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This homemade Chicken Pot Pie Recipe has a delicious from-scratch filling loaded with tender chunks of chicken and simple vegetables in a creamy sauce. It’s nestled between two layers of flaky pie crust, and it’s one of the tastiest ways to use up leftover chicken.
Few things taste better than a hearty scoop of homemade Chicken Pot Pie. If you have the chicken on hand but don’t want to make your own crust this second, you’re in luck! Store-bought pie crusts make excellent pot pies, and there’s no shame in using them.
When you have leftover rotisserie chicken or roasted chicken from the weekend, it can be magically transformed into comfort food that’s devoured by everyone at the table without a single complaint.
If you’re inner overachiever needs to be nourished, make two Chicken Pot Pies and pop one in the freezer for later. Full details are in the Tips and Variations section below.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Pie crust: You’ll need two crusts, top and bottom, to make pot pie. Store-bought pie dough is a simple shortcut to keep this recipe easy, but you can make homemade pie crusts if you prefer. Or, substitute puff pastry (learn more about that in my Vegan Pot Pie recipe).
- Chicken: Poached chicken, rotisserie chicken, or even leftover turkey all work well in this pot pie. I usually use chicken breast but dark meat works, too.
- Frozen mixed vegetables: I love the simple combination of frozen peas, corn, and carrots here, but you can substitute an equal amount of fresh vegetables (be sure to boil, blanch, or steam them before adding to the filling). Do not substitute raw vegetables.
Step-by-step instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees and adjust rack to middle position. Line a 9-inch pie dish with one unbaked crust, trimming any excess dough around the outside of the dish with a sharp knife. In large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 2 minutes.
- Whisk in flour until well-blended. Stir in broth and milk, simmering and stirring over medium-high heat until bubbly and thickened. Stir in chicken and mixed veggies and remove from heat. Season the mixture to taste with salt and pepper (I like 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper). Don’t skip this step or your filling may be bland.
- Spoon the chicken pot pie filling into prepared pie plate.
- Top with second crust; seal edge and flute. Cut small slits in several places in top crust. Cover edge of crust with strips of foil to prevent scorching.
- Bake 20 minutes. Remove foil strips and bake 15 to 20 minutes longer, until crust is golden brown.
- Let stand 5 minutes before serving and garnish with parsley if desired.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This easy chicken pot pie recipe makes one hearty, 9-inch pot pie. You’ll get about 6 generous slices out of it, more or less depending on how you cut it.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: To freeze your pot pie, first cool the filling completely before adding it to the crust. Cover with the top pie crust, seal, and cut slits. Wrap well in double layers of plastic wrap or aluminum foil and a freezer-safe plastic bag if possible. Label, date, and freeze up to 3 months.
- Bake from frozen: To bake your pot pie directly from the freezer, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover the top with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake until the temperature reaches 165 degrees when tested with an internal thermometer, about 30 minutes longer. Oven times may vary; be sure to check the temperature.
- Season the filling: Just like with casseroles, you need to season the filling before you fill the pie. If you don’t, your filling may be bland. You can also customize your filling with more flavor such as garlic powder or fresh thyme.
- Vegetables: Small cubes of peeled, diced potatoes, sweet potatoes, or celery would be delicious in pot pies. You either need to boil the potatoes or roast them, though, before adding them to the filling.
- Fresh herbs: Rosemary, parsley, thyme, or sage are delicious in this pot pie. Choose your favorite and throw it in while the sauce simmers.
- Egg wash: For medium color and shine, brush the top crust with 1 beaten egg + 1 tablespoon water before baking. For deep color and shine, brush the top crust with 1 beaten egg + 1 tablespoon heavy cream.
Frequently Asked Questions
To freeze your unbaked pot pie, first cool the filling completely before adding it to the crust. Cover with the top pie crust, seal, and cut slits. Wrap well in double layers of plastic wrap or aluminum foil and a freezer-safe plastic bag if possible. Label, date, and freeze up to 3 months.
To bake your pot pie directly from the freezer, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover the top with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake until the temperature reaches 165 degrees when tested with an internal thermometer, about 30 minutes longer. Oven times may vary; be sure to check the temperature.
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Chicken Pot Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pie crusts thawed (homemade or from 1 box store-bought, see note 1)
- 1/3 cup butter (about 5 tablespoons)
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 14 ounces chicken broth
- 1/2 cup milk
- 3 cups cooked chicken diced or shredded (see note 2)
- 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables thawed (see note 3)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees and adjust rack to middle position. Line a 9-inch pie plate with one unbaked crust.
- In large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 2 minutes.
- Whisk in flour until well-blended. Stir in broth and milk, cooking and stirring until bubbly and thickened.
- Stir in chicken and mixed vegetables and remove from heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I like 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper). Don't skip this step or your filling may be bland.
- Spoon into prepared pie plate. Top with second crust; seal edge and flute. Cut slits in several places in top crust. Cover edge of crust with strips of foil to prevent scorching.
- Bake 20 minutes. Remove foil strips and bake 15 to 20 minutes longer, until crust is golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Pie crust: You’ll need two crusts, top and bottom, to make pot pie. Store-bought pie crust is a simple shortcut to keep this recipe easy, but you can make homemade pie crusts if you prefer. Or, substitute puff pastry (learn more about that in my Vegan Pot Pie recipe).
- Chicken: Poached chicken, rotisserie chicken, or even leftover turkey all work well in this pot pie.
- Frozen mixed vegetables: I love the simple combination of peas, corn, and carrots here, but you can substitute an equal amount of fresh vegetables (be sure to boil, blanch, or steam them before adding to the filling). Do not substitute raw vegetables.
- Yield: This easy chicken pot pie recipe makes one hearty, 9-inch pot pie. You’ll get about 6 generous slices out of it, more or less depending on how you cut it.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
I sauté my diced potatoes with the onions. No need to roast, bake, or boil them. Just make your pot pie filling the way you’d make a soup, but obviously don’t add as much liquid. I think you’re overthinking it.
Thanks for sharing your tip, Heather! Since this recipe uses frozen vegetables that are stirred in, sautéing small cubes of potatoes with the onions as a variation to this recipe could work well. Thanks again! – Meggan
Made this for dinner last evening with amazing results. I may never buy another pot pie when you can make one at home that tastes so much better. Follow Meggan’s advice on seasoning the filling before adding to the crust. I amped up the seasoning a bit with some paprika, garlic and onion and powder. Scrumptious. Another Culinary Hill “gem”. Thank you Meggan and Team.
Big hit with my family! The kids were hoping for leftovers but we ate it all!! Great recipe!! Looking forward to making it again!!
Other than making my gravy a wee bit thinner and adding a few more mixed veggies, this is almost the same recipe I use and it’s excellent! I must try adding milk next time.
This was so good! It tasted every bit as good as the chicken pot pie I’ve made for years that takes hours to make and bake. I did precook the frozen mixed veggies in the microwave. The chicken breasts cooked for 10 minutes with QR in the Instant Pot while I did everything else. Next time I might try puff pastry or my own pie crust, or just make the filling and bake up some biscuits, but this recipe is definitely one I will make over and over. I’ve made several of your recipes and they are all amazing. Keep them coming!
Hi Barbara! I’m preparing to make this dish and wanted to ask you what “QR” means… is that a cooking feature on the instant pot? Thank you!
Meggan, I tried your sloppy joe recipe last night for the first time… and it tasted great! Now, I’m exploring more recipes on your website. Thank you! -Esther
Hi Esther, I’m not Barbara but QR means “Quick Release” also known as “Quick Pressure Release” on some instant pots. I am so glad you loved the sloppy joes!! They are my fave. If you need anything else, just let me know. :) -Meggan