Classic Chicken Pot Pie

I thought I knew what chicken pot pie was until I moved to Portland and my neighbor invited me over for dinner. What I’d been making at home was basically chicken soup with a sad piece of pie crust floating on top.

Real chicken pot pie has a thick, creamy filling that actually holds together when you scoop it. The vegetables should be tender but not mushy, and that bottom crust needs to be golden and flaky—not soggy. It took me three tries to figure out the secret is cooking the filling just right before it goes in the oven.

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What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?

You have plenty of options when it comes to the chicken for this pot pie. Rotisserie chicken from the grocery store is probably the easiest route – just pull off the skin and shred the meat with your hands or two forks. If you want to cook your own, chicken thighs will give you the most flavor and stay moist, while chicken breasts work great too if that’s what you have on hand. Leftover chicken from another meal is perfect for this recipe, and you can even use a mix of white and dark meat for extra flavor. Just make sure whatever chicken you use is fully cooked and cooled before you start shredding it.

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Options for Substitutions

This classic comfort food recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps:

• Refrigerated pie crusts: You can make your own pie crust from scratch if you prefer, or use a single crust and top with biscuits or puff pastry for a different twist. Just adjust baking time accordingly.
• Cooked chicken: Rotisserie chicken works great here, or you can use leftover turkey, especially around the holidays. You could even try cooked ham or beef for a completely different flavor profile.
• Frozen mixed vegetables: Use whatever vegetables you have on hand – fresh carrots, celery, peas, corn, or green beans all work well. If using fresh veggies, sauté them with the onions until tender.
• Milk: Heavy cream will make it richer, while chicken broth can replace the milk entirely for a lighter version. Half-and-half is a nice middle ground.
• Butter: Olive oil or vegetable oil can replace the butter, though you’ll lose some of that rich flavor. Use the same amount.
• Poultry seasoning: If you don’t have poultry seasoning, mix together ½ teaspoon each of dried sage, thyme, and rosemary, or just use whatever herbs you have in your pantry.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making chicken pot pie is rushing the roux – that butter and flour mixture needs to cook for at least 2-3 minutes while stirring constantly, or you’ll end up with a raw flour taste and thin filling that won’t thicken properly.

Another common error is adding cold broth to your hot roux, which can cause lumps, so gradually whisk in room temperature or warm broth for a smooth gravy base.

Don’t skip thawing and draining your frozen vegetables completely, as excess moisture will make your filling watery and cause a soggy bottom crust.

Finally, make sure to cut several steam vents in your top crust and brush it with milk or beaten egg for that golden-brown finish – this prevents the crust from puffing up too much and helps achieve that perfect color.

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What to Serve With Chicken Pot Pie?

Chicken pot pie is pretty much a complete meal on its own, but I love serving it with a simple side salad to balance out all that creamy goodness. A basic mixed greens salad with a light vinaigrette works perfectly, or you could go with a classic Caesar salad if you want something a bit more substantial. Some buttery dinner rolls are also great for soaking up any extra filling that might spill out when you cut into the pie. If you’re feeding a crowd, roasted green beans or steamed broccoli make nice veggie sides that won’t compete with the hearty flavors of the pot pie.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: Leftover chicken pot pie keeps really well in the fridge for up to 4 days. Just cover it tightly with foil or plastic wrap, or store individual slices in airtight containers. I actually think it tastes even better the next day after all those flavors have had time to meld together!

Freeze: This pot pie freezes like a dream for up to 3 months. You can freeze the whole thing or cut it into portions first – whatever works better for your family. Wrap it well in plastic wrap and then foil to prevent freezer burn, or use a freezer-safe container.

Reheat: To warm up refrigerated pot pie, cover it with foil and bake at 350°F for about 15-20 minutes until heated through. From frozen, thaw it overnight in the fridge first, then reheat the same way but give it an extra 10-15 minutes. You can also microwave individual portions, but the crust won’t be as crispy.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2100-2300
• Protein: 100-115 g
• Fat: 100-115 g
• Carbohydrates: 200-225 g

Ingredients

For the pastry crust:

• 1 box chilled pie dough (14.1 oz, room temperature)

For the filling:

• 1/3 cup unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup diced onion or 1 1/2 tbsp dried onion
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp poultry blend seasoning
• 1 3/4 cups chicken broth or stock
• 1/2 cup 2% milk
• 2 1/2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
• 2 cups frozen vegetable blend, thawed

Step 1: Cook and Shred the Chicken

• 2 1/2 cups cooked chicken, shredded

If your chicken isn’t already cooked and shredded, cook it using your preferred method — boiling, roasting, or using a rotisserie chicken works well.

Once cooked, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces and set aside.

I find that using rotisserie chicken is a real timesaver and gives the filling extra flavor.

Step 2: Prepare the Pie Crust

• 1 box chilled pie dough (14.1 oz, room temperature)

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).

Take your pie dough out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature if needed.

Gently press one of the pie crusts into a 9-inch pie plate, making sure it covers the bottom and sides evenly.

Set this prepared crust aside for the filling.

Step 3: Make the Creamy Filling

• 1/3 cup unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup diced onion or 1 1/2 tbsp dried onion
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp poultry blend seasoning

Melt the unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

Add the diced onion (or dried onion) and cook, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes until it becomes soft and translucent.

Sprinkle in the flour, salt, black pepper, and poultry blend seasoning.

Cook this mixture for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until a thick roux forms.

Step 4: Thicken the Sauce and Add Filling Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups chicken broth or stock
• 1/2 cup 2% milk
• 2 1/2 cups cooked chicken, shredded (from Step 1)
• 2 cups frozen vegetable blend, thawed

Gradually whisk in the chicken broth and milk, making sure to stir constantly to prevent lumps.

Continue cooking the mixture, stirring often, until it thickens and begins to bubble.

Once the sauce is thick, stir in the shredded chicken (from Step 1) and thawed mixed vegetables.

Remove the saucepan from the heat.

Sometimes I add a pinch more salt or pepper at this stage to make sure the flavor really stands out.

Step 5: Assemble the Pot Pie

• filling mixture from Step 4
• 1 box chilled pie dough (14.1 oz, room temperature) – second crust

Pour the hot filling from the saucepan into the prepared pie crust (from Step 2), spreading it evenly.

Place the second pie crust on top, sealing the edges by pinching or crimping them together.

Cut several slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape during baking.

Step 6: Bake the Pot Pie

Transfer the assembled pot pie to the preheated oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the crust is a deep golden brown.

To prevent the edges from burning, cover them with strips of foil during the last 15-20 minutes of baking.

Let the pie stand for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving — this helps the filling set up nicely.

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Classic Chicken Pot Pie

Delicious Classic Chicken Pot Pie recipe with step-by-step instructions.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Servings 4

Calories 2200 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the pastry crust:

• 1 box chilled pie dough (14.1 oz, room temperature)

For the filling:

• 1/3 cup unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup diced onion or 1 1/2 tbsp dried onion
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp poultry blend seasoning
• 1 3/4 cups chicken broth or stock
• 1/2 cup 2% milk
• 2 1/2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
• 2 cups frozen vegetable blend, thawed

Instructions

 

• If your chicken isn’t already cooked and shredded, cook it using your preferred method — boiling, roasting, or using a rotisserie chicken works well. Once cooked, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces and set aside. I find that using rotisserie chicken is a real timesaver and gives the filling extra flavor.
• Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Take your pie dough out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature if needed. Gently press one of the pie crusts into a 9-inch pie plate, making sure it covers the bottom and sides evenly. Set this prepared crust aside for the filling.
• Melt the unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the diced onion (or dried onion) and cook, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes until it becomes soft and translucent. Sprinkle in the flour, salt, black pepper, and poultry blend seasoning. Cook this mixture for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until a thick roux forms.
• Gradually whisk in the chicken broth and milk, making sure to stir constantly to prevent lumps. Continue cooking the mixture, stirring often, until it thickens and begins to bubble. Once the sauce is thick, stir in the shredded chicken (from Step 1) and thawed mixed vegetables. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Sometimes I add a pinch more salt or pepper at this stage to make sure the flavor really stands out.
• Pour the hot filling from the saucepan into the prepared pie crust (from Step 2), spreading it evenly. Place the second pie crust on top, sealing the edges by pinching or crimping them together. Cut several slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape during baking.
• Transfer the assembled pot pie to the preheated oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the crust is a deep golden brown. To prevent the edges from burning, cover them with strips of foil during the last 15-20 minutes of baking. Let the pie stand for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving — this helps the filling set up nicely.