This is one of those days that my mouth craves for something comforting and hearty without too much work. Mac and cheese already became a Sunday routine here at home, so I went for these delicious chicken pot pies instead. Flaky on the top and bottom, then filled with creamy, chunky chicken and veggies in the middle. Exactly what I’m looking for! Homemade chicken pot pie is the best!!! There’s something irresistible with hot crusty pie loaded with a scrumptious filling. I grew up with this soul-satisfying delicacy, although what I’m used to is a little different. It’s more like these African Meat Pies and Jamaican Beef Patties. However, this chicken pot pie always hit the home run without a doubt. I really love this chicken recipe because I can cook the chicken (if I have the time and energy) or pick up a rotisserie chicken from the store on the way home (if I don’t have time and energy).
Easy Homemade Chicken Pot Pie
Believed to have originated in Greece, Greek pot pies were meat cooked in open pastry shells. Eventually, the Romans borrowed and enhanced the recipe by adding a top to the pastry crust to enclose the meat pie. Thus, the birth of the pot pies that we have come to love these days. They come in different variations, but this homemade chicken pot pie recipe got a remarkable thumbs up from the crowd. I mean, how can you resist a pie filled with chunks of chicken, carrots, and peas in an easy, creamy highly-seasoned sauce? You just can’t! You can hardly stop at one slice.
How to Make Chicken Pot Pie Crust
Making the filling is simple and easy. But the chicken pot pie crust is waaay easier than you think it is. You can either buy a frozen pastry crust at your local grocery store (if you’re pressed for time) or do it from scratch using this 5-ingredient homemade pie crust. Both work fine, actually. If you want to go the homemade route, you can make it ahead of time and put it in the freezer until ready to assemble your chicken pot pie.
Mini Pot Pies
Bigger pies are great, especially when you’re serving family-style. Just place it on the table with a big spoon, so everyone can dig in for their piece. But when you’re hosting a mini gathering, these mini chicken pot pies are perfectly comforting to serve to your guests as an appetizer. And it looks great on the table, too. You can either serve them up in cute little oven-safe cups or ramekins like the ones below OR place them in muffin pans for easy clean-up. Bite-sized hearty pies for everyone! Don’t get too caught up with stews and soups. Switch things up every now and then!
Recipe Ingredients
Butter is the perfect substance to saute the onions. It adds flavor, something we all want more of, right?Onion is a veggie and a seasoning. How could you go wrong? Oh, and don’t forget my tips on how to chop onions.Celery is another healthy veggie that adds flavor. Interestingly, it can be sweet and slightly bitter at the same time. Thyme is an aromatic herb that is part of the humongous mint family, along with oregano and basil. For this recipe, I like fresh, but you can use dried if you prefer. See my Thyme Substitutes here if you don’t have one.Garlic adds pungency, in other words, a sharp distinctive flavor. It’s pretty spicy when raw and almost nutty when cooked, especially roasted.Carrots are rather sweet for a vegetable. Not only are they delicious, but they also add color to your dish.All-purpose flour thickens the gravy and keeps it from making the crust soggy.Half-and-half adds a rich creaminess to the gravy that makes it oh so drool-worthy.Chicken broth adds a rich meaty flavor to the gravy.Chicken is the star ingredient. You can cook it up by poaching a chicken breast, picking a rotisserie chicken on the way home, or using leftover chicken from the night before.Peas are another incredible vegetable that adds color along with flavor. Peas and carrots seem like the perfect match, and the baby peas are my favorites. However, you can use regular peas, too.Parsley is an excellent herb that goes so well with this recipe. Its aromatic oils make the dish smell extra special while cooking.Creole seasoning is my go-to spice mix to kick everything savory up a notch or two. Well, almost everything. And I always make it myself, so it comes out just like I want it.Salt and pepper are pantry-staple flavor enhancers that I would not know how to live without.Pie pastry dough envelops the chicken, gravy, and veggies for a moist and delicious pie. You can buy it premade or make your own pie crust.Egg & water or milk makes an egg wash that creates a beautifully golden and shiny finish on the top pie crust.
Alternative Ingredients
Dairy – If you would like a dairy-free version, you can replace the butter with olive oil and the half-and-half with unsweetened nut milk or chicken broth. Gluten – If you would like a gluten-free version, you can replace the all-purpose flour with cornstarch. Then you can substitute the pie crust with a gluten-free pie crust or simply leave it out and top it with mashed potatoes.
Serving & Storage Instructions
Make the chicken filling according to the recipe instructions, store it in an airtight container in the fridge, and chill until you need it or the next day. Freezing You can also freeze it at this point. It will last in the freezer for up to two months. When ready to use it, heat it gently in a pan until it is heated through, not boiling. And proceed with the instructions. Another option is to make two pot pies and freeze one before baking. It should last at least two months in the freezer. I would put it directly in the oven from the freezer and add 20-30 minutes to the cooking time. Refrigerating If you have leftovers, they will keep in the fridge for up to five days in an airtight container. Reheating If you want a perfectly reheated chicken pot pie, you definitely have to with the oven. Preheat the oven to 350℉/℃, cover the pot pie with aluminum foil, and heat it in the oven for 30-35 minutes. Also, make sure that the center reaches 165℉/℃ temperature for it to be reheated appropriately.
Serving Suggestions
This can be a one-pot meal, but I like it with a simple tossed salad and some homemade breadsticks. Another option is some Green Beans and Bacon to take advantage of the oven being hot.
More Southern Chicken Recipes
Southern Fried Chicken – When someone says “Southern Comfort Food,” the first thing that comes to mind is fried chicken. Now, not every recipe is worthy of being called comfort food, but this spicy and mouthwatering recipe is.Chicken ala King – marries different veggies, mushrooms, and chopped chicken all in a thick, flavorful, and creamy sauce.Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup – this rich and creamy recipe uses my secret weapon for a flavorful broth, evaporated milk. Why water your soup down with plain milk? Add some inventive spices and breathe in the wonderful aroma deeply.Nashville Hot Chicken – The crispy, crunchy coating and flavor-packed hot sauce make this dish perfect for game day or any day.
How to Make Chicken Pot Pie From Scratch
Prepare the Veggies
Preheat the oven to 400°F/204℃.Saute veggies – Heat butter or oil in a large pot over medium heat. Then add onions, celery, thyme, garlic, and carrots. Cook and stir for about about 6-7 minutes, until tender. (Photos 1 & 2)
Prepare the Filling
Make the roux – Stir in flour until flour has been fully incorporated, stirring for about a minute. Gradually stir in half and half and broth. (Photo 3)Make the gravy – Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir for about 2 minutes or until thickened and bubbles. (Photo 4)
Add the chicken – Gradually add in chicken, peas, parsley, Creole seasoning – remove from heat. Adjust salt, pepper, and seasonings to taste. (Photo 5-8) Assembly
Prepare the pie crust – Unroll pie crusts. Cover the bottom of the casserole and reserve the rest for the top. (Photo 9)Add the filling – Place chicken mixture into a 2-quart casserole dish or desired baking dish. Cover with remaining pastry. Trim, seal, and flute edges. (You may freeze unbaked pies at this point or cut slits in tops for steam to escape.) (Photo 10 & 11)Egg wash – Brush with egg wash mixture. (Photo 12)
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly and cooked through. (Photos 13 & 14)Mini Homemade Chicken Pot Pies in Ramekins – If you want to make mini pot pies, here’s the photo.
Watch How To Make It
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”yXI26Mjf” upload-date=”2021-08-27T07:00:00.000Z” name=”Homemade Chicken Pot Pie” description=”Fresh-from-the-oven Homemade Chicken Pot Pie is a hearty and tasty pie filled with creamy chunks of diced chicken, carrots, and peas. Serve them in bigger pot pies for a family weeknight meal or in mini pot pies when entertaining. The ultimate Southern comfort food!” player-type=”collapse” override-embed=”false”] This blog post was first published in Oct 2018 and has been updated with additional information and a video.
