A hearty chicken and vegetable filling topped with a homemade cheddar cheese pie crust makes this a family favorite in my house. You’ll love my take on a classic chicken pot pie—comforting, flavorful, and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser!
Chicken pot pie is one of my favorite all-in-one meals on a cold winter day. This recipe is also a great way to use up any leftover veggies or chicken. Feel free to switch up the vegetables to your favorites!
How to Make a Chicken Pot Pie
Prepare the Crust: The pie crust needs to chill for 30-60 minutes before use, but it can also be made several days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. To make the crust, cut the cold, cubed butter into the flour using a pastry blender or your fingers until it resembles a coarse crumbs. Stir in the shredded cheese. Then add the ice-cold water mixing gently until the ingredients come together into a dough. Divide the dough in two and form two discs. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before rolling out.
Make the Filling: In a large sauté pan or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook until they start to soften about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and potatoes, cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes. Add the flour until the veggies are coated, then slowly whisk in the chicken broth, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom. Add the peas and let the veggies simmer until tender. Remove from heat and stir in the cooked chicken.
Assemble and Bake: Pour the filling into a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish. Roll out the pie crust—it will be slightly thicker than normal. Place the crust over the filling and brush with an egg wash. Bake until the crust is golden brown and crispy, and the filling is bubbling.
Pot Pie Variations
This recipe is easy to adjust to your tastes:
- Change Up the Veggies: Add bell peppers or mushrooms, swap potatoes for sweet potatoes, or skip the celery
- Turkey Pot Pie: Swap out the chicken for turkey to use up those Thanksgiving leftovers
- Veggie Pot Pie: Omit the chicken and substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth. Add in 1-2 cups of additional vegetables like mushrooms, bell peppers, sweet potatoes, or parsnips.
- Quick Chicken Pot Pie: Use store-bought pie crust or puff pastry for a faster version.
Double it to Freeze
Make a double batch and freeze a pot pie for later. Unbaked pot pies freeze beautifully. Simply thaw in the fridge and then bake as directed.
Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients
Cheddar Cheese Pie Crust
- 2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 3/4 cup ice water
Chicken and Vegetable Filling
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 medium Yukon Gold potato (cubed into 1/4 inch pieces)
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup peas
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
Instructions
Cheddar Cheese Crust
- Cut Butter into Flour: Cube the butter into 1/2-inch pieces. Use a pastry blender or your fingers to cut the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse sand with some larger chunks.
- Add Cheddar: Stir in the shredded cheddar.
- Add Ice Water: Stir until a rough dough comes together. If it's too dry, add in 1 tablespoon of water at a time until in come together. If it's too wet, add in one tablespoon of flour at a time to absorb excess moisture.
- Chill: Press the dough into a rectangle and wrap it in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
Chicken and Vegetable Filling
- Sauté the Onions, Carrots, and Celery: In a large sauté pan, melt the butter. Stir in the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook until the vegetables start to soften and the onions are translucent.
- Add the Garlic and Potatoes: Stir in the garlic and potatoes. Cook for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
- Add Flour: Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook until all the butter is absorbed and the vegetables are evenly coated.
- Whisk in Chicken Broth and Spices: Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, scraping the brown bits from the bottom. Add the red pepper flakes, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook until the sauce thickens and the vegetables are tender.
- Add Peas and Chicken: Mix in the peas and cook for a few minutes until they are warm. Then add the shredded chicken. Remove from heat. Pour the filling into a 9 x 13 pan.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 400℉
- Assemble: Roll out the cheddar crust into a large rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Cover the filling with the crust. Brush with an egg wash (a lightly beaten egg mixed with a splash of water).
- Bake: Bake the pot pie for 20-25 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Serve immediately.
Notes
Other Dinner Ideas
Check out other favorites for dinner
