Everybody will fall in love with this easy Chicken Pot Pie!! With a creamy chicken and vegetable filling lightly infused with herbs, this Chicken Pot Pie made with puff pastry lids can be served in individual pots or made as one big pie.
This Chicken Pot Pie recipe is made by poaching uncooked chicken in stock and milk which is then used as the broth for the creamy filling. Or speed things up by using cooked chicken!
Chicken Pot Pie
Chicken Pot Pie was a staple in my 20’s. When I was an ambitious lass in the corporate world juggling university in the evenings, Chicken Pot Pie was a handy one-dish freezer-friendly meal that I could cram loads of extra veggies into.
So while fellow uni students were living on instant ramen and cheap sausages, I was making Chicken Pot Pie.
How very homely of me…. Some might even say daggy! 😂
I like to make Chicken Pot Pie in POTS – for maximum pastry to filling ratio!
What goes in Chicken Pot Pie
Here’s what goes in Chicken Pot Pie. Nothing unusual here – but just a couple of comments on some of the ingredients:
Stock powder – this adds more flavour in the creamy white sauce. I like to use Vegeta which is a vegetable stock powder, but any stock powder will do – vegetable or chicken;
Parmesan adds umami (which means savouriness and depth of flavour) rather than cheesiness into the sauce. If you don’t have parmesan, use about 1 1/2 cups of your favourite cheese (cheddar, Colby, Monterey Jack, tasty); and
Peas are missing! 🙂
There’s no definitive way to make Chicken Pot Pie. While some choose to make it like a traditional pie with a pastry base and shortcrust topping in a pie dish, I have always – and will always – make Chicken Pot Pies in POTS with puff pastry lids.
Let me emphasise that in case you missed it – I make Chicken POT Pie in POTS. 😜
Truthfully though, the way I make it has nothing to do with the name. I make it in pots because it’s quicker and easier, and I love draping the pots generously with puff pastry so that the golden flaky lid is fitted tightly on top and around the pots, rather than just a round piece floating on top.
How to make Chicken Pot Pie
There’s nothing really ground breaking in this Chicken Pot Pie recipe, but there are two little things I do that is a bit different to the usual:
Poach chicken and use poaching liquid to make the creamy filling. Most recipes bake the chicken. I prefer poaching so I can use the poaching liquid which becomes infused with extra flavour from the chicken; and
Parmesan in the creamy filling. Not for parmesan or cheesy flavour, for seasoning. If you’re a regular reader, you’ll know that I use parmesan cheese regularly in recipes. It’s because it adds salt as well as umami to recipes, just giving dishes an extra something-something that makes it so good!
Tips for making Chicken Pot Pie
This is a pretty straight forward recipe, especially when made you make individual Chicken Pot Pies like I’ve done. I only have 2 tips to ensure you nail The Pot every single time:
Thicken filling to desired consistency before putting it in the pots. The sauce won’t thicken at all once the lid is on. So keep cooking until the sauce is a nice creamy consistency and not watery. Nobody likes a watery pie filling!
Cool filling before topping with puff pastry. Hot filling = melts butter in pastry that creates layers = less puff.
That moment with this Chicken Pot Pie comes out of the oven, all golden and puffed up, and you know that under that buttery lid the creamy filling is bubbling away with the tender chicken and the vegetables and it just smells so amazing…
….and THEN you crack through that almost impossibly flaky crispy puff pastry to reveal the piping hot creamy filling, and you blow furiously on it, trying to cool it down as quickly as you can so you can shovel a huge spoonful in your mouth without giving yourself 2nd degree burns….
I shouldn’t even joke about that. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve burned my mouth with Chicken Pot Pie. 😂 – Nagi x
More Cosy Pies
Cottage Pie (beef)
Shepherd’s Pie (lamb – because Shepherd’s herd sheep!)
Browse all cosy Winter Warmers
And more cosy Chicken recipes
Slow Cooked Chicken Stew and a faster Chicken Stew (Casserole) – on the table in under an hour!
Watch how to make it
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Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients
Chicken & broth:
- 600 g/1.2lb chicken breast (or boneless thighs)
- 2 cups milk , any fat % (Note 1)
- 1 cup chicken broth (stock)
- 2 tsp chicken or vegetable stock powder (Note 2)
- 2 sprigs thyme , optional
Chicken Pot Pie:
- 1 large onion , chopped
- 2 large carrots (3 small). chopped
- 3 celery ribs , chopped
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 50g / 3 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/3 cup white wine (sub more chicken stock)
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup frozen peas , no need to thaw
- 2 sheets puff pastry (enough to cover pots, with drape)
- 1 egg , lightly whisked
Instructions
Chicken:
- Place milk, broth and stock powder in a large saucepan. Bring to a very gentle simmer over medium heat, add chicken and thyme.
- Place lid on, simmer gently on medium low for 15 minutes (do not boil, can make milk split).
- Remove chicken, shred or dice (don’t worry if inside a bit uncooked). Cover pot and set poaching liquid aside.
Chicken Pot Pie:
- Melt butter in a large pot over medium high heat. Add garlic and onion, cook for 2 minutes. Add thyme, carrot and celery, cook for 3 minutes or until carrot is softened.
- Add wine. Stir, scraping the bottom of the pot, and cook for 1 1/2 minutes or until wine is mostly evaporated.
- Add flour and stir for 1 minute.
- Add about half the reserved poaching liquid and stir until all flour is incorporated – it will be a thick sludge.
- Add remaining milk broth, parmesan, pepper. Stir.
- Add chicken and peas, stir.
- Once mixture is heated (you’ll see steam), cook for 3 minutes to thicken the sauce, stirring regularly. (Note 3)
- Remove from heat. Spoon into oven proof pots – 4 large or 6 small (Note 4). Cool in fridge at least 30 minutes. (Note 5)
Assembly & Baking:
- Meanwhile, remove puff pastry from freezer to partially thaw. Then use a bowl as a guide to cut rounds from the pastry about 2.5cm / 1″ wider (all the way around) than the pots – be generous!
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
- Brush edge of pots with egg. Top with puff pastry, folding down the edges.
- Brush pastry with egg. Cut a 2cm / 2/3″ slide in the middle with a small knife.
- Bake 35 – 40 minutes until deep golden.
- Serve immediately!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Few snaps from Dozer’s weekend away with my besties! Clockwise from top left: Smiling happily at the sight of his weekend bag, on the road, enjoying the beach and assuming the best position at the dinner table…. (and I think he fell asleep waiting for food to drop?? 😂)
Suyen says
This recipe looks delicious but my kids are allergic to eggs and dairy. Would it work if I omit these in the recipe?
Danielle says
Just wondering if you made this without milk and how it turned out? Would rice or soy milk work as a substitute?
Shane says
That should be fine just I would just use some extra water/broth to make up for the missing milk.
Deb says
I’ve never made chicken pie before, and this was an absolute winner, we all loved it, it was soo tasty. Thank you Nagi 🙂
Nagi says
So glad you enjoyed it! N x
Georgia says
This recipe is wonderful, it has become a real staple in my repertoire and I cook it for all my friends after they have a baby! I especially appreciate the inclusion of the freezing details, it is so helpful and makes all the difference when gifting it to somebody (I would have no idea what to advise otherwise!) Thanks again!
Catherine M Cassidy says
Nagi, I made this last night, exactly according to the recipe. My husband, who knows that I tinker with recipes a lot, declared this one of the best things he has ever eaten and made me promise never to change a thing. And to make it often! It was delicious! Thanks for a great recipe!
Maria says
Can you please tell me what white wine do you use?
Siobhan says
Another winner! I was hesitant to make this recipe as the poaching sounded complicated…turns out it wasn’t at all! I can’t get puff pastry where I live so I made it from scratch and baked it separately like your Quick CPP recipe (so basically a hybrid of your two CPP recipes). Hubby and I loved this and will definitely be making it again as the weather cools down here in the northern hemisphere.
Louise Lourensz says
An absolutely deliscious pie. Ill be making this again.
Holly says
Very good. Opted to use boneless thighs. I baked it in a 12″ cast iron skillet but only had one sheet of puff pastry so I cut it into squares and covered the top within the skillet overlapping the squares slightly- was just enough pastry with a few little peep holes.
Thanks Nagi!
Carol says
Magi, this recipe is amazing! The flavour was spot on. My only issue was that the chicken was a bit tough and chewy. What did I do wrong when poaching?
Nagi says
Hi Carol, it definitely shouldn’t be tough or chewy, what type of chicken cut did you use? N x
Carol says
I used chicken breast.
Charlotte says
Hi Carol,
That happened to me too at first, I think I’m just impatient! I’ve been using my slow cooker for the chicken (1/2 the liquid quantity) and it’s so tender that way!
Elicia says
Beautiful flavour. All the fam loved it!
It was bit watery but that’s my cooking skills, was ignored by the flavour n succulent chicken. Better than any other chick pie Ive done. Did in a big dish instead but same same 😛
I’m excited about freezing also, think this will be great for the nights when you can’t do dinner
Aysh says
Hi Nagi, can I replace the chicken for a white fish?
Sarah says
Hi Nagi
My pie filling is super watery when cooked in the oven with the pastry on top. I added corn and broccoli to the recipe? Is this the reason? Sorry it is super thick and then went watery like the milk split
Nagi says
Hi Sarah, yes that could be the reason, if you’re adding vegetables with extra water content, it’s going to make the base a little ore watery unfortunately. N x
Julie says
This was amazing!
Kim B says
Absolutely brilliant, both my kids loved it.
Sandy says
Beautiful recipe! Loved that the broth used to poach the chicken creates that magnificent sauce! Ingenius! Thanks again, Nagi!
Laura McKeegan says
Hi Nagi, can I use almond milk instead?
Darcy says
Nagi, you know I love your recipes.
Myself and my partner made this tonight and wow. Game changer for us. Thanks for your beautiful recipes as always ❤️
Katrina says
Why do you recommend not to poach the chicken in cream?
Thank you
Nicola says
Made this tonight but used it as a filling for pies made in the pie maker. It made enough filling for 16 pies.
I have made Chicken Pot pies before but this recipe is full of flavour and is well worth the effort. I will definitely make again! Even hubby said they were very good.
Dee harris says
Yummy all you tips are sooo priceless like Cooling before
tx for all the great hints
Rachel says
I can use tenderloins, right?! 🤔
Nagi says
Yes definitely! N x