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!
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. ★★★★★”
Originally published in 2014, 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 in comfort food.
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.
PrintDouble Crust Chicken Pot Pie
- Prep Time: 2 hours, 50 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours, 25 minutes
- Yield: serves 8
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
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.
I have run so frustrated with pie crust dishes since it ended up soft instead of crispy and flaky in the middle. What is the secret to get it right? The type of pan?
We prefer using a glass pie dish when we make pie. Glass dishes conduct heat evenly, which allows the bottom of the crust to bake thoroughly. Also, you’ll be able to see when the sides and bottom of the crust have browned.
What a fabulous pie I made. Next going to try homemade pie crust. Sally thank you!
Receipe is great. Can you freeze it after you make it?
Made it. Didnt have half n half used heavy whipping cream. We had frozen mixed veggies i chopped from our CSA(included parsnips, turnips,carrots, onion, celery, celeriac) and i used that. It turned out so well…. kids loved it. Followed sallys crust recipe as well and thats always the star. But the fact that my kids ate veggies is a miracle. Highly recommend and will be addint this to our winter weekly rotation.
I am making this tomorrow. Did I understand recipe correct, 5 tbl butter?
Hi Stephanie, 1/3 cup of butter is slightly over 5 Tbsp. We hope you enjoy the recipe!
Is it possible to substitute a 1-to-1 gluten free flour for the crust and in the filling? I loved pot pie before having to adhere to a gluten free diet.
Hi Linda, we haven’t tested this recipe with 1:1 gluten free flour so we’re unsure of the results. Let us know if you give it a go!
I made this recipe yesterday. It was absolutely amazing! My husband said it was the best pot pie ever! I have tried different pot pie recipes over the years that were not very tasty . I finally have the pot pie recipe I have been looking for !
So incredible! I made a small batch for just two mini pot pies (I only had half a crust recipe leftover). When these came out of the oven, they were so absolutely stunning I just knew that I would be let down by the taste (that’s just what seems to happen whenever I make anything that’s particularly beautiful), but they were delicious! I was just making the reductions in my head as I went along, and I absent-mindedly measured a full third cup, while I was reducing everything else to just over a quarter of the recipe; I was whisking while adding, so I could see it get super thick before I added it all, but I did still wind up with super super thick gravy lol..still, I wonder if that might be why my bottom crust was able to bake so perfectly! That was the first thing I noticed my first bite- a flaky bottom crust!!!!! A first for me:) That pie crust was what made me a Sally’s faithful- maybe I should just start making all my food inside it?!?
Isn’t it just the TASTIEST, MOST PERFECT chicken pie you ever ate? I dream about eating these again. I have celery and carrots in my fridge waiting for me to have time to get the crust organized.
This recipe was delicious! My only comment would be that the gravy was so thick, it didn’t penetrate through all of the veggies. Next time, I will either thin it a bit, or mix everything together with the gravy. Flavor was delicious!!!!
This recipe is AMAZING and our house literally will never buy chicken pot pie again! A quick hack is to use a rotisserie chicken- it’s way cheaper than raw breasts, and then you don’t need to deal with the cutting and sanitising. And Sally, I know you mention it in the notes, but one small diced Yukon Gold potato is a great addition. Finally, I use fish sauce instead of regular salt for seasoning- it’s easier to add bit by bit, and absorbs into the liquid almost instantly- I’ve never had an over-salted dish since making this switch!
They turned out amazing! Agree best pot pie recipe. I do have a question regarding temperature and time when reheating the cooked pie from frozen. Thanks!
Hi Nicole, we’re glad you enjoyed the pot pie! When freezing the pie, we do recommend thawing the pot pie in the refrigerator overnight before enjoying. Since it is baked already, you can reheat it to your liking at 425.
Thank you very much.
Great recipe , I’m making this recipe in 4 individual Corning ware dishes and then freeze them for that cold day. Thanks
Oops, forgot the stars!
What a perfect pot pie! Because we wanted a double crust pie, we used this recipe with our leftover turkey rather than making the turkey pot pie recipe posted last week. The flavors were perfect and the gravy was amazing and thickened so quickly!! Will definitely make this again and again with a variety of fillings. Thanks, Sally!
It was delicious! My husband and I loved it. Thanks Sally!
The bottom crust usually becomes soggy! any suggestions on how to avoid this?
D. Shearer
Hi Douglas! Is the crust initially crisp and becomes soggy as leftovers? Or soggy right after baking? Make sure to bake the pot pie for long enough – it may take a bit longer than the bake time depending on your pie dish and oven.
I made this. It was one of the best recipes. I use a cast iron pie plate and the crust was flakey top and bottom.
I made this Chicken Pot Pie for My Husband yesterday. He said it was the best Chicken Pot Pie he has ever tasted. I am a vegetarian, so I made me a separate Vegetarian Plant Base Chicken Pot Pie. Using same ingredients as Sally’s recipe calls for except for substituting with Vegetable Broth, Plant Base Chicken and added Grill Mates Montreal Chicken Season to my broth. Let me tell you. It was incredible!!! I never had ever taste vegetarian Plant Base Chicken Pot Pie like this before. And the crust is so delicious and so flaky. Found my ever Crust for my Pies. Sally thank you for this recipe. I will tell all my family and friends to look no further if they are looking for a Homemade scratch Chicken Pot Pie. Or Pie crust for all their pie needs. Sally has the best. I wish I could show you pictures of my Pies. They are amazing!!!
I’m planning on freezing my pie uncooked. Should I add the egg wash before I feeeze it or right before I put it in the oven after thawing it?
Hi Kyle, You can add the egg wash before or after freezing, we haven’t noticed a difference between doing it either way.
5 stars!
This was delicious.
As all your recipes are.
Just wanted to comment that I used frozen pearl onions and roughly chopped them and they made a amazing touch.
I made this recipe exactly as written, EXCEPT…..I found a recipe that baked it in a cast iron pan and cooked accordingly. It was absolutely amazing and flavorful!! Will be making this again and again. Thank you!!
This is the only CPP recipe I’ll ever use. It’s delicious and the pie sets perfectly every single time. As most cooks seem to do, I also tweaked a bit here and there. But I do not mess with the gravy part of the recipe because why fiddle with perfection!? Thanks for this ‘keeper’, Sally, and since it’s in my recipe binder, it’ll get passed on to the next gen as well.
Despite my messing up the crust (too much shortening) these are delicious! Instead of a big pie, I made four pies in my five-inch quiche pans. I put the little pies on a parchment covered sheet pan to make getting them in and out of the oven easier and because I was concerned about leakage but there was no leakage.
I used a cup of chopped mushrooms, and I added some red pepper flakes to the sauce for some je ne sais quoi, and I skipped the peas.
I will definitely make these again.
I have been eating these pies from the freezer (defrosting in the fridge overnight and heating them wrapped in foil in my air fryer ) and I am giddy with delight at how delicious they are. If you haven’t made this recipe, drop everything and do it now. You’re welcome!
My family and I made this for thanksgiving, and it was delicious! I actually saved the broth from the boiled celery/carrot/chicken and used it for quinoa, it was super good! For anybody making this recipe, save the broth! It’s worth it.
I LOVE this recipe. 🙂 Every time I make this, people can’t stop talking about how amazing it is. The only tweaks I made were using heavy wihipping cream instead of half and half (initially because I can’t have milk, but cream doesn’t bother me for some reason. It was so delicious and creamy that I suggest that to people). I also added rosemary to the water as I boiled the chicken and more to the creamy mixture. The homemade crust is so flaky and delicious.
This is a great recipe! I have made this four times So far. Thyme really adds great flavor. I usually add some corn and sometimes green beans to it as well. I roast the chicken and prep all of the veggies the day before, as well as my pie crust, then finish it the next day. Try this recipe, it is great!
Awesome Chicken pot pie recipe. I I omit celery because I’m not a Fan. I also use chicken thighs that I bake with Herb de provence. I prefer it instead of thyme. And instead of boiling the chicken.
I love this recipe, always use it with your flaky pie crust recipe. I prefer to poach the raw chicken in seasoned water, reserve the liquid for the chicken broth. And cook the veggies in the same pot, easier clean up! Also, make one crust bigger than the other and use that for the bottom, works a lot better! I use a stand mixer to make the crust, it’s easier, effective, and avoids the mess I almost always make using a pastry cutter!
I’m making this today! I was surprised to see that you don’t recommend par-baking the crust. Is there a reason not to?
Hi Johanna, we don’t usually blind bake the bottom pie crust but you can certainly try it. We fear the top pie crust won’t adhere very nicely to the partially baked bottom crust.
I have passed this recipe onto so many friends.
I’ve made this recipe a lot and my family loves it every time! There’s no reason to look for another recipe because this one is perfect!