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.

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.

Why This is the Best Chicken Pot Pie

Even though this homemade chicken pot pie might take a little bit of work, it is well worth it. Especially when you simply need a plate of the ultimate comfort food.

And boy is it ever 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.

The filling is incredible and totally adaptable based on your family’s favorite veggies. I’ll give you some suggestions of what we love, but feel free to use whatever your family likes best.

But the crust is really where this homemade pot pie shines. 

I love pot pies with puff pastry or biscuit crusts, but for me, nothing supersedes a pie crust.

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!

How to Make Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

Ok, are you ready to chat about making this chicken pot pie? I promise it’s totally doable, even for a beginner cook. You’ve got this. 

Ingredients you’ll need

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

• 3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 cup shortening
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon ice water
• 1 tablespoon vinegar

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.

The egg also 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.

For the chicken filling, you will need:

• 1/3 cup salted butter
• 4 cups assorted diced vegetables
• 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

Remember how I said you could use any veggies you and your family like best?

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.

We most often use rotisserie chicken in this recipe, but you can also use leftover roast turkey from Thanksgiving. 

We have even made a vegetarian version of this recipe for my cousin by omitting the chicken (add some more hearty veggies in its place) and using vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.

Making the pie crust

To get started, whisk the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Add the shortening and use a pastry blender to cut it into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

In a measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the egg, ice water, and vinegar. Drizzle this over the flour-and shortening mixture.

Now, use a fork to stir everything together just until the dry ingredients are moistened. It won’t look like dough yet, so don’t panic.

Turn the mixture out onto a floured surface and use your hands to bring it together into a ball. Cut the ball in half and put half of it in the refrigerator while you roll out the rest.

Roll the remaining half to ⅛-inch thickness and large enough to fit into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate or a regular 10-inch pie plate. 

Gently lift the pastry into the pie plate and trim the edges. Place the pie plate into the refrigerator while you make the filling. 

Making the filling and assembling the pie

To make the filling, melt the butter in a large, high-sided skillet or dutch oven. 

Once the butter has melted, add the vegetables and saute until they are crisp-tender – aka, tender, but still with a bit of a bite to them.

Depending on what vegetables you are using, I suggest adding longer-cooking veggies – such as onions, potatoes, and carrots – to the pan first. Let them cook for a few minutes before adding faster-cooking vegetables such as green beans or corn.

Once the vegetables are crisp-tender, add the flour and stir to coat.

Slowly add the chicken stock and the half-and-half and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick and bubbly. This usually takes around 5 minutes.

Once thickened, add the chicken, salt, and pepper. Taste and add more salt or pepper as desired. Remove the filling from the heat.

Roll the second half of the pastry on a floured surface until it is large enough to cover the top of your pie plate. Spoon the filling into the pastry-lined pie plate and top with the rolled pastry.

Trim, seal, and flute the edges of the crust, then cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape.

Whisk together the egg wash and gently brush it over the top crust. This is optional, but gives the pie a really beautiful golden finish.

Bake the pie for 30 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbly. 

Let the pie rest for at least 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Recipe FAQs

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.

4.87 from 15 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

• Emile Henry 9-inch Deep Pie Dish
• OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Bladed Dough Blender and Cutter
• Rolling Pin

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

For the pastry:

• ▢ 3 cups flour
• ▢ 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• ▢ 1 cup shortening
• ▢ 1 large egg beaten
• ▢ 5 tablespoons ice water
• ▢ 1 tablespoon vinegar

For the Filling:

• ▢ 1/3 cup salted butter
• ▢ 4 cups assorted diced vegetables examples: potatoes – regular or sweet, onions, carrots, broccoli, corn, peas, butternut squash, green beans
• ▢ 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.
• 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.
• 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 a 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. 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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

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.

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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