If you’re craving comfort food, warm homemade chicken pot pie always hits the spot. This completely from-scratch recipe features a double buttery, flaky pie crust encasing tender chicken and vegetables in a rich and creamy sauce. Watch the video tutorial to see how it comes together!
I originally published this recipe in 2014 and have since added new photos and a video tutorial.
This is my very favorite chicken pot pie recipe. If you haven’t tried it in the past several years, I bet it will be your new favorite, too!
The reader-loved recipe uses my homemade pie crust (it’s not just for Thanksgiving pies, after all!) for a sturdy base on the bottom and a golden, flaky cloak on top. In between the pie crust layers is a mixture of chicken and veggies in a creamy, rich white gravy that is full of flavor. It goes without saying that this double-crust chicken pot pie is the ultimate comfort food and one of my favorite fall dinner recipes.
One reader, Amy, commented: “This is the new celebration meal, favorite meal, go-to meal & just-because meal in my house. Everyone loves this!! I make it exactly as written. The crust is legendary and I’ve used it for all crust-requiring recipes. I’ve also passed this recipe to my friends, and equally glowing reviews from them. ★★★★★”
Here’s Why You’ll Love This Chicken Pot Pie:
- Satisfying, comforting all-in-one meal
- 100% homemade
- Gravy-like sauce is rich, creamy, and so flavorful
- Double the buttery, flaky pie crust for double the deliciousness
- Customizable—use your favorite meats and vegetables
- A wonderful make-ahead recipe
One reader, Emily, commented: “This is SO incredibly good. I followed the recipe to the T (including the pie crust recipe, which was my first time making pie crust ever) and it came out absolutely perfect. As always, your instructions are so clear and your recipe is perfect!… ★★★★★“
Start by Making the Pie Dough
Before you start on the filling, have your pie crust prepared, chilled, and ready to go. I love using this homemade pie crust, a dough made from both butter AND shortening to yield the flakiest, most tender crust. It needs to chill for at least 2 hours (and up to 5 days) before rolling out, so I always make it in advance. You could also use this all butter pie crust if you’d prefer a shortening-free option.
Grab These Ingredients for the Pot Pie Filling:
- Chicken: The recipe calls for uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, but you can absolutely make this with chicken thighs instead. You can also use pre-cooked chicken—see recipe Notes.
- Carrots & Celery: You’ll start by cooking these together with the chicken in a pot of boiling water, then drain.
- Butter, Onion, & Garlic: The aromatic flavor base for many sauces and soups, including creamy chicken noodle soup.
- Flour: Flour thickens the sauce.
- Seasonings: We’re flavoring this pot pie filling with salt, pepper, and thyme.
- Chicken Stock/Broth: Feel free to use vegetable broth/stock instead.
- Half-and-half: This is the magic ingredient for a rich, creamy sauce that coats the meat and vegetables in the pot pie filling.
- Frozen Peas: Here’s where you can mix things up and add the vegetables you love most or simply have on hand. I usually use frozen peas. No need to thaw or cook them, just add them directly into the pot pie. Add them at the end—if you cook them with the other vegetables and chicken, they’ll lose their vibrant green color and taste a little mushy.
These Step-by-Step Photos Will Help
Cook the chicken, carrots, and celery in a pot of boiling water, then drain. (See recipe Notes if using pre-cooked chicken.)
In a skillet or separate pan, cook down the onion and garlic in butter. Whisk in the flour, salt, pepper, and thyme. (Major flavor building is happening here!)
After the flour soaks up the moisture from the cooked vegetables, add the broth and half-and-half. Let everything simmer and thicken on the stove, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is a thick, gravy-like consistency.
Roll out the first half of pie dough into a 12-inch circle, and fit it into your pie dish.
Add the cooked chicken and veggies, followed by the frozen peas, and pour/spread the gravy on top.
Roll out the second half of pie dough into a 12-inch circle, and lay it over the filling. Seal and crimp or flute the pie crust edges, then slice a few small slits in the top crust, to allow steam to escape.
Don’t forget the egg wash! The egg wash is what gives the crust its golden, glistening sheen. Without it, your pot pie will look a little dull. To make it, simply whisk 1 egg with 1 Tablespoon of milk (I just use a fork to whisk). You can use a pastry brush to brush the top crust and edges.
Bake in a hot oven (425°F (218°C)) until golden brown. The pot pie doesn’t take too long, because the filling is already cooked; you’re really just baking the pie crust and letting the filling ingredients and flavors mingle together.
The sauce in chicken pot pie is typically a gravy. I use a seasoned white gravy made from scratch with flavor-building ingredients, chicken broth, and half-and-half.
I have a trick for this! I add the filling ingredients including the chicken and vegetables first, and then pour the gravy on top. You’re not pouring the gravy directly on the bottom pie crust this way. The gravy seeps down slowly as the pot pie bakes, which gives the bottom crust some time to crisp up. Additionally, I recommend using a glass or metal pie dish for the best crust. Pies cooked at such a high temperature can bake unevenly in ceramic pie dishes.
Yes, absolutely. Skip adding the bottom pie dough to the pie dish and when the gravy is done and comes off heat, mix it with the chicken/carrot mixture, and then spoon into ungreased pie dish. I recommend lowering the oven temperature to 375°F (191°C) because there is just 1 crust to bake. Bake time is 35–40 minutes or until the top of the crust is golden brown. See my turkey pot pie recipe instructions—that recipe uses just 1 top crust.
Chicken Pot Pie Variations
- Pie Crust: I love using my homemade pie crust recipe for today’s chicken pot pie. Using a combination of butter and shortening yields the flakiest, most tender and buttery crust. For a pie crust made without shortening, try my all butter pie crust. Store-bought pie crust or even puff pastry also work!
- Meats: Turkey works wonderfully instead of chicken. If using pre-cooked meat, you can skip the boiling step, and cook the carrots and celery with the butter and onion. See recipe Note.
- Vegetables: Try adding corn when you add the peas. Feel free to add 1 diced Yukon gold potato; cook until soft with the onion. You can also throw in a cup of sliced mushrooms or chopped zucchini—add them when you cook the onion. I wouldn’t add ALL of these veggies, though, as there isn’t enough gravy for it all. Stick to 2 cups of veggies + 1 potato or less. (Onion doesn’t count.)
- Seasonings: Taste and season this pot pie however you like! Try adding fresh chopped parsley, rosemary, or sage. As long as there is thyme, salt, and pepper, the extra seasoning in the pot pie is up to you.
Craving a biscuit variation? This biscuit vegetable pot pie isn’t your typical classic pot pie recipe, but it’s quicker and easier.
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Description
This double crust chicken pot pie is perfect when you’re looking for cold weather comfort food. Check out the step-by-step photos above, as well as my Notes at the end of this recipe.
Ingredients
- Homemade Pie Crust or All Butter Pie Crust (both recipes make 2 crusts, 1 for bottom and 1 for top)
- 1 pound (450g) skinless boneless chicken breast or thighs, cubed
- 1 cup (about 130g) sliced carrots (about 2 carrots)
- 1/2 cup (about 40g) sliced celery
- 1/3 cup (5 Tbsp; 71g) unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup (45g) chopped yellow onion (1/2 of a small onion)
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/3 cup (41g) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1 and 3/4 cups (420ml) chicken broth/stock (I recommend reduced sodium)
- 2/3 cup (160ml) half-and-half*
- 1 cup (125g) frozen peas
- egg wash: 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon (15ml) milk
- optional: sprigs of fresh thyme for garnish
Instructions
- The crust: Prepare either pie crust recipe through step 5, including chilling for at least 2 hours. I usually make the crust the night before. The pie crust recipe makes 2 crusts and you’ll be using both crusts.
- In a large pot, combine chicken, carrots, and celery. Add enough water to cover the chicken and vegetables, then place over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then allow to boil for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, drain, and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, combine the butter, onions, and garlic. Stirring occasionally, cook until the onions are translucent and the butter is lightly browning. Whisk in the flour, salt, black pepper, thyme, chicken broth, and half-and-half. Cook and whisk until no flour lumps remain, then simmer over medium-low heat until thick. I simmer mine for 10 minutes. You want it to be a very thick gravy; simmer longer if necessary. Taste and add more seasonings if you prefer. Sometimes I add more thyme. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C).
- After the pie dough has chilled: On a floured work surface, roll out one of the discs of chilled dough (keep the other one in the refrigerator). Turn the dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls until you have a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Carefully place the dough into a 9-inch pie dish that’s 1.5–2 inches deep. Tuck the dough in with your fingers, making sure it is smooth. With a small sharp knife or kitchen shears, trim the extra overhang of dough and discard.
- Spoon the chicken and vegetable mixture into the crust. Scatter the frozen peas on top. Pour/spread the gravy evenly over top.
- Roll out second half of pie crust dough just as you did the first. Cover the pie with the second crust and trim the extra overhang off the sides. Crimp the pie crust with a fork to seal the edges. With a small sharp knife, slice a few small slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape. Using a pastry brush, brush crust and edges with egg wash.
- Bake for 32–38 minutes or until the top of the crust is golden brown. After 20 minutes of baking, be sure to cover the edges of the crust with aluminum foil or use a pie crust shield to prevent the edges from getting too brown. (See this post on the best pie baking tools for instructions on how to make a pie crust shield out of foil.)
- Remove from the oven and cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Makes amazing leftovers—the filling is so thick on the next day! Reheat as desired. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Filling and gravy can be prepared 1 day in advance, cover and chill in the refrigerator. Assemble, fill, and bake the next day as directed. The pie crust dough can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using. The unbaked OR baked pot pie freezes well for up to 2–3 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake as directed (if unbaked); or (if baked before frozen) bake, covered with foil, at 375°F (191°C), until warmed through.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Whisk | Rolling Pin | 9-inch Pie Dish | Pastry Brush | Pie Crust Shield
- Pie Crust: Two 9-inch refrigerated or frozen (and then thawed) store-bought pie crusts are just fine instead of homemade.
- Can I skip the bottom pie crust? Yes, absolutely. Skip adding the bottom pie dough to the pie dish and when the gravy is done and comes off heat, mix it with the chicken/carrot mixture, and then spoon into ungreased pie dish. I recommend lowering the oven temperature to 375°F (191°C) because there is just 1 crust to bake. Bake time is 35–40 minutes or until the top of the crust is golden brown. See my turkey pot pie recipe instructions if you’d like.
- Can I use a puff pastry topping instead? You can use thawed store-bought puff pastry instead of a top pie crust (keep the bottom pie crust or skip it). However, keep in mind that the underside of the dough (that touches the filling) usually ends up tasting soggy.
- Can I use a biscuit topping instead? Biscuits are a great alternative to pie crust for a pot pie. You can skip the bottom pie crust and use the biscuit topping from this biscuit vegetable pot pie.
- Half-and-half: You can use half heavy cream and half whole milk instead, or use all whole milk. I wouldn’t use lower-fat milks; the gravy will be too thin.
- Filling Variations: This is a wonderful recipe if you have extra meat or leftover veggies to use up. Turkey works wonderfully instead of chicken. You can use pre-cooked meat. Simply skip the boiling step and cook the carrots and celery with the onion and butter. Try adding some corn (frozen or fresh) when you add the peas. Feel free to add 1 diced Yukon gold potato. Cook the diced potato with the onion and butter, until fork-tender. Mushrooms or chopped zucchini are great too; you can add 1 cup sliced mushrooms when you cook the onion and butter. I wouldn’t add ALL of these veggies, though, as there isn’t enough gravy for it all. I don’t recommend using more than 2 cups of veggies + 1 potato. (Onion doesn’t count!)
- Herbs: Feel free to add fresh chopped parsley, rosemary, or sage; or try adding a pinch of celery seed. As long as there’s thyme, salt, and pepper, the extra seasoning in the pot pie is up to you. Taste and season how you like.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I was wondering, since I already have cooked canned chicken, would that work in this recipe?
Hi AB, we haven’t tried canned chicken in the pot pie recipe, but it should work!
Great! Thanks!
Can I just assemble this (unbaked), and freeze the whole thing?
Hi AB, absolutely. The unbaked OR baked pot pie freezes well for up to 2–3 months.
Hi Sally,
The Amazon link to the pie dish you mention directs to a 9.5” pie dish! Do you have a link to a 9” dish? I keep trying different dishes – the 9.5” means there isn’t enough pastry left over for a crust.
Thank you!
Hi Naomi, the 9.5-inch dish is the one we use for all of our pies with recipe as written. We’ve never had an issue with it! If you’re finding it’s not enough crust, the dough may just need to be rolled out a bit thinner.
Hi! I’m planning on making this for church on Sunday, but I need to bake it there during service which is around an hour. Could I adjust the temp and bake for longer?
Hi Genna, you can certainly give that a try. We’re unsure of the exact temperature needed for a longer bake time—can you try a test run?
Can I substitute heavy whipping cream for half and half?
Hi Maria, You can use half heavy cream and half whole milk. If you use all heavy cream expect the filling to be thicker.
Just phenomenal as written! I have a homemade celery soup that uses 3 cups of liquid (half broth, half whole milk) compared to your 2.41 cups. I googled cream of celery, but could only find condensed equivs. This homemade soup of mine is equiv to diluted, not condensed and used the same 1/3 cup butter, 1/3 cup flour as yours. I feared that it would be a bit too runny, did some arithmetic, and calculated thus. Make a roux of a scant one tbsp each of flour and butter, then add 2.41 cups of my celery soup. Maybe 2.75 because there is celery in mine. I want the consistency to be the same as yours because it is just perfect.
This was perfect! I made 4 individual pies in 5 in ceramic ramekins! I reduced temperature to 375 degrees and baked for 20-30 mins. I set them on a cookie sheet and placed them in all at once. Turned out perfect!!
Best ever!! Will make again! So good!
From savory stir-fries to juicy dumplings, Chinese food never tasted this good! Visit The Dumpling Garden for a flavor packed feast.
I added a little under a fourth of a cup of dry white wine, less that amount of chicken broth, a pinch of celery seed as suggested, and a teaspoon of Chicken Better Than Bouillon. Otherwise, I followed the recipe. So delicious!!
So delicious. I used the mushrooms as suggested. Recommend,
Can I just top it with puff pastry?
Hi Pauline, we haven’t tested it, but that should work okay. Let us know how it goes!
Our new family favorite! Everyone loves it and it’s easy to make.
Delicious! I think the only thing I would change next time is to cook the sauce/gravy for a little less time than 10 mins. It did thicken, which it was supposed to do, but it seemed like I got it too thick. I have made your pie crust recipe MANY times, but it seemed like for this recipe it was especially good and it just melted in the mouth.
I made those last night out of what we had available in the kitchen, and it turned out amazing. Great recipe! I even got creative and made mini pot pies with a muffin pan. I followed your homemade pie crust recipe too.
Chicken Pot Pie – this is absolutely delicious and my favorite dinner now!! I use the double crust pie dough recipe and bake it in an iron pie dish- scrumptious! I used whole frozen corn kernels instead of peas. A friend made it based on my recommendation and they loved it too!!
Have you made these into hand pies?
Hi Hallie, we have not, but we’re sure you could!
MY POT PIE IS IN THE OVEN AND IT SMELLS SO GOOD. I USED LEFT OVER ROTISERIE CHICKEN, TWO CRUSTS FROM T JOES-A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO MANAGE.
THE REST IS RECIPE AS LISTED.
This came out so great. Couple tips: I almost doubled the amount of Thyme and salt/pepper, and don’t simmer the sauce any longer than the 10 min. I think mine got a little TOO thick and didn’t end up filling the pie in very well (bottom chk/veg layer was still pretty dry when we cut into it). Winner recipe though, as usual.
First time ever leaving a review! LOVED IT! the crust, the filling everthing was amazing. I tried this recipe as it was written to try it to see if our family likes it. Now that I have the stamp of approval I’m going to buy mini tins to make individual chicken pot pies with this same recipe. Wish me luck!
Wow this was a great recipe. my husband asked for this in my regular rotation which is a HUGE compliment. My alterations were using corn starch because I didn’t have flour, i used a 12oz bag of frozen peas and carrots to cook with my onion celery and garlic, i used white pepper because i love the flavor, frozen pie dough, and used my coffee creamer because that’s the only dairy i had. the fact it tasted amazing with the alterations means the base of the recipe is solid.
This chicken pot pie was delicious!
I used dairy free half and half but no extra flour, and the gravy was perfectly thick. I also did not have thyme, so I used Italian seasoning since it includes thyme.
I will definitely make this again.
What can I substitute for the dairy (the butter and half-and-half) that will still taste good and produce the texture and creaminess that is wanted?
Hi Elizabeth, for the half-and-half, you can use nondairy milk—same amount. We would add a little more flour, just to make sure the gravy thickens nicely. You may have to cook it longer, too.
Thank you so much for this recipe!! It is delicious!! I made it as written but added a few of the spices you suggested in your notes (celery seed, rosemary, sage). I also made your homemade pie crust and it came out beautifully, like a dream…I did add 2 tablespoons of buttermilk powder to the piecrust recipe. It was a tip I picked up from KAF and it makes the dough smooth and so easy to roll out. My husband is over the moon about this recipe. He is requesting it again…this will go into the dinner rotation, thanks again!!!
I’m trying to read the comments to find out why my crust was so hard to roll out. It kept flaking into pieces. Then the pie started burning at 425. I cannot read the comments. Everytime I click more comments, it takes me to this comment box… errr.
Hi! This seemed to be an issue over the weekend when we made some updates to the site. It’s been working properly as it should the past few days. Sorry for the glitch!
Where is the nutritional information ? Calorie, carb count, etc. ?
Hi Karla, We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
Can I substitute the fresh celery and carrots for frozen veggies?
Raven, certainly. If using frozen vegetables you do not have to defrost first, but your bake time may be longer. Let us know if you give it a try!
Growing up in the UK (many, many years ago) I’ve always used the “half fat to flour “ rule for pastry. Until now! I made the pie exactly as listed and it was delicious. Pastry is a game changer.
This is the best chicken pot pie I’ve ever made! The filling was easy to make, tastes fantastic, and holds together beautifully. I actually didn’t have half-and-half so I used whole milk and added extra flour; it worked perfectly! As for the crust, I used Sally’s recommended crust recipe and while I did struggle with it I can’t blame the crust recipe at all, I’ve never managed to make a successful, properly right pie crust once in my life but despite my struggles this was the best one I’ve made, so that’s a huge win for me! Thanks Sally!
This was excellent! Perfect for a hearty winter meal.
Hi — What is the nutritional info for this recipe?
Hi Monica, We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
Fantastic! My husband loved it. Actually put a little more thyme than mentioned and thought it was a bit too much, next time I’ll stick to the recipe amount. Used heavy cream instead of half and half, but turned out amazing! Saving this for rotation for sure!