Chicken Pot Pie
In short: Chunks of chicken, carrots, peas and potatoes in a creamy herb sauce, sealed under a golden flaky pastry crust and baked until bubbling. It takes about 2 h 20 min in total and makes 8 servings.
- Prep
- 50 min
- Cook
- 1 h 30 min
- Resting
- 30 min
- Total
- 2 h 20 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 530 kcal
Chicken pot pie is a classic of American home cooking, a creamy chicken and vegetable stew baked under a flaky lid. This version poaches the chicken for a flavorful broth, builds a velvety sauce from butter, flour, broth and a little cream, and covers the filling with a quick butter pastry. Everything can be prepared a day ahead, which makes it a good choice for cold evenings.
Instructions
- Rub the butter into the flour and salt until the pieces are pea-sized. Add the ice water a tablespoon at a time until the dough holds together. Flatten, wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Put the chicken, water, bay leaf and salt in a pot and bring to a gentle simmer. Poach for 20 to 25 minutes, until the chicken reaches 74°C (165°F). Lift it out, strain the broth and keep 500 ml (2 cups). Shred the meat, discarding the skin and bones.
- Melt the butter in the clean pot. Cook the onion, carrots and celery for 8 minutes until soft, then stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes.
- Whisk in the reserved broth and the cream gradually. Add the thyme, salt, pepper and potato and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring, until thick and the potato is tender.
- Stir in the chicken, peas and parsley and let the filling cool for 15 minutes. Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Pour the filling into a 2 L (2 qt) deep pie dish. Roll the pastry on a floured surface into a circle about 4 cm (1 1/2 in) wider than the dish, lay it over the filling, press the edge, trim and crimp. Cut 4 slits and brush with the egg wash.
- Bake on a baking sheet for 35 to 40 minutes, until the crust is deep golden and the filling bubbles. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Tips
- Short on time? Use about 450 g (1 lb) of shredded cooked chicken and 500 ml (2 cups) of good chicken stock and skip the poaching.
- Let the filling cool a little before the pastry goes on, or the butter in the crust melts before it bakes. A thawed sheet of puff pastry also makes a quick lid.
Questions and answers
Can I make chicken pot pie ahead of time?
Yes. Assemble it, cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day before baking, or freeze the unbaked pie for 2 months. Bake it from frozen at 180°C (350°F) for 60 to 75 minutes, covering the crust loosely with foil if it browns too fast, until the filling bubbles in the center.
Why is the bottom of my pot pie soggy?
A pie with only a top crust cannot have a soggy base, so the issue is usually a thin filling. Cook the sauce until it coats a spoon and cool the filling slightly before baking.
Can I use puff pastry for the topping?
Yes. Lay a thawed sheet over the filling, brush it with egg wash and bake at 200°C (400°F) for about 30 minutes until puffed and golden.
How long does it take to make Chicken Pot Pie?
About 2 h 20 min in total: 50 min of preparation and 1 h 30 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Chicken Pot Pie?
About 530 kcal per serving, with 26 g of protein, 41 g of carbohydrates and 29 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 530 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 26 g |
| Carbohydrates | 41 g |
| Fat | 29 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 5 g |
| Sodium | 690 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
