Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

Homemade chicken pot pie encases a rich and creamy filling in a flaky pie shell. Use your family’s favorite vegetables in the filling to make this recipe your own, or use leftover turkey in place of the chicken. No time to make and bake it immediately? Try prepping it ahead of time and baking it later!

This recipe is, quite simply, the best chicken pot pie that I have ever had. And I have eaten a lot of pot pie. I have also eaten a lot of THIS pot pie. 

Now, before I tell you about this pie, I will tell you that it is kind of a labor of love. In fact, for years this was one of those “company” recipes in our house — you know, the ones that only get made when someone fancy or special is coming over for dinner.

It was a recipe that my mom found in one of her Southern Living annual cookbooks and she tweaked over time.

Then somehow, just by going away to college, I was able to elevate myself to “company” status. Suddenly, I was able to sweet-talk Momma into making this every year before I went back to school and sometimes when I came home for Christmas break as well.

After Alex and I bought our house and Momma got sick, I became the pot-pie maker of the family. Now, it’s a recipe that I get to make for special people – whether they be guests or just beloved family.

This chicken pot pie recipe is the ultimate comfort food: thick, creamy filling chock-a-block full of chicken and vegetables, encased in a beautiful, flaky, thick crust. Perfection in a pie pan, that is.

With this recipe, you get a beautiful crust on the top and the bottom of the pie. But if you’re not familiar with making homemade pie crust, don’t stress – this one is pretty simple to do. 

Looking for a similar meal that’s more weeknight friendly? Give turkey a la king a try!

Ingredient notes

For the crust

If you’ve made pie crust before, the pastry ingredients will look pretty familiar to you. You will need:

• All-purpose flour: Make sure to measure this by fluffing, scooping, and leveling it in the measuring cup.
• Fine sea salt: No bland pie crusts here, please and thank you.
• Shortening: Gasp! I know, I know. This pie crust uses shortening instead of butter. But I promise, it’s still an incredibly flavorful and flaky crust; using shortening really will make the dough easier to work with, though.
• Egg: Helps bring this crust together and makes it easier to work with than a traditional all-butter pie crust. Consider this to be a good pie crust starter recipe.
• Ice water: Use super cold water to keep the crust cold as you work with it.
• Vinegar: White vinegar or cider vinegar are best.

For the filling

To make the creamy filling, you will need:

• Butter: Preferably salted. If you only have unsalted, make sure you taste the filling at the end and add extra salt if needed.
• Assorted diced vegetables: Some of my family’s favorite vegetables to use in this recipe include potatoes of any variety, onions, carrots, broccoli, corn, peas, butternut squash, or green beans. I usually pick 3-4 veggies that are in season. You can also use frozen vegetables to make this a bit quicker.
• All-purpose flour: To thicken the filling.
• Chicken stock: Chicken broth also works.
• Half-and-half: If you can’t get half-and-half, use 3/4 cup of whole milk and 3/4 cup heavy cream.
• Cooked chicken: We most often use rotisserie chicken in this recipe, but you can also use leftover roast turkey from Thanksgiving. 
• Salt and pepper: Again, no bland pot pies for us!

Make ahead directions

I usually make this recipe when I have time to assemble it just before it goes in the oven, but you can absolutely prep it ahead of time.

To make homemade chicken pot pie ahead of time, make the pastry and filling as written. Let the filling cool completely before adding it to the pie, then top with the top crust as directed. Skip the egg wash, though.

Cover loosely with plastic wrap and place the pie in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours.

When you’re ready to bake, let the pie sit at room temperature while the oven preheats. This will help prevent temperature shock to the pie plate going directly from the cold refrigerator to the hot oven. Brush with the egg wash and bake as directed.

If desired, brush with the egg wash and bake as directed.

Freezing

I have several readers who have assembled this homemade chicken pot pie and frozen it to bake later. 

Assemble it per the make-ahead instructions above. When freezing, I highly recommend using a metal pie plate (or even a disposable pie plate) instead of a glass or ceramic one.

Once assembled, place the pie in the freezer for a few hours or until frozen through. Then wrap tightly with plastic wrap followed by a layer of foil, label, and freeze for up to a month.

If you want to bake the pie from frozen, remove the foil and plastic wrap. Cover the top loosely in foil and bake at 400℉ for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for another 20-30 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbly.

Alternately, thaw the pot pie in the fridge overnight before baking as directed.

Storing leftovers

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can reheat the pie in the microwave; the crust won’t be as crisp after reheating, but it’ll still make for a delicious lunch.

Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

A flaky pie crust encases a rich, creamy filling that's packed with chicken and tender veggies in this incredible chicken pot pie.

4.89 from 17 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 35 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Resting time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Servings8

Equipment

• 9-inch deep dish pie plate
• Pastry cutter/dough blender
• Rolling Pin

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

For the pastry:

• ▢ 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• ▢ 1 cup shortening
• ▢ 1 large egg beaten
• ▢ 5 tablespoons ice water
• ▢ 1 tablespoon cider vinegar or white vinegar

For the Filling:

• ▢ 1/3 cup salted butter
• ▢ 4 cups assorted diced vegetables see notes
• ▢ 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• ▢ 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
• ▢ 1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken or turkey
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper

For the egg wash:

• ▢ 1 large egg
• ▢ 1 tablespoon milk

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Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400℉.

Make the pastry:

• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add the shortening and use a pastry blender or two knives to cut it into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
  3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 cup shortening
  
• Combine egg, water and vinegar in a small bowl; drizzle this mixture over the flour mixture and stir with a fork just until dry ingredients are moistened.
  1 large egg, 5 tablespoons ice water, 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
  
• Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface and use your hands to bring the pastry together into a ball. Divide in half; place half of the pastry in the refrigerator until it is time to use it.
  
• Roll the other half of the pastry to ⅛-inch thickness and large enough to fit into (1) 9-inch deep dish pie plate or regular 10-inch pie plate. Gently place the rolled pastry into the pie plate and trim the edges. Place into the refrigerator until ready to use.
  

Make the filling and assemble:

• Melt the butter in a large, high-sided skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the vegetables and saute until they are crisp-tender.
  1/3 cup salted butter, 4 cups assorted diced vegetables
  
Depending on the vegetables you are using, I recommend adding hard vegetables – such as onions, potatoes, and carrots – first and allowing them to cook for a few minutes before adding faster-cooking vegetables such as peas or corn.
• Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir to coat until no dry flour remains.
  1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  
• Gradually add the chicken stock and half-and-half; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken, salt, and pepper. Taste, adjusting seasoning as needed, and remove from the heat.
  1 1/2 cups chicken stock, 1 1/2 cups half-and-half, 1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken , 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
  
• Roll the remaining half of the pastry until large enough to cover the top of the pie plate. Carefully spoon the chicken filling into the pastry-lined pie plate and place the rolled top over the chicken filling.
  
• Trim, seal, and flute the edges. Cut a few slits in the top crust to vent.
• Whisk together the egg and milk and gently brush over the top crust.
  1 large egg, 1 tablespoon milk
  
• Bake for 30 minutes or until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbly. Allow to stand for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.
  

Notes

Ingredients

• Some vegetables that work well include potatoes – regular or sweet, onions, carrots, broccoli, corn, peas, butternut squash, and green beans.
• If using any frozen vegetables, such as peas, in the filling, add them at the same time that you add the chicken. This will help prevent them from overcooking while the pie is in the oven.
• If you can’t find half-and-half, substitute with 3/4 cup whole milk and 3/4 cup heavy cream.

Make ahead

• If making ahead, be sure to let the filling cool completely before adding it to the pie. Store the assembled but unbaked pie in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours or in the freezer for up to 1 month. For additional details on this process, refer to the make ahead and freezing sections in the post above.

Storage

• Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave until warmed through.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 668kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 756mg | Potassium: 369mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 5078IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 4mg

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