I absolutely love chicken pot pie. It’s something I grew up eating and still love today. I wanted my kids to enjoy it too, so I brought home a premade pie. They hated it, and so did Michelle. I tried another brand, then another. I liked every one. Unfortunately, they did not. I don’t give up easily, so I collected everything they liked and disliked and set out to build a version nobody could complain about. What I ended up with was a pretty damn good chicken pot pie.
First, it had to work for the lactose-sensitive stomachs in our house. It also needed all white meat, potatoes, carrots, and green beans, but no corn. The gravy had to be thick and flavorful. It needed a bottom crust and a top crust. Most importantly, the chicken could not be chewy. Oh boy, what the heck did I get myself into?
Heavy cream is optional. If lactose is not a concern, stirring it into the finished gravy makes it richer and helps bring all the flavors together.
Undeterred, I ventured into the kitchen to begin my affliction (see what I did there?). I finely diced yellow onion, celery, and carrots, then cooked them with salt and pepper until they were soft enough to melt into the gravy. Garlic and flour made the roux. Marsala deglazed the pan, and chicken broth brought the gravy together. I softened the remaining vegetables, gently cooked the chicken, and combined everything in a big ass bowl. It smelled so good I wanted to eat it right there. Instead, I rolled out the bottom crust, filled my biggest pie dish, added the top crust, cut a few vents, and brushed it with egg wash. I slid it into the oven and crossed my fingers. Did I just make a chicken pot pie everyone would eat? The answer was a resounding yes from everyone at the table. I felt like I could take on the world.
I try to keep these write-ups light and hopefully amusing, but I’ll be serious for a moment. There is nothing better than making a meal people love or watching the smiles on their faces after that first bite. It makes the stress and effort of learning to cook worth it. Join us on this journey. Learn to cook, brush up your skills, and make food that brings the same joy to your table.
What Makes This Chicken Pot Pie Work
- If possible, make your own pie crust. Use our perfectly flaky pie crust recipe.
- Prep everything before you start cooking. Cooking is much less stressful when every ingredient and piece of equipment is ready.
- Dice the onion, carrot, and celery for the gravy more finely than you think you need to. The smaller pieces soften into the gravy instead of standing out in the filling.
- Keep the pie crust refrigerated until you are ready to roll it. Cold crust is easier to handle and helps preserve its flaky texture.
- Cook the chicken early enough that it can cool before you break it into chunks.
- If you are not lactose sensitive, stir the optional heavy cream into the finished gravy before adding the chicken and vegetables. It adds richness and brings the gravy’s flavors together.
Cooking Equipment
- Large saucier pan or stockpot
- Kitchen strainer or sieve
- Large mixing bowl
- Instant-read thermometer
- 9 1/2-inch glass pie dish
✅ Quick Tip: Read the entire recipe before you start. You will understand the ingredients, steps, and timing, and you can gather the equipment and prep everything before cooking.
Pretty Damn Good Chicken Pot Pie
Description
This homemade chicken pot pie pairs tender white meat chicken and vegetables with a rich Marsala gravy, all tucked into a flaky top and bottom crust. Optional heavy cream adds extra richness when lactose is not a concern.
Ingredients
Gravy Ingredients
Everything Else!
Instructions
Prep
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Prep the Vegetables
Peel the potatoes and carrots. Finely dice 1/4 cup each onion, carrot, and celery for the gravy, then keep them together. Peel, smash, and finely chop the garlic, then keep it separate. Cut the remaining celery into 1/8-inch slices. Cut the remaining carrots and potatoes into 3/8-inch cubes. Trim the green beans and cut them into 1-inch pieces. Keep the larger vegetables separate from the finely diced vegetables because they are used at different stages.
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Prep the Chicken
Remove any membrane or tendon from the chicken while keeping as much meat as possible. Cut the chicken into strips about 1 inch wide, then set it aside.
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Gather Equipment and Measure
Prepare 4 cups of chicken broth from the broth base, or measure 4 cups of chicken stock. Measure the flour, salt, pepper, wine, oil, butter, and optional heavy cream. Set out a large saucier pan or stockpot, a kitchen strainer or sieve, a large bowl, an instant-read thermometer, and a 9 1/2-inch pie dish. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Cooking Instructions
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Cook the Vegetables and Reserve the Stock
Pour the prepared chicken broth or stock into the saucier pan or stockpot. Add the larger pieces of carrot, celery, and potato. Set the pan over high heat and bring the liquid to a boil. Cook until the carrots and potatoes are fork-tender. Strain the liquid through a kitchen strainer or sieve into a large bowl. Set the vegetables aside and reserve all the cooking liquid.
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Cook the Chicken and Green Beans
Arrange the chicken in a single layer, packed closely together in the center of the pan. Pour the reserved hot cooking liquid over the chicken and add the green beans. Make sure the chicken is completely covered. Add more prepared stock if needed. Set the pan over high heat, return the liquid to a boil, and cook for about 10 minutes. Check the thickest pieces with an instant-read thermometer and make sure they have reached 165°F. Strain the liquid back into the bowl. Set the chicken and green beans aside to cool, and reserve the cooking liquid.
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Make the Gravy and Finish the Filling
Return the pan to the stove over medium heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat the bottom. Add the finely diced carrot, onion, and celery. Season with salt and pepper, then cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mixture is soft and translucent. Add the garlic and stir continuously for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the butter and stir until melted and fully incorporated. Add the flour and stir until no dry flour remains. Immediately pour in the wine to deglaze the pan, then reduce the heat to low. Add the reserved cooking liquid a little at a time, stirring until fully combined after each addition. Return the heat to medium and bring the gravy to a simmer. Stir frequently until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon but is not sludgy. If you are not lactose sensitive, stir in the optional heavy cream now to add richness and bring the gravy’s flavors together. Shred the cooled chicken into bite-size chunks by hand. Add the chicken, green beans, and remaining cooked vegetables to the gravy, then stir until evenly combined.
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Build the Pie
Roll out the bottom crust and fit it into the pie dish. Keep the top crust refrigerated while you work. Spoon the filling into the bottom crust and spread it evenly. Roll out the top crust, place it over the filling, and crimp the edges closed. Cut three vent holes in the top. Lightly beat the egg with the milk, then brush a thin layer of the egg wash over the crust.
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Bake the Pie
Bake at 425°F for 25 minutes. Remove the pie and cover the crust edges with a pie shield or aluminum foil. Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F and bake for another 20 minutes, until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling through the vents. Let the pie rest for 15 minutes before serving. The filling will still be very hot.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 8
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 272.47kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 12.17g19%
- Saturated Fat 4.96g25%
- Cholesterol 71.77mg24%
- Sodium 713.81mg30%
- Potassium 475.79mg14%
- Total Carbohydrate 21.98g8%
- Dietary Fiber 2.06g9%
- Sugars 3.12g
- Protein 16.47g33%
- Vitamin A 2996.59 IU
- Vitamin C 7.78 mg
- Calcium 44.29 mg
- Iron 1.5 mg
- Vitamin D 0.33 mcg
- Vitamin E 0.6 mg
- Vitamin K 11.9 mcg
- Thiamin 0.2 mg
- Riboflavin 0.26 mg
- Niacin 7.48 mg
- Vitamin B6 0.56 mg
- Folate 40.93 mcg
- Vitamin B12 0.22 mcg
- Pantothenic Acid 1.2 mg
- Phosphorus 189.3 mg
- Magnesium 33.2 mg
- Zinc 0.8 mg
- Selenium 23.48 mcg
- Copper 0.11 mg
- Manganese 0.31 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
