Classic Chicken Pot Pie (Printable Version)
Savory chicken and vegetables in creamy sauce under golden flaky crust
# What You Need:
→ Chicken and Broth
01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced
02 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 cup frozen peas
04 - 1 cup frozen carrots
05 - 1 cup diced potatoes, peeled
06 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
07 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
→ Sauce
08 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
09 - 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
10 - 1 cup whole milk
11 - 1 teaspoon salt
12 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
13 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
14 - 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
→ Pastry
15 - 1 sheet store-bought puff pastry or homemade pie crust
16 - 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
02 - In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and celery; sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened and translucent.
03 - Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes to form a smooth roux and cook out the raw flour taste.
04 - Gradually whisk in the chicken broth and whole milk. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.
05 - Fold in the diced potatoes, frozen carrots, frozen peas, diced chicken, salt, black pepper, dried thyme, and dried parsley. Simmer gently for 8-10 minutes until the vegetables are just tender.
06 - Pour the hot filling into a 9-inch pie dish or deep baking dish, spreading it evenly.
07 - Roll out the puff pastry and drape it over the filling. Trim any excess dough, press the edges firmly to seal, and cut a few small slits in the top to allow steam to escape during baking.
08 - Brush the entire surface of the pastry crust evenly with the beaten egg to promote a deep golden-brown finish.
09 - Bake on the center rack for 35-40 minutes, or until the crust is puffed and golden brown and the filling is bubbling through the steam vents.
10 - Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving to allow the filling to set slightly.
# Helpful Hints:
01 -
- The sauce clings to every bite of chicken and vegetable, nothing swims or separates, and that alone took me years to master.
- Store bought puff pastry does all the heavy lifting while everyone assumes you spent hours on the crust.
02 -
- Whisk the broth in gradually because dumping it all at once guarantees a lumpy sauce that no amount of stirring can fix.
- The filling should be hot when you put the pastry on top because a cold filling beneath cold pastry leads to a soggy bottom crust.
03 -
- Cut your potatoes smaller than you think they need to be because nothing disappoints like a hard chunk of potato in an otherwise perfect bite.
- Brush the crust with egg wash right before it goes in the oven, not before, or it will slide off and pool at the edges.