Classic Homemade Chicken Pot Pie
It’s comfort food time at our house and a classic homemade chicken pot pie is the ultimate comfort food, In my opinion.
When I have leftover chicken one of my go-to’s is chicken pot pie.
Handy isn’t a fan of meals where food is mixed together so when I find something that he will eat I keep it on rotation.
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Using Leftover Chicken for Potpie
I typically make a whole roasted chicken about once a month and when I do there is always leftover cooked chicken. Chicken is such a versatile protein and there are so many things you can do with extra chicken.
Here are a few more chicken recipes that you can make with leftover chicken.
- Chicken Salad
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- Chicken Fried Rice
- Topping for a Salad
- Chicken Nachos
- Chicken Chili
- Chicken Enchiladas
- Chicken Pot Pie
- Buffalo Chicken Tacos
- Chicken Alfredo Pizza with Sour Dough Crust
These are also great recipes for quick meals using store-bought rotisserie chicken.
Don’t have leftover chicken? Boil two chicken breasts in water for 15 minutes and then drain and dice the chicken breast when they are cool enough to work with
My Classic Chicken Pot Pie Recipe
To make the job easier you can dice up the carrots, and dice my celery and onions earlier in the day. Measure out the peas and let them thaw.
Sauté the onions in 1 tablespoon of butter and oil and then add the carrots and celery. Let them cook until they are starting to get tender, about 20 minutes. At this point, you can put in the peas.
Melt the last tablespoon of butter in the mixture. Add all-purpose flour to the veggies and stir in completely then add spices and the chicken broth. When the mixture thickens add chicken and the half and half. As soon as it just starts to boil, I take it off the heat.
At this point, you have a very tasty, creamy pot pie filling.
Chicken Pot Pie
Equipment
- 1 large skillet
- Wooden Spoon
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- Large Measuring Cup
- sharp knife
- Cutting Board
- 9-inch glass pie pan
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter, divided
- 1/2 cup diced onion (about 1/2 large onion)
- 3/4 cup diced celery (about 2 large stalks)
- 1 cup sliced carrots
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 2-3 cups cooked, diced chicken
- 2 tsp Redmond Real Sea Salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 cup celery seed or celery salt
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1-3/4 cup chicken broth
- 3/4 cup half & half or cream
- 2 9-inch pie crust or homemade pie crust
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°
Filling
- Add 1 tbsp., butter, and olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat
- add onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add carrots and celery. Cook for 15 – 20 minutes until onions are translucent and carrots and celery are getting soft. Be sure to stir often so they don't burn.
- Turn the heat down to medium. Add the peas and the other tablespoon of butter. Let the butter melt. Then sprinkle the flour over the veggie mixture and stir until completely combined. Then add all of the spices and combine. Add the chicken broth stirring until it starts to thicken and gently boil.
- Add the half & half or cream and chicken stirring it into the creamy sauce, and take it off the heat as soon as it has heated through.
- Add the filling to the pie crust.
Pie Crust
- Keep the crust frozen until ready to use. When you take the pie crust out, cut off the crimping from the first crust. Add the filling to the second crust and to the first crust.
Baking
- Place the filled pie onto a baking sheet. Cover the edges of the pie with tin foil and put into the preheated oven for 40 minutes or until golden brown.
Notes
The Crust
A homemade crust is the best but then the process becomes more time-consuming.
Pillsbury™ Pie Crusts are very convenient store-bought pie crusts for a pot pie and they are pretty tasty. The pack that I buy comes with two crusts. I use the bottom crust for the filling and then the second crust for the top of the pie.
I cut off the crimping on the second crust and then just top the filling with the un-crimped crust.
If you want to try your hand at making your own crust, this recipe is a good one PIE CRUST and makes a lovely flaky crust. In my opinion, making a homemade pie crust is an art and takes practice. Truth be told I really haven’t mastered it yet. I’m still waiting to have a crust turn out in such a way that I say “That’s perfect”
There is nothing like rolling out your own dough with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface to just the right thickness and then laying it into a pie plate, filling it with filling, and creating that beautiful lattice or pretty cut-out top crust.
When I figure out how to get the crush right, I want to try making individual pies. There are nights when Keith or I am home alone for dinner and they would be great for a single serving.
For best results brush dough with an egg wash to give it an even more beautiful lightly browned crust.
Chickens
We keep chickens in our backyard but only for their eggs. They are amazing! This is the time of year when I’m not only planning my gardens but also thinking about adding new chicks to our flock. I share what I know about chicken HERE.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I thicken my pie sauce?
The flour in the recipe when added to the vegetables will thicken the chicken broth when you add it. You can add more flour if you like a very thick sauce but then it tends to taste pasty in my opinion and not have that creamy chicken flavor.
Should I cover the pie while it’s baking?
Use strips of aluminum foil to cover crust edge so that it doesn’t burn while it’s baking. You will have a perfectly golden brown chicken potpie with this method.
Can you freeze leftover chicken pot pie?
This recipe makes three meals for the two of us. We eat 1/3 and then freeze the rest in an airtight container. We thaw them and reheat them in the microwave. They make a great meal for a busy night.
Comfort Food
Our winters are cold and right now snowy. Comfort food seems like a midwest staple.
I’ve added a “comfort food” category to my recipe drop-down so that the things we like to prepare in the colder months or the season when we need a meal that feels like a big hug, you can easily find them.
Peace, Love, and Pot Pie,
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One of my favorite meals of all time. Pinned!
One of my favorite too Debra!
I love a good pot pie! You’re right one of the best comfort foods! Looking forward to you perfecting your pie crust so you can teach me. In the meantime, I’m with you on Pillsbury
Ah Comfort Food!