Chicken Pot Pie (Print Version)
Comforting chicken and vegetable pie with creamy sauce and flaky crust; serves 6, adaptable gluten-free.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken and Broth
01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced
02 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 cup frozen peas
04 - 1 cup frozen carrots
05 - 1 cup diced potatoes, peeled
06 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
07 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
→ Sauce
08 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
09 - 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
10 - 1 cup whole milk
11 - 1 teaspoon salt
12 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
13 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
14 - 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
→ Pastry
15 - 1 sheet store-bought puff pastry or homemade pie crust
16 - 1 egg, beaten for egg wash
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and celery, sautéing for 3 to 4 minutes until softened and translucent.
03 - Sprinkle the flour over the softened vegetables and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes to form a smooth roux.
04 - Gradually whisk in the chicken broth and whole milk. Continue cooking and stirring until the sauce thickens, approximately 5 minutes.
05 - Fold in the diced potatoes, frozen carrots, frozen peas, diced chicken, salt, black pepper, dried thyme, and dried parsley. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until the vegetables are just tender.
06 - Pour the filling into a 9-inch pie dish or deep baking dish, spreading it evenly.
07 - Roll out the puff pastry and drape it over the filling. Trim any excess dough, press the edges firmly to seal, and cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape during baking.
08 - Brush the pastry crust evenly with the beaten egg to promote a golden, glossy finish.
09 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the crust is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling at the edges.
10 - Allow the pot pie to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The creamy filling tastes like it took all day but comes together in under an hour, which makes you feel a little like a kitchen wizard.
- That golden puff pastry crown rising in the oven will make everyone in your house appear in the kitchen asking when dinner is ready.
- It reheats beautifully the next day, so you will actually look forward to lunch tomorrow.
02 -
- Skipping the rest time will leave you with a soupy mess on the plate because the filling needs those minutes to thicken back up after bubbling in the oven.
- Do not skip the roux step or rush it, because undercooked flour will give the entire dish a flat, pasty taste that no amount of seasoning can fix.
03 -
- Warm your milk slightly before adding it to the roux because cold liquid hitting hot flour is the number one cause of lumpy sauce.
- Drape the pastry loosely over the dish rather than stretching it tight so it has room to shrink slightly while baking without pulling away from the edges.