in 1/3 cup flour, then whisk in 1 1/2 cups stock and 3/4 cup milk until thick. Add 3 cups cooked chicken, peas and thyme, spoon into a 23 cm (9 inch) pie dish, top with pastry and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 25-30 minutes until golden and bubbling. Rest 10 minutes.
- Total time
- 1 hr 15 mins
- Calories
- 495 per serving
- Protein
- 25 g
- Yield
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Method
- Baking
Ingredients
Filling
Crust
Equipment
Large deep skillet or saucepan · Whisk · 23 cm (9 inch) deep pie dish or 20 cm (8 inch) square baking dish · Baking sheet · Pastry brush
Quick Directions
Heat the oven and cook the vegetables
Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
Make the sauce
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir for 1-2 minutes to cook out the raw taste.
Add the chicken and peas
Stir in the cooked chicken and frozen peas and take the pan off the heat.
Top with the crust
Lay the pastry over the filling.
Bake
Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown and the filling bubbles up through the slits.
Rest and serve
Let the pot pie rest for 10 minutes so the sauce thickens and sets before you spoon it onto plates.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these detailed steps to make the perfect easy chicken pot pie.
Heat the oven and cook the vegetables
Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Melt the butter in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is soft. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Make the sauce
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir for 1-2 minutes to cook out the raw taste. Slowly pour in the stock, whisking constantly so no lumps form, then whisk in the milk. Simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season with the thyme, salt and pepper.
Add the chicken and peas
Stir in the cooked chicken and frozen peas and take the pan off the heat. Taste and add more salt if needed, then spread the filling evenly in the pie dish.
Top with the crust
Lay the pastry over the filling. Trim the overhang to about 2 cm, fold it under and crimp the edge against the rim of the dish. Cut 4 small slits in the top so steam can escape, then brush with the egg wash. Set the dish on a baking sheet to catch any drips.
Bake
Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown and the filling bubbles up through the slits. The centre of the filling should reach 74°C (165°F). If the edges brown too quickly, cover them loosely with strips of foil.
Rest and serve
Let the pot pie rest for 10 minutes so the sauce thickens and sets before you spoon it onto plates.
Recipe Tips
- Simmer the sauce until it properly coats a spoon. A thin sauce is the main reason pot pie filling turns runny.
- Using puff pastry? Let the filling cool for 10 minutes first so the butter in the pastry doesn't melt before it hits the oven.
- Don't skip the steam slits. Trapped steam makes the underside of the crust soggy.
Variations
- Add 150 g sliced mushrooms with the onion, or swap the peas for corn or chopped green beans.
- Individual pot pies: divide the filling between 4-6 oven-safe ramekins, top each with a round of pastry and bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Biscuit topping: skip the pastry and cover the filling with 8 unbaked biscuits, then bake for 20-25 minutes until the biscuits are golden and cooked through.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories | 495 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 25 g |
| Carbs | 32 g |
| Fat | 28 g |
| Saturated fat | 12.5 g |
| Fibre | 3 g |
| Sugar | 4.5 g |
| Sodium | 650 mg |
Estimated from the listed ingredients; values vary by brand.
Related Recipes
Storing & Reheating
- Fridge
- Cover and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours for up to 4 days.
- Freezer
- Freeze the assembled, unbaked pot pie, well wrapped, for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen at 190°C (375°F) for 60-75 minutes, covering the crust with foil if it browns too fast, until the centre reaches 74°C (165°F).
- Reheat
- Reheat portions covered with foil in a 175°C (350°F) oven for 20-25 minutes, until hot to 74°C (165°F) in the centre. The microwave works but softens the crust.
Easy Chicken Pot Pie FAQs
How do you keep chicken pot pie from being runny?
Cook the flour in the butter, then simmer the sauce for a few minutes until it coats the back of a spoon before adding the chicken. After baking, rest the pot pie for 10-15 minutes. The filling thickens as it cools slightly.
Can I make chicken pot pie ahead of time?
Yes. Cool the filling completely, add the crust, then cover and refrigerate the unbaked pot pie for up to 24 hours. Brush with egg wash just before baking and add 5-10 minutes to the baking time, since it goes into the oven cold.
Can you freeze chicken pot pie?
Yes. Freeze the assembled, unbaked pot pie in a freezer-safe dish for up to 3 months. Bake it from frozen at 190°C (375°F) for 60-75 minutes, until the crust is golden and the centre of the filling reaches 74°C (165°F).
Does chicken pot pie need a bottom crust?
No. A single top crust is easier and stays crisp, while a bottom crust under a saucy filling often bakes up pale and soggy. If you want a double crust, bake the bottom crust blind for 10 minutes before filling it.
What kind of chicken is best for pot pie?
Any cooked chicken works. Rotisserie chicken is the quickest, leftover roast chicken adds flavour, and poached or baked chicken thighs stay especially moist. You need about 3 cups, or 450 g, of shredded or diced meat.
Disclaimer
- Nutrition information is an estimate based on the listed ingredients. It changes with the brands, portion sizes and swaps you use.
- Read ingredient labels for allergens and for diet claims such as gluten-free or vegan. Products and their ingredients can change.
- Cooking times are a guide, since ovens, air fryers and slow cookers all run differently. Use a food thermometer and cook meat, poultry and fish to the safe internal temperatures in government food safety guidance.
- This recipe is general information, not medical or nutrition advice. If you have an allergy, a health condition or a special diet, check with a qualified health professional.
