Easy Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

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This homemade chicken pot pie is a staple in our home! Made with simple and healthy ingredients, this comfort food nourishes the body and the soul.

I grew up with chicken pot pie and have carried this recipe into my own home with a few changes. This recipe is perfect for making ahead of time and freezing. I love to keep a pie or two in the freezer for a last minute meal or to share with a friend in need.

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Why we love this recipe

Cozy and delicious: Chicken pot pie just might be the epitome of comfort food. It’s a great option of the whole family from little ones to adults and works great for serving to a crowd.

Perfect for freezing: I love meals that can be made ahead of time and popped into the freezer, and this is one of the best meals to do that with. I love to keep these on hand for last minute busy day dinners or to take to a friend in need.

Complete meal: With protein, veggies, and a delicious crust, this chicken pot pie has it all! While we will occasionally make a side with this meal, it is perfectly fine served on its own with no extras.

Ingredient Notes:

Pie Crust

Quick note about the pie crust: Pre-made pie crust or frozen pie shells may be used in place of a homemade pie crust. If you’re in need of a faster, more straight-forward recipe, check out the paragraph at the bottom of the post (before the recipe card) for the quick variation of this chicken pot pie.

Flour: Base of the pie crust. All purpose flour is perfect for this recipe. We like to use King Arthur’s All Purpose as it has a slightly higher protein level.

Salt: Salt helps enhance the flavor of the crust. Pink Himalayan salt is what we use in our farmhouse. Regular table salt will work as well.

Lard: Adds moisture and flaky-ness to the crust. Lard is rendered pork fat. To render means to melt and clarify. Once rendered, the lard is similar in consistency and texture to crisco but it is a much healthier option as it is completely natural. Tallow, which is rendered beef or sheep fat, can also be used in place of the lard. Crisco can be used as well.

Butter: Gives moisture and flaky-ness to the crust. Also, delicious and nutritious…who doesn’t love butter?

Chicken Pot Pie Filling

Chicken: The main source of protein in this pie. The recipe includes instructions for cooking raw chicken, but pre-cooked chicken can be used as well. Occasionally, when I have leftovers from a whole baked chicken, I will dice it up and use that.

Milk: This is the base for the cream sauce in the pie. We use whole fat milk, but a lower fat percentage will work as well.

Salt and Spices: Adds flavor to the cream filling. Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and chicken bouillon (we use Better than Bouillon) add flavor to the cream sauce. If you want a little extra spice, add 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne.

Cornstarch: Cornstarch is added as a thickener for the cream sauce.

Mixed Veggies: Add flavor and nutrition. This recipe calls for frozen mixed veggies, but a single can of mixed veggies may be used instead.

How to Make This Recipe

You will need:

Sharp knife and cutting board

Skillet with a fitting lid (we love and use this cast iron set. Also, we love this stainless steel set.)

Small sauce pan (again, we love this stainless steel set)

Measuring cups and spoons

Whisk

Large bowl for mixing

Pie pan

Pastry brush

Ingredients:

For the pie crust:

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup lard or tallow

¼ cup cold butter, diced

½ to ⅔ cup cold water

For the chicken:

1 lb chicken breasts, diced

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

1 Tablespoon olive oil

For the filling:

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon bouillon

½ teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon pepper

¼ cup cornstarch

1 ½ cup frozen veggie mix

Instructions:

https://amzn.to/3yCVYrxDouble Pie Crust: Mix flour and salt together in a medium bowl. Using a pastry cutter (or your hands) cut in the lard. Again, with the pastry cutter or your hands, cut in the cold, diced butter. If you do use your hands, try and do it quickly so as not to melt the butter. Once the flour mixture is crumbly and there are small beads of fat (lard and butter), you are good to go…they don’t need to be fully incorporated. Slowly add water 1 Tablespoon at a time. Mix with a fork, slowly adding more water until dough starts to come together in the middle of the bowl. Remove dough from bowl and pat into a disk, roughly 3/4 inch thick. Place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to chill. For a full blog post on making a pie crust, check out Sally’s here.

Chicken: Heat oil in skillet on high. Dice chicken breasts into 1/2 inch chunks. Salt and Pepper the chicken chunks. Once the pan is hot, add chicken and sear outside to a light golden brown (1-2 minutes max). Place a tight fitting lid on pan, turn heat to low, and cook for 10 minutes. Do not remove the lid during this time. (You can start the cream filling during this time if you’d like – see below) Next, remove pan from heat but again, do not remove the lid. Let pan sit away from heat for 10 minutes with the lid still on. Next, scoop chicken out of pan, leaving the drippings behind, and place in a large bowl.

Filling: While the chicken is cooking, you can start the cream filling. In a small saucepan, whisk together all filling ingredients except frozen veggies: milk, salt, bouillon, onion powder, garlic powder and cornstarch. Heat on medium/high heat stirring regularly. Make sure to watch mixture as it will thicken quickly. Once it starts to thicken, you must constantly stir. Stir over heat until it’s the consistency of cake batter. Remove from heat and stir a couple more times. Pour into large bowl with the chicken. Add frozen veggies and mix all together.

Time to Assemble: Lightly flour work surface and place chilled pie crust disk on top of flour. Add a small dusting of flour on top of pie disk. Roll pie crust out until it fits the shape of your pie plate. This will be roughly 11 inches in diameter. You may need to add a little extra flour throughout so the rolling pin doesn’t stick to the piecrust. Once it’s rolled out, place in pie pan. Add chicken/filling mixture. Roll out next pie crust disk the same as the first and place on top of pie pan and filling. Trim edges of pie crust. You can do this several different ways: 1)You can trim right up to the edge of the pie pan and then crimp together top and bottom pie crust along the fluting of the pie pan using a fork or your finger. 2) Trim pie crust with an inch of excess beyond the pie pan fluting and then roll together towards pie pan to create a raised thick crust. Once rolled, crimp together with fingers.

Prep Crust for baking: Using a sharp knife, cut steam vents in the top of the pie crust. This is a great time for creative expression. My mom always cut a simple house or something cute to look at on top. Brush the top of pie with milk using a pastry brush.

Bake Pie: Place pie in preheated oven and bake for 1 hour until top is lightly golden. Enjoy!!

Can you Freeze Chicken Pot Pie?

Yes! In fact this a great freezer friendly meal! Freeze once assembled and steam vents are cut and before brushing with milk. When you’re ready to bake, take out of freezer (no need to thaw, although you can) and brush crust with milk. If still frozen allow a longer bake time…closer to 90 minutes.

What to serve with chicken pot pie

Chicken pot pie is great served on it’s own but if you’re looking to add a little extra to your meal, try these:

Sliced apples

Side Salad

Rice (place pie directly on top of a bed of rice)

Sliced fresh veggies

Looking for more dinner recipes?

Check out this delicious recipe for a whole baked chicken: Spatchcock Chicken with Herbed Butter

Don’t have a lot of time? Try this Quick Variation:

If you need a meal that requires less prep you can adjust the recipe using pre-made ingredients.

Swap homemade pie crust for frozen pie shells. One for the top and one for the bottom. Let the top crust sit at room temperature for at least 5 minutes before flipping over filled pie. Cut steam vents and brush with milk as well. OR You can use refrigerated pre-rolled pie crust.

Replace the filling ingredients for 1 can of cream of chicken and 1 can of mixed veggies.

And in a pinch, you could always use canned chicken. I would suggest 2 cans.

So, the ingredients you will need would be:

Mix chicken, cream of chicken, and mixed veggies together in a bowl. Place in pie shell. Cover with top pie crust, cut vent holes and brush with milk. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

If you make this recipe and love it, I’d love for you to give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @sweetmeadowfarmhouse with your delicious creation and let me know!

As always, with love,

Ashlei