Classic Double-Crust Chicken Pot Pie
A comforting, classic chicken pot pie featuring a rich, creamy chicken and vegetable filling fully encased in a flaky, all-butter pastry double crust.
Equipment
- 9-inch deep-dish pie plate
- Food processor or pastry blender
- Large skillet or Dutch oven
- Rolling pin
- Whisk
- Pastry brush
Ingredients
All-Butter Pastry Crust
- 2.5 cups All-purpose flour — Plus extra for dusting
- 1 teaspoon Granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 cup Unsalted butter — Very cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 0.5 cup Ice water — May not need all of it
Chicken and Vegetable Filling
- 0.33 cup Unsalted butter
- 1 medium Yellow onion — Finely diced
- 2 medium Carrots — Peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
- 2 ribs Celery — Sliced
- 2 cloves Garlic — Minced
- 0.33 cup All-purpose flour
- 2 cups Chicken broth — Low-sodium preferred
- 0.5 cup Heavy cream — Can substitute whole milk
- 3 cups Cooked chicken — Shredded or cubed (rotisserie chicken works great)
- 1 cup Frozen peas — Thawed
- 1 tablespoon Fresh thyme — Chopped
- 2 tablespoons Fresh parsley — Chopped
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt — To taste
- 0.5 teaspoon Black pepper — Freshly ground
Egg Wash
- 1 whole Large egg — Beaten
- 1 tablespoon Milk or water
All-Butter Pastry Crust
| 2.5 cups | All-purpose flour | Plus extra for dusting |
| 1 teaspoon | Granulated sugar | |
| 1 teaspoon | Kosher salt | |
| 1 cup | Unsalted butter | Very cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes |
| 0.5 cup | Ice water | May not need all of it |
Chicken and Vegetable Filling
| 0.33 cup | Unsalted butter | |
| 1 medium | Yellow onion | Finely diced |
| 2 medium | Carrots | Peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds |
| 2 ribs | Celery | Sliced |
| 2 cloves | Garlic | Minced |
| 0.33 cup | All-purpose flour | |
| 2 cups | Chicken broth | Low-sodium preferred |
| 0.5 cup | Heavy cream | Can substitute whole milk |
| 3 cups | Cooked chicken | Shredded or cubed (rotisserie chicken works great) |
| 1 cup | Frozen peas | Thawed |
| 1 tablespoon | Fresh thyme | Chopped |
| 2 tablespoons | Fresh parsley | Chopped |
| 1 teaspoon | Kosher salt | To taste |
| 0.5 teaspoon | Black pepper | Freshly ground |
Egg Wash
| 1 whole | Large egg | Beaten |
| 1 tablespoon | Milk or water |
Instructions
-
Prepare the crust: In a large bowl or food processor, combine the 2.5 cups flour, sugar, and salt. Add the cold cubed butter. If using a processor, pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. If making by hand, cut in the butter with a pastry blender.
~10 minKeeping the butter very cold is the secret to a flaky crust. -
Drizzle ice water over the mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing or tossing gently with a fork until the dough just begins to hold together when squeezed.
~5 minStop adding water as soon as the dough holds together to prevent a tough crust. -
Divide the dough in half. Form each half into a disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
~60 minYou can make the dough up to 2 days in advance. -
Make the filling: Melt the 1/3 cup of butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 7-8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
~10 min -
Sprinkle the 1/3 cup of flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 2 minutes to cook off the raw flour taste.
~2 min -
Slowly pour in the chicken broth while whisking constantly. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream.
~5 min -
Remove from heat. Stir in the cooked chicken, peas, thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Let the filling cool to room temperature.
~20 minCooling the filling prevents the bottom crust from melting and becoming soggy before baking. -
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Place a baking sheet on the bottom rack to catch any potential drips.
-
Roll out the bottom crust: On a lightly floured surface, roll one dough disc into a 12-inch circle. Carefully transfer it to a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate, letting the excess hang over the edges.
~5 min -
Pour the cooled chicken filling into the pie crust, spreading it into an even layer.
~2 min -
Roll out the second dough disc into an 11-inch circle. Place it over the filling. Trim the overhanging dough to about 1/2 inch beyond the lip of the pie plate. Fold the edges under and crimp the edges together to seal the pie.
~5 min -
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and milk. Lightly brush the egg wash over the top crust and crimped edges. Cut 4-5 small slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape.
~2 min -
Bake the pie on the middle rack for 40-50 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. If the edges brown too quickly, cover them with aluminum foil or a pie shield.
~45 min -
Remove the pie from the oven and let it rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing to allow the filling to set up.
~15 minDo not skip the resting step; otherwise, the filling will run out when sliced.
Tips & Storage
- For the flakiest crust, ensure your butter and water are ice cold. You can even chill your flour in the freezer for 15 minutes before mixing.
- A rotisserie chicken is perfect for this recipe. Use both white and dark meat for the best flavor.
- If you are short on time, you can use store-bought refrigerated pie crusts, but homemade is highly recommended for the best texture.
- Storage: Store leftover pie in an airtight container or tightly wrapped in foil in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat individual slices in the oven at 350°F (175°C) until warmed through, or microwave briefly (though the crust will lose its crispness in the microwave). The unbaked pie can be frozen for up to 2 months; bake from frozen, adding 15-20 extra minutes to the bake time.