My family loves homemade chicken pot pie, and this recipe is extra easy because the crust is made with store-bought puff pastry. Fresh chicken breasts, vegetables, and a savory, creamy sauce make this chicken pot pie a satisfying and comforting one-pot meal your family will repeatedly ask for. And there’s no crust to fuss with—squares of puff pastry make up the patchwork top crust.
I usually have chicken breasts on hand, so I included directions for poaching them, but you are welcome to use a rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken, which would make preparation even easier.
Ingredients for Easy Chicken Pot Pie
Chicken—Poached boneless chicken breasts or thighs, a rotisserie chicken, or leftover roast chicken.
Vegetables—Diced onion, celery, potatoes, and frozen carrots and peas. Or use a fresh diced carrot and cook it along with the onion and celery.
Gravy—Chicken broth, and a cream and cornstarch slurry.
Crust—One sheet of puff pastry, cut into squares and egg-washed before baking.
What To Serve With Chicken Pot Pie
A chicken pot pie is a full meal. The crust covers the bread element, then you have vegetables and protein. If you would like to balance the meal and add some texture and color to the dinner table, here are a few ideas:
- Coleslaw.
- Tossed green salad with a simple dressing.
- Fresh sliced tomatoes and cukes.
- Steamed green beans.
- Root Vegetable Roast.
- Roasted Brussels sprouts.
- Cranberry sauce or relish.
- Roasted potatoes, if you leave the potatoes out of the filling.
What Pan Is Best for This Chicken Pot Pie?
I used an oval Staub baking dish that holds about 8 cups, but any pan that holds at least 6 cups should be fine. You can sauté and bake the pie in a 10-inch cast iron skillet, or sauté in a skillet and transfer the filling to a baking dish or deep dish pie plate.
Make Ahead
Make the filling for chicken pot pie a day or two in advance. When it’s time to bake it, take it out of the fridge about 30 minutes ahead of time. Preheat the oven, prepare the puff pastry patches, and bake the pie as directed.
Recipe Variations
Fresh Carrots: Instead of frozen peas and carrots, add 1/2 to 1 cup of fresh diced or thinly sliced carrots along with the onions and celery and add about 1 cup of frozen peas to the filling when you add the chicken.
Herbs: Sauté about 3/4 teaspoon of dried leaf thyme or a poultry seasoning blend with the onions and celery, or add 2 to 3 teaspoons of fresh chopped herbs.
Turkey Pot Pie: Replace the chicken with diced cooked turkey. A great way to use holiday leftovers!
Vegetables: Replace the peas with frozen green beans, corn, or mixed vegetables.
How To Store Leftover Chicken Pot Pie
- Cover leftover chicken pot pie and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To freeze leftover pot pie, transfer it to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight.
- Cover the chicken pot pie with foil to reheat and bake in a 350 F oven for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for about 5 minutes longer, or until the filling is hot. It should register at least 165 F in the center of the filling.
Chicken Pot Pie With Puff Pastry Patchwork Crust
Puff pastry makes an easy and unique patchwork topping for this comforting chicken pot pie. Every bite delivers a forkful of flavor!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Chicken, Savory Pies, Puff Pastry
- Method: Bake
Ingredients
For the Chicken (or use leftover chicken or a rotisserie chicken)
- 1 pound boneless chicken breasts
- 2 cups chicken stock, preferably low-sodium
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 cloves garlic, halved
- A few sprigs of fresh herbs, such as thyme, rosemary, and sage
For the Chicken Pot Pie
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1 cup diced celery
- 12 to 16 ounces potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
- 1 1/2 cups frozen peas and carrots
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 sheet puff pastry (about 7 to 8 ounces)
- 1 large egg
- Fresh chopped parsley, chives, or thyme leaves, for garnish, optional
Instructions
For the Poached Chicken
- Place the chicken in a medium saucepan and cover with 2 cups of chicken stock. Add a bay leaf, garlic, and some fresh herbs. Bring to a boil; cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes until the chicken breasts reach at least 155 F. Strain the broth and set it aside. Shred or chop the chicken breasts and set aside.
For the Chicken Pot Pie
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When the butter begins to sizzle, add the onion and celery; cook for 4 to 6 minutes, until softened.
- Add the potatoes and 1 3/4 cups of the reserved chicken cooking broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
- Add the chicken and peas and carrots to the pot and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Combine the heavy cream and cornstarch in a cup or small bowl and whisk to make a smooth slurry. Add to the pot and cook, stirring, until thickened, adding more of the reserved broth, if necessary.
- Taste and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, as needed.
- Transfer the filling to a 1 1/2 to 2-quart baking dish, oven-safe skillet, or large pie plate—let it cool to room temperature.
- Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the to 425.
- Roll out the puff pastry into a 12-inch square and cut into 2 1/2 to 3-inch squares (about 16 squares). Arrange the squares on the filling, overlapping, leaving a few small bare spots for venting.
- Whisk the egg in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon of water. Brush lightly over the patches.
- Bake the pie until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
- Serve with a garnish of fresh chopped parsley, thyme leaves, or chives, if desired.
