Chicken Pot Pie Recipe

You know that feeling when you walk into someone's house and it smells like pure comfort? That's what happens when I make this chicken pot pie recipe. Emily actually looks up from her phone when this is baking (which, trust me, is saying something these days!).

I learned to make chicken pot pie from my mom, who would make it every Sunday during fall. But honestly? Her version took forever and had way too many steps. This recipe is my streamlined version that doesn't skip on flavor but cuts out all the fussy parts that made me avoid making it for years.

The thing is, chicken pot pie has this reputation for being complicated. People think you need to be some kind of pastry chef to pull it off. But here's the truth – if you can stir a pot and roll out some dough, you've got this. The filling is basically a creamy chicken stew, and the crust? Well, it's easier than you think.

If you're looking for more cozy chicken dinners, you'll want to check out my easy chicken pot pie recipe with crescent rolls for an even quicker version.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Homemade Chicken Pot Pie
• Ingredients For The Best Chicken Pot Pie Recipe
• How To Make Chicken Pot Pie From Scratch
• Storage & Reheating Your Chicken Pot Pie
• Tips For Making The Perfect Chicken Pot Pie
• Chicken Pot Pie Recipe FAQs
• Recipes You May Like
• My Final Thoughts On This Classic Chicken Pot Pie
• Chicken Pot Pie

Why You'll Love This Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

• Actually doable for weeknight dinners – I know it looks fancy, but once you get the hang of it, you can have this prepped in 30 minutes
• Makes amazing leftovers – This reheats beautifully, and honestly tastes even better the next day
• Sneaks in vegetables – Mixed frozen veggies mean no chopping, and Emily doesn't even complain about eating her carrots
• That buttery, flaky crust – There's something about homemade pie crust that just makes everything better
• Perfect for feeding a crowd – This serves 8 people, so it's great for family dinners or when you have guests
• Freezer-friendly – Make two and freeze one for those nights when cooking feels impossible

Ingredients For The Best Chicken Pot Pie Recipe

Here's what you need for this easy chicken pot pie:

For the Crust:

• 1 recipe homemade pie dough, chilled (makes 2 crusts – one for top, one for bottom)

For the Filling:

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
• ⅓ cup butter (75g)
• ½ cup celery, sliced (50g)
• ⅓ cup onion, chopped (45g)
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour (40g)
• ½ teaspoon salt (2.5g)
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (0.5g)
• ¼ teaspoon celery seed (0.5g)
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder (1.5g)
• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon paste (or 1 bouillon cube) (5g)
• 1 cup milk (240ml)
• 8 ounces frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, peas, green beans, corn) (225g)

For the Egg Wash:

• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon milk (15ml)

A note about the vegetables – I use frozen because it saves so much time, and honestly? They work just as well as fresh. Plus, no chopping means one less thing to clean up.

How To Make Chicken Pot Pie From Scratch

Let me walk you through this step by step. It's not as scary as it looks!

Preparing The Chicken

1. Season your chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides.
2. Place the chicken in a large saucepan and cover completely with water.
3. Bring the water to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the chicken is just cooked through (about 15-20 minutes). Don't overcook it here because it'll cook more in the oven.
4. Remove the chicken to a plate and let it cool for a few minutes. Here's the important part – save about 1¾ cups of that cooking water in a measuring cup. This is liquid gold for your filling!
5. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, chop it into bite-sized pieces.

Making The Creamy Filling

6. In the same saucepan (see? Less dishes!), add the butter, onions, and celery. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes until they're soft and translucent. My kitchen smells amazing at this point.
7. Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, bouillon paste, and celery seed. This creates what's called a roux, and it's what makes your filling nice and thick.
8. Slowly pour in the reserved cooking water and milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. This is where I learned the hard way to go slow – I once dumped it all in at once and ended up with a lumpy mess!
9. Keep stirring over medium-low heat until the mixture thickens up. It should coat the back of a spoon.
10. Add your chopped chicken and frozen vegetables. Stir everything together and taste it. This is your chance to add more salt, pepper, or bouillon if needed.
11. Remove from heat and let the filling cool down. This is super important because if you put hot filling into your pie crust, it'll make the bottom crust soggy. I usually make the filling while the crust is chilling in the fridge.

Assembling Your Chicken Pot Pie

12. Preheat your oven to 425°F. Don't skip preheating – trust me on this one.
13. Take one disc of pie dough from the fridge. On a lightly floured surface (I use my kitchen counter), roll it out into a circle about 12 inches across. It doesn't have to be perfect – mine never is!
14. Carefully transfer the dough to your 9-inch pie pan. Let it settle into the pan naturally rather than stretching it.
15. Pour the cooled chicken pot pie filling into the bottom crust. Don't overfill it or it'll bubble over in the oven (learned that lesson the hard way).
16. Roll out your second disc of dough the same way you did the first.
17. Place the top crust over the filling. Trim any excess dough hanging over the edges.
18. Seal the edges by pressing them together with your fingers or a fork. I like to crimp mine for a prettier look, but Emily says it doesn't matter because we're just going to eat it anyway!
19. Use a sharp knife to cut a few small slits in the top crust. These vents let steam escape so your pie doesn't explode.
20. Whisk together the egg and tablespoon of milk to make an egg wash. Brush a thin layer over the top crust – this gives it that beautiful golden color.

Baking

21. Bake for 40-50 minutes, until the top crust is golden brown and you can see the filling bubbling through the vents.
22. If the edges start browning too quickly (which happens sometimes), cover them with strips of aluminum foil.
23. This is the hardest part – let the pie cool for at least 15-20 minutes before cutting into it. I know it's tempting, but if you cut too soon, all the filling will run out.

Storage & Reheating Your Chicken Pot Pie

Refrigerator: Cover any leftover chicken pot pie with foil or plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Honestly, it's so good the next day that I sometimes make it specifically for leftovers.

Freezing: You can freeze this either before or after baking. Wrap it really well in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. I like to write the date on the foil with a marker so I remember when I made it.

Reheating: For refrigerated leftovers, reheat individual slices in the microwave for about 2 minutes, or reheat the whole pie in a 350°F oven for 20-25 minutes. If reheating from frozen, thaw it overnight in the fridge first.

Tips For Making The Perfect Chicken Pot Pie

Can you use rotisserie chicken? Yes! This is actually my go-to shortcut. Use about 2-3 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken and substitute the reserved cooking water with chicken broth. Saves you a good 20 minutes.

What about store-bought crust? Listen, I'm all about homemade, but some days you just need easy. Store-bought refrigerated pie crust works great. You'll need one package that contains two crusts.

Make it ahead: This is perfect for meal prep. Make the filling and crust separately 1-2 days ahead, store them in the fridge, then assemble and bake when you're ready. Or assemble the whole thing and refrigerate it before baking.

Don't let the filling be too hot: I can't stress this enough. Hot filling = soggy bottom crust. Let it cool down to at least room temperature before assembling.

Customize your vegetables: Don't like peas? Leave them out! Want to add mushrooms? Go for it! This recipe is really forgiving.

Chicken Pot Pie Recipe FAQs

Recipes You May Like

If you're into this homemade chicken pot pie, you'll want to try these other cozy comfort foods:

• Healthy Chicken Pot Pie Soup – All the flavors in an easier-to-make soup form
• Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Dumplings – Another comforting chicken dinner that practically makes itself
• Old-Fashioned Baked Macaroni and Cheese – Perfect side dish for your chicken pot pie

My Final Thoughts On This Classic Chicken Pot Pie

Look, I'm not going to pretend this is a 15-minute meal. But here's what I will say – it's worth every minute. There's something about serving a chicken pot pie recipe from scratch that makes you feel like you've really accomplished something in the kitchen.

Emily asked me last week if we could have this for her birthday dinner instead of going out to a restaurant. That's when I knew this recipe was a winner. It's become our family's go-to comfort food, and I hope it becomes yours too.

The golden, flaky crust breaks apart to reveal that creamy, savory filling packed with tender chicken and vegetables. It's the kind of meal that makes everyone sit down together at the table, and these days? That's pretty special.

Give it a try this weekend. Save this recipe to Pinterest so you can find it again when you need it. And hey, if you make it, I'd love to know how it turned out!