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Mains · American

Chicken Pot Pie

A creamy chicken-and-vegetable filling under a flaky, golden double crust: Sunday comfort on a weeknight.

Hands-on
25 min
Hands-off
45 min
Total
1 h 10 min
Makes
6 servings
Serves
6

The oven heats and the crusts soften while you make the filling, so preheating isn't added to the total. Bake is 15 min + 15-25 min more, then 5 min standing. Total = 25 min active + 45 min hands-off (up to 40 min baking, 5 min standing). If your pie is done at the short end of the bake, it's ready closer to 1 hour.

Oven 220 °C · 200 °C fan (425 °F)

Pan 23 cm glass pie plate (US: 9-inch glass pie plate)

  • easy
  • comfort-food
  • leftover-chicken
  • family-dinner
  • winter

Verified against at least two trusted test kitchens or food-safety guides · Last checked · What this means

Illustration of Chicken Pot Pie
Amount
Units
Oven

Ingredients

You need: 23 cm (9 in) glass pie plate · 2-litre (2-quart) saucepan · wooden spoon or whisk · strainer (for thawing the vegetables) · sharp knife · aluminium foil · instant-read thermometer · oven mitts

Contains: milk · wheat

Method

  1. Soften the crusts, heat the oven

    Leave the 2 pie crusts on the counter for 15 minutes so they unroll without cracking. Heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan, 425°F). If the 2 cups (475 ml) of frozen vegetables are still frozen, tip them into a strainer and run cool water over them until thawed, then drain well.

    Ready when: The oven has finished heating and the crust unrolls without cracking.

  2. Line the pie plate

    Press one crust firmly into the bottom and up the sides of the ungreased 23 cm (9 in) glass pie plate, leaving the extra hanging over the edge.

  3. Soften the onion

    Melt 75 g (1/3 cup) butter in the saucepan over medium heat. Add 47 g (1/3 cup) chopped onion and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring often.

    Ready when: The onion is soft and translucent, not browned.

  4. Stir in the flour

    Stir in 40 g (1/3 cup) flour, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper until there are no dry patches left.

    Ready when: The butter and flour form a smooth, bubbling paste with no white streaks of flour.

  5. Make the sauce

    Slowly pour in 415 ml (1 3/4 cups) chicken broth and 120 ml (1/2 cup) milk, stirring all the time. Keep cooking and stirring until it bubbles and thickens, a few minutes.

    Ready when: The sauce bubbles across the whole surface and is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.

  6. Fill the crust

    Stir in 2 1/2 cups (600 ml) shredded cooked chicken and the thawed vegetables, take the pan off the heat and spoon the filling into the lined pie plate.

    Ready when: Off the heat: the filling is hot, thick and evenly mixed, with no icy vegetables left.

  7. Top, seal and vent

    Lay the second crust on top. Fold the extra top crust under the bottom crust's edge, press to seal into a thick rim and flute it. Cut a few slits in the top so steam can escape.

    Otto tried this firstOtto seals the lid beautifully and forgets the slits. The steam has nowhere to go. He gets the pie back out (with oven mitts), cuts four slits, and it goes back in.

  8. Bake, then shield the edge

    Bake for 15 minutes. Then cover the crust edge with strips of foil (or a foil ring that leaves the centre open) so it doesn't over-brown.

    Ready when: Not done yet: the edge is starting to colour but the top is still pale.

  9. Finish baking and rest

    Bake 15 to 25 minutes more. Let the pie stand for 5 minutes before cutting.

    Ready when: The top crust is golden brown and the filling bubbles through the slits. A thermometer pushed into the centre of the filling reads at least 74°C (165°F).

Swaps

  • Instead of cooked chicken: the same amount of leftover cooked turkey or shredded rotisserie chicken Ham or a 340 g (12 oz) can of tuna in water also work.
  • Instead of frozen mixed vegetables: 2 cups of any other thawed, bite-sized vegetables without sauce, such as peas, broccoli or cauliflower Keep the total at 2 cups so the filling isn't too wet.
  • Instead of chicken broth: bouillon paste mixed with water Cut the salt to 1/4 tsp, because bouillon is saltier.
  • Instead of plain filling: add 1/2 tsp dried thyme (or dried basil, oregano or Italian seasoning) with the flour Use 1 tsp if the herbs are fresh.

Don’t swap

  • a shiny metal or disposable foil pan for the glass plate: the bottom crust can turn soggy

Make ahead, store & reheat

Make ahead
Not a good make-ahead pie: the wet filling soaks into the crust as it waits. Fill, bake and serve the same day. You can cook and shred the chicken ahead and keep it in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, wrapped or in a sealed container, and eat within 3 to 4 days. Freezing isn't recommended: the crust turns soggy when reheated.
Reheat
Cover a slice and microwave on 70% (medium-high) power for 2 to 3 minutes, until the centre reaches 74°C (165°F).

If something goes wrong

  • Soggy bottom crust Why: A shiny metal or thin foil pan, or the pie sat filled before baking.
    Use a glass or ceramic plate (a dull aluminium one is next best) and bake it as soon as it's filled.
  • Edges too dark before the top is golden Why: The edge wasn't covered.
    Add the foil strips or a foil ring after the first 15 minutes of baking.

Good to know

  • A 23 cm (9 in) glass pie plate gives the flakiest bottom crust.
  • Thaw frozen vegetables in a strainer under cool running water and drain well, so they don't water down the sauce.

Safety

  • The filling must reach at least 74°C (165°F) in the centre. Check with a thermometer, especially if you use leftover chicken.
  • The bubbling filling is much hotter than the crust looks. Let the pie stand 5 minutes, and serve children a slice that has cooled a little.
  • The oven, the plate and the foil get very hot. Use oven mitts; kids should let an adult move the pie in and out of the oven.
  • Store-bought crusts and broth vary: check the labels for allergens (some broths contain celery or soy) and for lard if you cook for someone who avoids it.