Chicken Pot Pie
Chicken pot pie starts with a classic butter roux, builds into a thick, creamy filling with rotisserie chicken, peas, and carrots, and bakes inside a flaky double crust until the top is golden and the filling is bubbling at the edges. Using rotisserie chicken cuts out an entire cooking step and brings in flavor the filling would otherwise need to develop from scratch. This is a one-dish dinner that goes from fridge to table in under 90 minutes and reheats cleanly the next day. Find more easy dinner recipes in the Dinner Recipes collection.
Why You’ll Love This Rotisserie Chicken Pot Pie
- The chicken is already cooked. You can go straight to making the filling.
- The sauce is homemade. It’s creamy without a can of condensed soup.
- Frozen vegetables work well. There’s very little chopping.
- It makes a full dinner. One pie serves six generous portions or eight smaller ones.
- You can prepare it ahead. Make the filling in advance, then assemble and bake when you’re ready.
A Little History of Chicken Pot Pie
Chicken pot pie has been around in one form or another for a long time. Savory pies filled with meat and gravy were made in England before becoming part of American cooking. The dish has changed over time, but the idea of a hearty filling beneath pastry has stuck around.
Fun fact about chicken pot pie in the Northeast: There’s also a fun regional difference: in Pennsylvania Dutch cooking, “chicken pot pie” often means a thick, brothy soup made with square-cut noodles. This recipe features a double crust with creamy vegetable and chicken filling.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the filling:
- Rotisserie Chicken : Seasoned, slow-cooked meat that brings depth of flavor the filling would otherwise need to develop from scratch. Pull the chicken while it is still warm — the meat shreds more easily and stays moist in the filling. One medium rotisserie chicken yields roughly 3-1/2 to 4 cups shredded.
- Unsalted Butter : The base of the roux. Unsalted keeps you in control of seasoning — salted butter varies by brand and can push the filling over on salt before you have a chance to adjust.
- Low-Sodium Chicken Broth: The primary liquid that becomes the creamy sauce. Low-sodium gives you control over the final salt level.
- Whole Milk : Adds richness and body to the sauce. Whole milk produces a creamier result than reduced-fat alternatives.
- Frozen Peas and Carrots : Add directly from the freezer. Thawing releases extra moisture into the filling and can make it thin.
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
For the crust:
- 2 refrigerated pie crusts (one 14.1-oz package)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
How to Make Chicken Pot Pie
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Set a rimmed baking sheet on the oven rack to preheat with the oven — placing the pie dish on a hot sheet pan helps the bottom crust bake through.
- Melt butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until soft. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
- Sprinkle flour over the onion mixture. Stir continuously for 1 to 2 minutes — the mixture will look paste-like. This is the roux; cooking it for a full minute removes the raw flour taste.
- Pour in chicken broth and whole milk gradually, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Increase heat to medium-high and continue whisking until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low. Stir in shredded rotisserie chicken, frozen peas and carrots, salt, pepper, and dried thyme. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat.
- Unroll one pie crust into a 9-inch pie dish. Press it gently into the dish with the edges overhanging. Pour the filling into the crust.
- Unroll the second pie crust over the filling. Trim both overhanging crusts to about 1/2 inch beyond the rim. Fold the top and bottom crusts together and crimp or press with a fork to seal. Cut 4 to 5 small slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape.
- Whisk together egg and water. Brush the egg wash evenly over the top crust.
- Place the pie dish on the preheated baking sheet. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the crust is deep golden and the filling is bubbling through the slits. If the edges brown too fast, cover them loosely with strips of foil after the first 20 minutes.
- Let the pot pie rest for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing. The filling continues to set as it cools — cutting too early results in a runny filling.
Tips and Tricks for the Best Rotisserie Chicken Pot Pie
- Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Large chunks make the pie harder to slice and can leave some bites with little sauce.
- Use both light and dark meat if you have them. Thigh meat stays tender, while breast meat makes the filling hearty.
- Taste before adding the filling to the crust. Rotisserie chicken and broth already contain salt, so this is your chance to get the seasoning right.
- Let the filling cool for about 10 minutes. A brief rest makes the pie easier to assemble and keeps the dough from getting too soft.
- Don’t overfill the pie plate. Leave enough room to seal the edges. If you have extra filling, warm it separately and serve it over toast the next day.
- Use a rimmed baking sheet. Even a well-sealed pot pie can bubble over.
- Wait before cutting. The filling thickens a bit as it rests, and your slices will hold together better.
How to Keep Chicken Pot Pie from Getting Soggy
A soggy pot pie usually starts with filling that’s too thin or dough that gets too warm before baking. Cook the sauce until it has thickened, let the filling cool briefly, and keep the second crust chilled until you’re ready to place it on top.
For this double-crust recipe, a metal pie plate can help the bottom brown more evenly. A ceramic dish works too, but the bottom crust may stay softer. If you care most about a crisp crust, you can skip the bottom crust entirely and bake the filling under one top crust.
Easy Ways to Change It Up
- Add mushrooms: Cook about 1 cup of sliced mushrooms with the onion and celery until their moisture has cooked away. Then continue with the flour.
- Use different vegetables: Frozen green beans, corn, or a mixed vegetable blend all work. Keep the total close to 3 cups so the filling does not crowd the pie.
- Try fresh herbs: Swap the dried thyme for about 1½ teaspoons of fresh thyme leaves. A little chopped rosemary is good too, but use it sparingly because it can take over the filling.
- Make it top-crust-only: Spoon the filling into a deep pie dish, cover it with one crust, and bake until golden and bubbling.
- Use leftover turkey: Replace the rotisserie chicken with the same amount of cooked turkey. It’s a good way to turn holiday leftovers into a different dinner.
More Recipes to Try
If rotisserie chicken makes dinner easier at your house too, here are a few more recipes to add to the list:
- Chicken Salad for another way to use cooked chicken.
- Chicken Caesar Wrap for a quick lunch or lighter dinner.
- Slow Cooker Spinach Dip when you want something warm to share.
- Stuffed Peppers with Ground Beef for another cozy family dinner.
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Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients
For The Filling
- 2 refrigerated pie crusts or enough homemade dough for a double-crust 9-inch pie
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small yellow onion finely diced
- 2 celery ribs finely diced
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ¾ cup whole milk
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3½ to 4 cups chopped or shredded rotisserie chicken
- 3 cups frozen peas and carrots or frozen mixed vegetables
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley optional
Crust
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Fit one crust into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate and place it on a rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate the second crust.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until softened.
- Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually add the broth, stirring constantly. Stir in the milk, thyme, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce is creamy and thick enough to coat a spoon.
- Stir in the chicken and frozen vegetables. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add parsley, if using, and season to taste. Cool for about 10 minutes.
- Spoon the filling into the pie crust. Add the top crust, seal and crimp the edges, and cut several vents in the top.
- Whisk the egg and water together. Brush a thin layer over the top crust.
- Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the crust is golden and the filling bubbles through the vents. Cover the edges loosely with foil if they brown too quickly.
- Rest for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- Calories: 460
- Protein: 27 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fat: 25 g
- Fiber: 3 g
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different type of chicken?
Yes. Leftover roasted chicken, poached chicken breasts, or any fully cooked chicken can be used at the same quantity. Rotisserie chicken is convenient and seasoned, which adds to the filling’s flavor, but the recipe works with any fully cooked chicken.
My filling looks too thick before baking, is that right?
Yes. The filling should be thick almost paste-like -before it goes into the crust. It loosens during baking. If the filling is thin before baking, it will be watery when the pie comes out of the oven.
How do I keep the bottom crust from being soggy?
Preheat a rimmed baking sheet in the oven and place the pie dish on it before baking. The direct bottom heat crisps the bottom crust. Make sure the filling is thick enough — a thin filling releases steam that softens the bottom crust from the inside.
Can I make this in a casserole dish instead of a pie dish?
Yes. Use a 9×9 or 9×13 inch baking dish. A 9×9 dish will give a thicker filling layer; a 9×13 will be more shallow. Cut the top crust pieces to fit and press the edges against the dish sides. Baking time may need to increase by 5 to 10 minutes for a thicker 9×9 version.
Can I freeze an unbaked chicken pot pie?
Yes. Assemble the pie fully, wrap tightly, and freeze unbaked for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen at 400°F for 60 to 75 minutes, covering the edges with foil early to prevent over-browning. The top crust should be deep golden and the filling bubbling through the slits before pulling it from the oven.
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