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?? 😂)
I have a few all time favorite pie recipes that generally do, but i loved the look of this one and i was not disappointed! So delicious! I substituted thyme for tarragon as all mine thyme is dead :(. Will add to my favorite recipes!
Thanks so much for letting me know Danni!
Made this last night and got 2 excited ‘thumbs up’ from my partner!
This was absolutely delicious. Your recipes make up majority of the meals in my house lately and I love them!
Thank you for bringing back the excitement I used to have when cooking meals from scratch!
That’s so great to hear B!
Hi Nagi, Just wanted to let you know I made this today – a very cold Tassie day here ! I have no Puff pastry on hand and I am not close to shops, so I have topped the chicken filling with Sweet Potato mash – DELISH !! Love your site for inspiration on my “dont know what to cook” days ! 🙂
That’s a great idea Karen! I’m so glad it worked out for you – N x
These were fantastic! I sprinkled a little Kosher salt on top before baking. Family gobbled them up !
Awesome Cheryl!
Loved this recipe!!! This was one of the best dishes I’ve made!! And perfect for winter, too!!
I HAVE SO MUCH TROUBLE READING YOUR NOTES IN THE PALE BLUE COLOR . MY PC? MY GLASSES? MAYBE DARKER BLUE OR RED?HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET DOZER.
Delicious! Husband approved!
Winning!
I’d never made a pie before and was searching the internet for a delicious looking, easy to follow recipe. This recipe ticked all the boxes! So easy to follow, all the tips and notes were very helpful. Instead of celery I used leek and mushrooms. I also made it as one big pie. The pie turned out perfectly, pastry and filling were delicious! Will absolutely be making this again!
Thank you!!
Delicious! Made this tonight (normally do a diff version) and whole family loved it. I added some button mushrooms that were languishing in the fridge but other than that no other changes. It took me a little longer than I would normally have time for mid week but I’m on holidays so went for it. It’s actually our 3rd Nagi recipe in a row so that tells you everything.
just love it !!!!!!Thank you Nagi Your recipes always work and always are winners!!!!!
You’re welcome Martha!!! — Nx
Hey, Nagi this might sound like a really dumb question ? But if you wanted to make this into a 9 inch pie using puff pastry how do I do so …do I bake it first or how do I layer them (in case I don’t use the puff pastry can I use Pillsbury pie crust instead ?) if I do use that how should I proceed with the baking method 😶sorry this is my first time trying out a recipe like this 😭 normally it’s my mom and dad who cooks and since my sister is coming back from UNI I wanted to surprise them with this ❤️
Hi NAGI Tin Eats:
Writing from Lunenburg, NS, CDA again. Love, love, love your recipes and your wonderful upbeat attitude. Such a pleasure all the time.
Thanks so much Su!!
Hi! If I were to use thigh fillets, would I still have to fork it apart? Or can I just chop it into chunks instead?
This recipe is a winner!! I made this 2x as my husband & kids loved, loved, loved this. The only thing I changed was to add mushrooms and omit peas as we don’t like peas 🙂 Thank you Nagi for another great recipe!!!
Loved it the best I have ever had
The BEST chicken pot pie I have ever had – the wine and Parm are spectacular and distinctive additions! I recently found your site and have discovered a bunch of meals that I need to make. If only you could spell FLAVOR properly. ;^)
Hi Tom, I’m so glad you loved the flavour of these pies!! 😉
Oh, I can tell this is a winner even before I make it. This will be on my table this week for sure!
I hope you love it Brian!
Made this for dinner tonight- four individual bowls typically used for French Onion Soup. The size was perfect. I topped them with Pillsbury Crescent Roll Dough to save some calories and fat. The crust was OK, but I’m sure nowhere near as good as the puff pastry. The pie filling, however, was excellent. It’s definitely a keeper! I’ve tried several chicken pot pie recipes over the years and none of them come close to this one! So glad I found your site! Thanks Nagi!
Wahoo!!!!
Excellent. RecipeTin is my goto.
Woot! Thanks so much Ryan!
Hi Nagi. I want to cook this recipe as I have leftover chicken from your ‘Chicken Noodle Soup’. (Amazing may I add). To cook pies from step 4 as you have already commented is fine but, Step 8 requires half on the poaching liquid. What do we use instead? Thank you my sweet.
Hi Christine, You need half the poaching liquid – so use 1 cup of milk, 1/2 cup stock and 1 tsp vegeta ☺️
I have leftover cooked chicken I want to use. Do I still need to let it simmer for 15 minutes? Is it necessary to thicken the broth? How do I proceed with chicken that is already cooked?
Thanks for your attention xxx
Hi Mimi, if your chicken is already cooked, start from step 4 and proceed – I hope you love it!
Wow. This recipe knocked it out of the park. Normally I never change or vary a recipe for the first time. I did not check pantry in advance and when I looked for the puff pastry it was noware to be found. So I opted to make savory dumplings. You really recipe made those dumplings shine
Oh great idea Bill, I’ll have to give it a go! Thanks for the feedback!
This was absolutely delicious! I made it exactly as written, except I had to substitute tarragon for the thyme in the filling because that was what I had. Hubby loved it, so this is definitely going in the “make again” file. Thank you!
Hello, this sounds DELICIOUS, I was just wondering if the white wine is optional what else can you replace it with?
Hi Ann, Just substitute with chicken broth. N x