Easy Chicken Pot Pie Recipe: Ready in Just 60 Minutes
his chicken pot pie recipe skips the all-day production most versions demand and gets a flaky, golden crust over a rich, creamy filling on the table in about an hour, start to finish. The trick that makes this chicken pot pie doable on a busy weeknight instead of turning into a Sunday-afternoon project is using rotisserie chicken, rather than cooking a raw bird from scratch.
Why You’ll Love This One
Chicken Pot Pie The filling gets its body from a simple butter-and-flour roux, not a can of condensed soup, so it tastes like actual chicken gravy instead of something poured from a tin. And because the chicken is already cooked, the whole filling comes together on the stovetop in under 15 minutes before it ever goes in the oven.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend to make this gluten-free; also swap the pie crust below for a gluten-free version)
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup whole milk (or unsweetened oat milk for a dairy-free swap, plus a dairy-free butter alternative)
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken (a rotisserie chicken works well and saves time)
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Read Also: Buffalo Chicken Dip
For the crust:
- 1 package (2 crusts) refrigerated pie crust, or a homemade double crust if you have one on hand
- 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water (for the egg wash)
Recipe Timing
Servings: 6 | Difficulty: Beginner-friendly | Cuisine/Course: American, Main Course Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 35 min | Resting Time: 10 min | Total Time: 60 min
The 10-minute rest after baking isn’t optional if you want clean slices. Cut into it right away and the filling runs everywhere instead of holding its shape.
Equipment
A 9-inch pie dish, a large skillet or saucepan for the filling, and a whisk to keep the roux smooth are really all you need. A pastry brush makes the egg wash easier but a spoon works in a pinch.
Chicken Pot Pie Instructions
1. Preheat and prep the crust. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Let the refrigerated pie crusts sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes so they’re easier to unroll without cracking. Fit one crust into the bottom of a 9-inch pie dish.
2. Soften the vegetables. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns translucent and the vegetables have softened, about 6 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
3. Build the roux. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes. This cooks off the raw flour taste; it should smell slightly toasty, not burnt.
4. Add the liquid. Slowly pour in the chicken broth while whisking, followed by the milk. Keep whisking to work out any lumps, then bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring often, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, roughly 4 to 5 minutes.
5. Finish the filling. Stir in the shredded chicken, frozen peas, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper, then taste and adjust. Remove from heat.
Food safety note: if you’re cooking your own chicken from raw instead of using rotisserie chicken, cook it to an internal temperature of 165°F before shredding, and use a separate cutting board and utensils for raw poultry to avoid cross-contamination with the rest of the ingredients.
6. Assemble the pie. Pour the warm filling into the crust-lined pie dish. Top with the second crust, trim any excess overhang, and crimp the edges to seal. Cut 4 to 5 small slits in the top crust to let steam escape.
7. Egg wash and bake. Brush the top crust with the egg wash. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the crust is a deep golden brown and you can see the filling bubbling up through the vents.
Read Also: White Chicken Chili
8. Rest before serving. Let the pie rest for 10 minutes before slicing. This gives the filling time to set up so your slices hold together instead of collapsing into soup on the plate.
Key Tips
- Room-temperature pie crust unrolls without cracking along the fold lines; cold-from-the-fridge crust tends to split.
- Don’t rush step 3. Undercooked flour leaves a slightly pasty taste in the finished filling.
- If your filling looks thinner than you’d like after simmering, give it another minute or two on the heat. It thickens more than it looks like it will.
Troubleshooting
My Chicken Pot Pie bottom crust turned out soggy. This is the most common complaint with any double-crust pot pie, and with Chicken Pot Pie specifically it happens because the filling is hot and wet when it meets raw dough. A few fixes: make sure your filling has actually thickened to coat-the-spoon consistency before it goes in the crust (a too-thin filling is the biggest culprit), let the filling cool for 5 minutes before pouring it in, and bake on the lowest oven rack so the bottom crust gets more direct heat. Some bakers blind-bake the bottom crust for about 10 minutes before filling; that works for this Chicken Pot Pie too if you want extra insurance.
The edges of my crust are browning too fast. Loosely tent the edges with a strip of foil partway through baking, once they’ve reached the color you want, and let the center of the pie catch up.
My filling is too thick after baking. Next time, pull back on the simmer time in step 4 by a minute or two, since the filling will continue to thicken slightly in the oven.
Variations
- Turkey pot pie: Swap the chicken for leftover shredded turkey, which works especially well the week after a holiday meal.
- Biscuit-topped pot pie: Skip the top crust and drop biscuit dough over the filling instead for a more rustic, casserole-style version.
- Extra vegetables: Diced potato or sliced mushrooms both work well stirred in during step 2 with the other vegetables.
Serving Suggestions
A simple green salad with a sharp vinaigrette cuts through the richness of the Chicken Pot Pie filling nicely. It’s also a complete meal on its own, so you don’t really need a side at all if you’re short on time.
Storage, Reheating, and Freezing
Storage: Cover leftovers and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Warm individual slices in a 350°F oven for about 15 minutes, or until the filling reaches 165°F, to keep the crust from getting soft in the microwave.
Freezing: You can freeze the assembled, unbaked pie for up to 2 months. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Bake straight from frozen at 400°F, adding 20 to 25 extra minutes and tenting the crust with foil if it browns too quickly before the center is hot.
Allergen Information
As written, this Chicken Pot Pie recipe contains dairy (butter, milk), gluten/wheat (flour, pie crust), and egg (egg wash). For a dairy-free version, use a plant-based butter and unsweetened oat milk. For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and a gluten-free pie crust. The egg wash can be skipped or replaced with a milk brush if you need an egg-free crust, though the crust won’t brown quite as deeply.
These substitutions change the Chicken Pot Pie but don’t guarantee it will be free of any allergen. Always check your specific product labels, and check with a doctor or allergist if you’re cooking for someone with a serious allergy.
Read Also: Chicken Salad Recipe
FAQs
Can I make chicken pot pie ahead of time?
Yes. You can make the filling up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate it separately from the crust, then assemble and bake when you’re ready. You can also assemble the whole pie unbaked and refrigerate it for up to a day before baking.
Why is my pot pie crust soggy on the bottom?
Usually because the filling wasn’t thick enough or went into the crust too hot. Simmer the filling until it coats the back of a spoon, let it cool for a few minutes before assembling, and bake on a lower oven rack for more direct bottom heat.
Can I use raw chicken instead of rotisserie chicken?
Yes. Cube raw chicken breast or thighs and cook it through in the butter before adding the vegetables, making sure it reaches 165°F internally before you move on to the next step.
How do I know when the pie is actually done?
Look for a deep golden-brown crust and filling visibly bubbling up through the vents, usually at the 30 to 35 minute mark at 400°F.
Can I freeze a baked pot pie instead of an unbaked one?
You can, though the crust holds up better when frozen unbaked. If you do freeze a baked pie, thaw it in the fridge overnight and reheat in a 350°F oven until warmed through.
Conclusion
This chicken pot pie recipe earns its place in a regular dinner rotation because it uses the roux-and-broth filling that actually tastes like something you made, without the multi-hour time investment of simmering a whole chicken. That roux-and-broth filling is really what sets this chicken pot pie apart from versions that skip straight to canned soup instead. Keep a rotisserie chicken and a couple of pie crusts on hand and it’s genuinely a weeknight-doable meal, not just a weekend one.
Easy Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Fit one crust into a 9-inch pie dish.
- Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook onion, carrot, and celery until softened, 6 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Stir in flour and cook 1 to 2 minutes.
- Whisk in broth, then milk. Simmer until thickened enough to coat a spoon, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Stir in chicken, peas, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper.
- Pour filling into crust. Top with second crust, seal edges, and cut vents.
- Brush with egg wash. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until deep golden brown and bubbling.
- Rest 10 minutes before slicing.
