This Chicken Pot Pie is made with tender leftover chicken or turkey and loads of veggies that are cooked in a succulent cream sauce. Buttery, flaky puff pastry encapsulates it all and leaves everyones bellies full of comfort and joy.
Chicken Pot Pie (Or Turkey)
Ahhhh. Chicken pot pie. With its rich, luscious filling hiding under a wonderfully flaky crust, it appears everyone is seduced by this nostalgic, comforting, and timeless combination. But as glorious as this dish can be, I am sure we have all experienced some pretty horrendous renditions. A watery, flavour-less filling with a soggy crust is just about my worst nightmare. Ditto for a dry, bland filling with way too much thickener. Uff.
Thankfully, you will find none of that here. Loaded with veggies that are enveloped in a super flavourful rich and creamy sauce, with chunks of juicy chicken (or turkey), and a crispy flaky crust, this chicken pot pie will make you swoon like no other.
I know I have called this a chicken pot pie but it’s Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend and you should 100% make this with your leftover turkey. I mean, sandwiches with leftover turkey are great. But a creamy pot pie filled with meat and veggies? Divine.
In fact, if you don’t feel like going the full turkey route this year, a turkey pot pie would be a fabulously elegant main to bring to the holiday table. There is a bit of effort involved, but the flavours are so glorious, they more than make up for it. Plus, we are taking a lot of shortcuts here with store-bought puff pastry and prepping that can be done way in advance.
Why You Will Love This Chicken Pot Pie Recipe
This is a beautiful, comforting chicken pot pie to welcome fall or to bring to the holiday table. Here’s all the reasons I am sure you will love it:
- Full of flavour: It is not bland, it is not bland, and it is not bland. When you crack through the crust of this chicken pot pie you will discover a heavenly scented chicken stew dotted with perfectly cooked, never mushy, vegetables. The not so traditional addition of parmesan cheese in the sauce ensures the flavour is rich and succulent.
- One pan: The entire dish is made in one skillet saving a bit of time and avoiding the hassle of transferring to a baking dish which makes it a little more weeknight friendly. That said, if making the chicken pot pie for a holiday table, you might consider transferring to a casserole dish for a nicer presentation.
- Can use store-bought chicken: I’m sure I don’t need to you sell you on the merits of a store-bought rotisserie chicken. Now that I think of it, I’m pretty sure I have only ever made chicken pot pie when I have leftover chicken (or turkey), or I have bought a rotisserie chicken.
- Uses puff pastry: I love homemade pie crusts but for chicken pot pie a puff pastry crust, with its shatteringly flaky layers is an easy quick-cheat that works great.
- Makes delicious use of leftovers: As mentioned, this chicken pot pie is fabulous with leftover turkey, or chicken. Leftover roasted vegetables such as potatoes, parsnips, turnips, and/or sweet potatoes are also great to throw in a chicken pot pie. This reduces the prep and cooking time significantly.
- Huge crowd pleaser: I have yet to meet someone that doesn’t get excited over a pot pie. Loved by kids and adults, it’s a sure bet when entertaining a crowd.
Recipe Ingredients And Notes
To be sure, this isn’t your old-school chicken pot pie recipe that uses canned cream chicken soup or frozen vegetables. Nothing wrong with frozen vegetables, I use them all the time. But aside for the peas, fresh veggies make a huge difference in this chicken pot pie. They maintain their structure without becoming mushy and flavourless. Very worth the bit of chopping.
- Shredded cooked chicken or turkey – I highly recommend taking a shortcut here by using a rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken or turkey. If you need to cook the chicken, poached some chicken breasts or bake some skin-on, bone-in chicken breast, or chicken thighs, which have more flavour and stay juicy.
- Veggies – Carrots, celery, and peas, are the classic pot pie vegetables but I also love it with mushrooms and potatoes. The mushrooms add a rich complexity to the sauce that I absolutely love. If you prefer to leave them out, you can absolutely do so.
- Onions and garlic – Onions are pretty standard in a pot pie but you could also use leeks or shallots. Garlic doesn’t seem to be listed in most chicken pot pie recipe. Here we do use garlic, and quite a bit of it. I believe wholeheartedly it makes a huge difference to the finished dish. If you really don’t feel like chopping one more thing, go ahead and use a teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Flour – A bit of flour will help thicken the gravy.
- Milk – For the creamy base in chicken pot pie. Whole milk is best but you can use 2% if you prefer. If you’re avoiding dairy, almond milk will work beautifully.
- Low-sodium chicken or turkey broth – Use homemade or a good quality store-bought brand. I really like this brand which is available everywhere.
- Parmesan cheese –This ingredient in a chicken pot pie is game changer. It adds sooo much flavour with lots of rich, salty umaminess. If avoiding dairy, you can replace with nutritional yeast, or leave it out.
- Salt – Most of the time, when a chicken pot pie is bland, it is imply because it is under seasoned. I cannot stress enough that the filling needs to be very well-seasoned or it will taste flat and flavour-less. Before you top the filling with the crust, make sure it tastes perfect because you can’t go back.
- Fresh thyme – Chicken pot pie benefits a lot from some herby goodness. Thyme goes well with the chicken and creamy sauce.
- Puff pastry crust – You will need 1 sheet of puff pastry for this recipe, preferably one that is all-butter (as opposed to vegetable oil). Puff pastry is so easy to work with and will save you a lot of time. It’s flaky, buttery layers are glorious on top of the chicken pot pie. I know some chicken pot pies include a crust underneath the filling as well, but in my opinion, they always turn out soggy. I prefer using only a crust on top which ensures it stays crispy and flaky. If you wish to use a more traditional pie crust, feel free to do so. You can make your own or use a store-bought crust.
*Completely optional, but a good splash, or two, of white wine or vermouth to deglaze the pan is a really good idea.
Step-By-Step Instructions With Photos
- Preheat oven to 425ºF. Heat oil in a large (12-inch) high-sided skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add mushrooms and onion; cook until onion is soft and mushrooms have released their liquid, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the carrots, celery, and potatoes and toss to combine.
- Sprinkle the flour and thyme over all the vegetables and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute to get rid of the raw flour flavour, stirring often to avoid burning. The mixture will look very dry and clumpy, that’s okay.
- Pour in the milk slowly followed by the broth, and stir constantly until smooth. Season generously with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then let simmer for 5 to 8 minutes until thickened. Stir in 1/3 of the Parmesan cheese.
- Add the cooked chicken and frozen peas and stir until everything is well combined. Simmer a little longer if the filling needs to thicken. Otherwise, remove from heat and allow to cool if baking the chicken pot pie in the same skillet. Before topping with puff pastry, smooth the top of the filling and press down on it a little to make sure most of the ingredients are submerged in sauce. Sprinkle the remaining parmesan cheese over top.
- Roll out puff pastry on a lightly floured surface into a 14″ square (or large enough to cover skillet with a bit of overhang). Drape the pastry over the skillet and snip off any excess making sure to leave at least 1″ border all around. Fold the edges under and crimp to seal with your fingers or a fork.
- Brush top of pastry with egg wash, and use a sharp knife to cut a few small slits in the center so steam can escape.
- Bake pot pie until filling is bubbly and crust is puffed and light golden brown, 25 to 35 minutes. Let sit 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Thickening Tips For Chicken Pot Pie
It is important to remember that the filling might seem very saucy prior to adding the cheese and chicken. Once you add these ingredients, the filling will thicken considerably. If it still seems too saucy you have two options:
- Remove a large ladle of sauce and mix in a little flour or cornstarch (no more than 1 tablespoon). Stir into the filling and simmer until thickened.
- Alternatively, allow the filling to simmer a little longer to further reduce and thicken the sauce.
Note: With this recipe, I have never had to add more flour or cornstarch to my chicken pot pie filling. Add the extra thickener as a last resort.
Pan Variations
For this recipe, we cook the entire dish in a large, 12-inch, ovenproof skillet. If you prefer, you could also cook the filling in any pan, then transfer to smaller individual pie dishes, or to a 9×13 pan.
Alternatively, you can divide the mixture between two 8-inch pie dishes for two separate pies.
Make Ahead And Storage Tips
This chicken pot pie is very make-ahead friendly. The entire filling can be prepared a few days ahead then topped with the crust just before baking. Here’s my tips on how to do it:
- Make Ahead. Prepare and cook the filling. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. When ready to use, reheat gently in a large skillet. Once warm, allow to cool slightly then top with crust. Bake as instructed.
- To Store. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Or freeze leftovers in a airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
- Reheat. Leftover chicken pot pie can be reheated in a pie dish in a 350ºF oven until warmed through. Reheat frozen leftovers directly from the freezer in a preheated 350ºF for about 30 minutes or until warmed through. The crust of reheated chicken pot pie will not be as flaky but it will still be delicious.
- Freeze whole pie. You will have more success freezing an unbaked chicken pot pie than a baked one. To freeze, prepare the filling and allow to completely cool. Transfer to a freezer-safe dish then top with crust. Wrap the entire dish tightly with foil and freeze for up to 2 months.
- Bake from frozen. Preheat oven to 400˚F and bake for 30 minutes with the foil on top. Remove the foil and bake for another 30 minutes or until filling is bubbling and crust has puffed and turned golden brown.
Pro tip: Here is a great tip if you plan on making this chicken pot pie the day after Thanksgiving (or a few days after). While you’re chopping onions, celery, potatoes, or carrots for any of your Thanksgiving dishes, chop a few more and store in the fridge until you need them. Huge time saver for when you are ready to make the chicken pot pie. Note that the potatoes and carrots should be stored in cold water.
What To Serve With Chicken Pot Pie
This chicken pot pie is loaded with veggies and completely filling and satisfying all on its own. That said, we always enjoy alongside a leafy green salad.
If serving this as part of a holiday meal, it would be fabulous with any of these sides:
- Brussels sprouts
- Delicata squash salad
- Haricots Vert
- Wild Rice Citrus Salad
- Cranberry Sauce (such as this one)
- Balsamic Roasted Shallots
- Carrot Soup
More Thanksgiving Recipes To Try
- Spatchcock Turkey With Dry Brine
- Roast Turkey with Braised Red Cabbage
- Roasted Delicata Squash with Quinoa Salad
- Creamy Cauliflower Purée
- Wild Mushroom Focaccia Stuffing
- Sweet Potato Gratin
Easy Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 oz. cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 3 large garlic cloves minced (or 4 cloves, if small)
- 2 cups carrots from about 3-4 medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 celery stalks finely chopped
- 1 large yellow potato peeled and finely chopped
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves from about 10 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 cup milk any kind works, but preferably whole
- 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth homemade or store-bought
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 cup grated Parmesan, divided
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken or turkey breast *see notes
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 store bought puff pastry thawed overnight in the refrigerator and kept cold until ready to use
- 1 egg lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Place oven rack in lower third of the oven and preheat oven to 425° F.
- Heat oil in a large high-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add mushrooms and onion; cook until onion is soft and mushrooms have released their liquid, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in the carrots, celery, and potatoes and toss to combine. Reduce heat to medium and sprinkle the flour and thyme over all the vegetables and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute to get rid of the raw flour flavour, stirring often to avoid burning. The mixture will look very dry and clumpy, that's okay.
- Pour in the milk slowly followed by the broth, and stir constantly until smooth. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoon salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then let simmer for 5 to 8 minutes until thickened.
- Stir in 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese. Add the cooked chicken and frozen peas and stir until everything is well combined. Simmer a little longer if the filling needs to thicken. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if necessary. It should taste really good at this point. If it doesn't, add just a bit more salt.
- Remove from heat and smooth the top of the filling, pressing down a little to make sure most of the ingredients are submerged in sauce. Allow to cool slightly if baking the chicken pot pie in the same skillet. Sprinkle remaining parmesan evenly over the top.
- Roll out the cold puff pastry on a lightly floured surface into a 14" square or large enough to cover your pan with a bit of overhang. Working quickly so the puff pastry stays cold, drape the pastry over the skillet and snip off some of the excess making sure to leave at least 1" border all around. Fold the edges under and crimp to seal with your fingers or a fork.
- Brush top of pastry with egg wash, and use a sharp knife to cut a few small slits in the center so steam can escape.
- Bake the pot pie until filling is bubbly and crust is puffed and light golden brown, 25 to 35 minutes. Let sit 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Make Ahead. Prepare and cook the filling, holding back the parmesan cheese. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. When ready to use, reheat gently in a large skillet, adding about 1/2 cup more broth to loosen. Once warm, add the 1/3 cup parmesan cheese to the filling and mix to combine. Allow to cool slightly then top with remaining cheese and crust. Bake as instructed.
- To Store. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 300ºF oven until warmed through. The crust will not be as flaky but it will still be delicious.
- Reheat. Leftover chicken pot pie can be reheated in a pie dish in a 350ºF oven until warmed through. The crust will not be as flaky but it will still be delicious.
- To Freeze. You will have more success freezing an unbaked chicken pot pie than a baked one. To freeze, prepare the filling and allow to completely cool. transfer to a freezer-safe dish then top with crust. Wrap the entire dish tightly with foil and freeze for up to 2 months.
- Bake from frozen. Preheat oven to 400˚F and bake for 30 minutes with the foil on top. Remove the foil and bake for another 30 minutes or until filling is bubbling and crust has puffed and turned golden brown.
Lisa McQuarrie
Hi Sandra ,
We made this last night and loved it! I did make a few substitutions as per allergies. I used almond milk as the milk, and an almond flour pastry crust. Not quite as luscious as puff pastry but a good-enough substitution! I made 2 smaller pies, and we will get 2 meals for our little family. This is a new family favourite for sure!
Sandra Valvassori
Sounds fantastic, Lisa! So glad you loved it and thank you for sharing your substitutions. Always so helpful for others.
Isabel
Made this for Sunday dinner. A huge success. We all loved it. I really couldn’t figure out what to do with the rest of the parmesan but just added it. Loved it.
Sandra Valvassori
Yay so happy to hear this, Isabel! Sorry about the parmesan cheese, I have fixed it now. It gets sprinkled over top right before covering with the puff pastry, but stirring it in works fine too! Thank you so much for writing and letting us know you enjoyed it!