Chicken Pot Pie

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Upgrade your comfort food game with these elegant chicken pot pies. Made with rotisserie chicken and store-bought puff pastry, they’re as easy to whip as they are delicious.

Between the chicken, the sauce, and the crust, you could spend an entire day in the kitchen making traditional chicken pot pie. For this version, my goal was to come up with an easy recipe that didn’t sacrifice flavor. After many trials, I found that using a rotisserie chicken for the filling and a good quality store-bought puff pastry for the crust were both excellent shortcuts. With that settled, I moved on to tackle the problem with most chicken pot pies: the bland, goopy white sauce. I thinned the sauce to a chowder-like consistency. I also borrowed an ingredient from my favorite turkey gravy—Cognac—and it added that unmistakable depth of flavor that makes these chicken pot pies next-level delicious.

“My husband, who has never craved chicken pot pie, said this might be the best thing I’ve ever made and is already asking when I’ll make it again.”

What you’ll need to make chicken pot pie

Frozen puff pastry: Provides the flaky, buttery topping. I recommend Dufourall-butter puff pastry if you can find it (it’s sold at Whole Foods), but Pepperidge Farm, which is readily available in the freezer section of most supermarkets, is very good too.
Butter: For sautéing the vegetables and enriching the filling.
Onion and garlic: These aromatics form the flavor foundation for the filling.
Celery, pearl onions, carrots, and peas: These vegetables add texture, flavor, and nutrition to the filling.
All-purpose flour: Thickens the sauce; also used for rolling the pastry.
Chicken broth: Creates the savory base of the filling.
Cognac: Enhances depth of flavor.
Heavy cream: Contributes to the creamy texture of the filling.
Fresh thyme: Provides aromatic herbal notes.
Shredded cooked chicken: The main protein component.
Beaten Egg: For an egg wash to give the pastry a golden finish.
Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements

How to make chicken pot pie

To begin, dust a clean, dry work surface with flour and place the puff pastry over top.

Sprinkle the pastry with flour and roll to about 1/8-inch thick, smoothing the creases with the rolling pin at the same time. Using a sharp knife, kitchen shears, or a pizza cutter, cut out 4 circles about 2 inches larger than the circumference of your soup bowls. Place the dough rounds on a foil-lined baking sheet and refrigerate until ready to use.

Next, make the filling. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter, Add the yellow onion, garlic, celery, pearl onions, and carrots.

Sauté for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the carrots are just cooked.

Add the flour.

Cook, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes.

Add the broth, cognac, salt, and white pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring with a wooden spoon to incorporate the flour.

Simmer until thickened, a few minutes. Off the heat, stir in the heavy cream, herbs, chicken, and peas.

Ladle the filling into oven-safe ramekins or soup bowls (be sure they are oven proof up to 425°F). The filling should come up no more than three-quarters of the way to the top of the bowls. If you have extra, make another bowl.

Brush the outside edges of each bowl with an egg wash.

Place the cold dough rounds over the soup bowls, pressing firmly around the edges so that the dough adheres, and then brush the top of the dough with the egg wash.

Using a sharp knife, make a ½-inch slit in the top of each pie. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the pastry is a rich golden brown.

Let cool for about 10 minutes, then use a wide spatula to carefully transfer the hot ramekins to serving plates. Sprinkle a few fresh thyme sprigs over top of the bowls and serve.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can this recipe be made in a pie dish instead of individual ramekins?

While it’s possible to bake pot pies in a single pie dish, serving can be a bit challenging due to the soupy nature of the filling. Using individual ramekins helps contain the filling, making the pies easier to serve without the filling spilling out.

What size bowls do I need for this recipe?

You’ll need oven-safe (up to 425°F) soup bowls. To make four servings, use bowls with an 18 to 20-oz capacity. To make six servings, use bowls with a 12 to 14-oz capacity.

Can I make chicken pot pie ahead of time?

Yes, it’s a great make-ahead dish. You can prepare the filling and even assemble the pie up to a day in advance. Keep it refrigerated, covered, until you’re ready to bake. You may need to add a few extra minutes to the baking time if it’s going straight from the fridge to the oven.

Can chicken pot pie be frozen?

Yes, the unbaked chicken pot pies and can be frozen for up to 3 months. Wrap the pies tightly in plastic wrap and then foil, and freeze. When you’re ready to enjoy it, you can bake it straight from the freezer; just be sure to allow about 10 minutes extra baking time and cover if the pastry starts to get too brown.

Video Tutorial

Recipe
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Metric Cup Measures

By Jenn Segal

Upgrade your comfort food game with these elegant chicken pot pies. Made with rotisserie chicken and store-bought puff pastry, they’re as easy to whip as they are delicious.

Servings: 4 to 6

Prep Time: 30 Minutes

Cook Time: 40 Minutes

Total Time: 1 Hour 10 Minutes

Ingredients

1 to 2 packages frozen puff pastry, best quality such as Dufour or Pepperidge Farm, thawed (see note)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
3 stalks celery, diced
1 cup frozen pearl onions (no need to defrost)
3 carrots, sliced into ¼-inch rounds
&frac13; cup all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling the pastry
2½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
&frac13; cup Cognac or brandy (okay to replace with more chicken broth if avoiding alcohol)
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon white pepper
½ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (or a combination thyme, rosemary and sage), plus a few thyme springs for serving
3-4 cups shredded cooked chicken, from 1 rotisserie chicken
1 cup frozen peas (no need to defrost)
1 egg

Instructions

NOTE: For this recipe, you'll need 4 to 6 oven-safe (to 425°F) soup bowls. For larger portions, use bowls with an 18 to 20-oz capacity; for smaller portions, use bowls with a 12 to 14-oz capacity. If making 4 servings, one (14-oz) package of puff pastry will suffice. However, if making 6 servings, you'll need another package.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean-up.
Dust a clean, dry work surface with flour and place the puff pastry over top. Sprinkle the pastry with flour and rollto about &frac18;-inch thick, smoothing the creases with the rolling pin at the same time. (Depending on the brand of puff pastry you buy, you may not need to roll it out that much.) Using a sharp knife, kitchen shears, or a pizza cutter, cut out 4 circles about 2 inches larger than the diameter of your soup bowls. (Alternatively, cut out 6 circles if making smaller portions.) Place the dough rounds on the foil-lined baking sheet and refrigerate until ready to use.
Preheat the oven to 425°F and set an oven rack to the center position.
To make the filling: In a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the yellow onion, garlic, celery, pearl onions, and carrots. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are just cooked, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes. Add the broth, cognac, salt, and white pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring with a wooden spoon and scraping the bottom and corners of the pan to incorporate the flour. Simmer until thickened, a few minutes. Off the heat, stir in the heavy cream, thyme, chicken, and peas. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. (Note that the broth will taste a little boozy at this point. That's okay - the cognac will cook off in the oven.)
Ladle the filling into 4 large or 6 small oven-safe soup bowls. The filling should come up no more than three-quarters of the way to the top of the bowls. Do not overfill.
Beat the egg with 1 tablespoon of water.
Remove the pastry rounds from the refrigerator. Brush the outside edges of each bowl with the egg wash.
Place the cold dough rounds over the bowls, pressing firmly around the edges so that the dough adheres. Transfer the bowls to the foil-lined baking sheet. Brush the dough with the egg wash. Using a sharp knife, make a ½-inch slit in the top of each pie. Place the bowls on the foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the pastry is a rich golden brown. Let cool for about 10 minutes, then use a wide spatula to carefully transfer the hot bowls to serving plates. Sprinkle a few fresh thyme sprigs over top of the bowls and serve.
MAKE AHEAD: The pies may be assembled and refrigerated up to a day ahead of time. Brush the top of the dough with egg wash before baking.
Note: Nutritional information calculated using 1 package of puff pastry and 3 ½ cups of chicken.

Pair with

Nutrition Information

Per serving (5 servings)
Calories: 747
Fat: 45 g
Saturated fat: 18 g
Carbohydrates: 42 g
Sugar: 6 g
Fiber: 4 g
Protein: 35 g
Sodium: 678 mg
Cholesterol: 163 mg

Nutritional Data Disclaimer

See more recipes:

Chicken
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Make-Ahead
American

Comments

WINNER, WINNER…my family loved it! This is the second recipe I’ve tried from Once Upon a Chef, which is quickly becoming my go to website for recipes. This is definitely not your typical chicken pot pie recipe, but rather an elevated version that’s sure to surprise your tastebuds.
- — Tamara S. on June 29, 2024
- Reply
This is an awesome recipe. Extremely tasty and somewhat easy to make.
- — Mike on May 21, 2024
- Reply
Fab chicken pot pie recipe!!! The top is much better than the traditional pie crust! Family loved it!!
- — Tammy Brunes on May 21, 2024
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OMG. You have made me a cook. This was my second 10/10 recipe from here in 2 days. I read pretty much all of the comments so felt confident in making a few modifications: I flexed my math skills and only made 2/3 the recipe, as I only had six 8oz ramekins. I added sliced mushrooms to the sautéed vegetables and boiled cubed potatoes in at the end (with the frozen peas and shredded chicken). I shredded 2 baked chicken thigh quarters. The consistency was perfection…. creamy and not soupy at all. It could be my oven, but the pastry did brown very quickly… in about 10 minutes, so I covered with foil and removed them after another 10 min. I will definitely make again!!
- — Shannon L on May 1, 2024
- Reply
I like this recipe, but I skipped the heavy cream.
I don’t like what is described as a creamy filling in any recipe.
I also added a layer of puff pastry to the bottom and sides of my ramekins.
And… I cut up some chicken thighs that I had done in an air fryer and used that for the filling.
- — Robert Orlando on April 23, 2024
- Reply
My first chicken pot pie, it was delicious and so easy to make. Thank you
- — Johara Alatas on April 2, 2024
- Reply
can Almond milk be used instead of heavy cream?
- — sidney on March 10, 2024
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- I don’t recommend it – sorry! If you’re looking for a non-dairy alternative to the cream, some readers have commented that they’ve used Rich’s non-dairy coffee creamer (frozen) and Trader Joe’s unflavored non-dairy creamer. (Please keep in mind that I haven’t tried either of these.) Hope that helps!
  — Jenn on March 12, 2024
  Reply
Hello Jenn,
This is my first time commenting, though I have followed your recipes for a few years, and everything I make is fabulous! I follow your recipes as a guide, often doubling the amounts and adding extra stuff here and there to suit my family. In this case, I doubled everything (maybe added extra veggies) and eyeballed the amounts to make sure I had enough to fill a 9/13 pan. Then, I laid a sheet of puff pastry over it and added an extra slice to ensure complete coverage. My 16-year-old boy/girl twins kept asking me when dinner was done. They ate it last night, and my daughter insisted on having Chicken Pot Pie for breakfast and took a serving for lunch. Her brother argued with her not to eat it all and save some for dinner tonight! LOL. My daughter asked me to teach her how to make Chicken Pot Pie this weekend.
I make your Christmas cookies on a completely different topic and am searching for a great Lemon Ricotta Cookie or any lemon cookie? Do you have a favorite recipe? Could you add this to your amazing repertoire of recipes? I am searching for a scrumptious lemon cookie. My family adores your lemon bars! I truly appreciate your wonderful blog with organized, easy-to-follow recipes and great tips. Have a great day!
- — Linda Y. on February 29, 2024
- Reply
- So glad this was a hit with your family, Linda! I don’t have a lemon cookie that I love in my recipe collection, but I will add it to my list of potential new recipes to develop. Stay tuned 🙂
  — Jenn on March 1, 2024
  Reply
Can I use canned carrots and peas? If I can, can I put it in the pan last? As they still get cook when put them in the oven? Thanks!
- — Annie Balmonte on February 17, 2024
- Reply
- Hi Annie, Sure, I’d drain and rinse them and put them in at the same time that the peas go in the recipe.
  — Jenn on February 18, 2024
  Reply
How do i adapt the recipe if i want to add potatoes to the chicken pot pie ?
- — Jan on February 13, 2024
- Reply
- Hi Jan, I’d dice and cook them before adding them and would add them along with the peas and chicken. Hope you enjoy!
  — Jenn on February 14, 2024
  Reply
Hi, Can you use pie crust rather than the puff pastry?
- — Terry on February 13, 2024
- Reply
- Hi Terry, I think you could get away with pie crust here. I’d reduce the baking temp to about 350 so the crust doesn’t burn. It may take a little longer for this crust to bake, so just keep an eye on them. I’d love to hear how they turn out!
  — Jenn on February 13, 2024
  Reply
Rave reviews from my guests, thank you! I had trouble making the package of puff pastry stretch to fit my four bowls… there was enough material but the wrong shape! I didn’t have thyme but used Herbes de Provence and I think that was similar. Wonderful recipe. It took me quite a bit longer than stated, but I know I’m slow so I gave myself plenty of time (and a glass of wine while cooking 😊).
- — Barbara Hannaford on February 3, 2024
- Reply
Best chicken pot pie I’ve ever had. I used Brandy and, wow, just wow! What a difference a little alcohol can make.
- — Élisa-Line on January 31, 2024
- Reply
Followed the recipe – substituted cognac with gin and it turned out beautifully. Taste was perfect.
- — Jason on January 26, 2024
- Reply

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Chicken Pot Pie - Once Upon a Chef (2024)