There’s nothing better and more comforting than a homemade Chicken Pot Pie! It’s creamy and delicious, and it’s made with a super flaky homemade buttermilk pie crust.
The chicken pot pie filling is so creamy and out-of-this-world delicious! The homemade buttermilk pie crust is extra flaky, tender, and so buttery.
You’ll love this double crust chicken pot pie. It’s the ultimate comfort food, and I guarantee everyone will be coming back for seconds!
One of my winter-time cravings is this homemade chicken pot pie. It’s always got to be homemade – I have yet to find a restaurant out there that makes a good pot pie.
Any kind of chicken pot pie warms my soul – I love this biscuit chicken pot pie as much as this traditional double crust chicken pot pie recipe I am sharing today.
This recipe uses my homemade buttermilk pie crust recipe. It’s a flavorful, tender, and ultra flaky crust that takes this pot pie to a whole new level. As for the filling…let’s just say I could eat the entire filling on its own. More on it down below!
Here’s why you’ll love this homemade chicken pot pie:
- The filling is creamy and thick so it doesn’t turn into “soup.”
- The make-ahead buttermilk double pie crust is amazing (top and bottom). Tender, flaky, and oh so buttery! It’s also very easy to roll and work with.
- The chicken pot pie is make-ahead and freezer friendly.
If you’re on a comfort food kick, try this Dutch Oven Whole Roast Chicken, Dutch Oven Pot Roast, or Classic Beef Stew.
Jump to:
- Flaky and Buttery Double Pie Crust
- Creamy Chicken Pot Pie Filling
- Ingredient Notes
- Step-by-Step Instructions
- Do I Need to Blind Bake the Bottom Crust?
- Variations and Shortcuts
- Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions
- Pairing and Serving Ideas
- Recipe FAQs
- Tips for Success
- Homemade Chicken Pot Pie with Buttermilk Pie Crust
Flaky and Buttery Double Pie Crust
This is a double-crust chicken pot pie, with a bottom and a top crust. I use my buttermilk pie crust, which is super flaky, delicious, and tender thanks to the buttermilk and butter.
With this pie crust recipe, you’ll get 2 disks for the top and bottom for a 9-inch pie.
You can make the dough up to 5 days in advance or freeze it for up to 2 months. It’s super easy to make, and you can either use a food processor or make it by hand.
Creamy Chicken Pot Pie Filling
Out of all the pot pies I have made in my life, this one is seriously the BEST. It’s creamy, rich, and SO delicious.
It holds well, so you won’t get a soupy filling. The trick is making sure you make a generous filling. The more chicken and veggies inside, the thicker it will be…and the better the pot pie will hold up when sliced.
It all starts with the seasoned pan-seared chicken! I’m not a huge fan of using rotisserie chicken for chicken pot pie because it can be bland. I prefer pan-searing seasoned chicken. The seared crust adds LOTS of flavor to the filling. Trust me, it makes a HUGE difference.
Ingredient Notes
The complete ingredient list can be found in the recipe card down below, but I want to share a few quick notes:
- Chicken breasts: Use 2 large chicken breasts or 3 medium ones. If the filling doesn’t have enough chicken, the mixture won’t be thick enough for the amount of liquid.
- Thyme and rosemary: I use fresh herbs here since it makes a big difference in flavor, but dried herbs work too.
- Double Pie Crust: The dough needs to chill for at least 2 hours or overnight in the fridge. Make it up to 5 days in advance or freeze for up to 2 months.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1 | Make the buttermilk pie crust dough
Follow these directions to make the buttermilk pie crust. Let the dough chill for at least 2 hours before using, as directed in the link. I make it the day before.
Step 2 | Make the chicken pot pie filling
- In a large deep skillet, cook the seasoned chicken (fresh thyme, salt, pepper, garlic powder, olive oil) on a skillet, about 6-8 minutes per side. Set aside and let it rest.
- Wipe skillet and melt the butter. Cook the celery, carrots, onions, and garlic until softened, about 8 minutes.
- Add flour and toss to coat the vegetables.
- Gradually add broth, stirring to dissolve the flour. Add thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper.
- Add heavy cream. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Return chicken (cubed) to the skillet, plus parsley and peas. Season to taste. Let cool slightly.
Step 3 | Assemble
- Roll both disks into 12-inch circles. Place the dough (one of them) on top of a 9-inch pie pan. There should be overhang.
- Fill the pie with the chicken pot pie filling.
- Cover with the second rolled out dough.
- Tuck and fold the overhang of the top dough under the bottom pie dough to loosely seal the pie. Then, crimp the edges to seal tightly with your fingers or with a fork. Tip: I like a curvy design around the edges. I press between my thumb and index finger with my knuckle.
- Brush with egg wash.
- Cut slits on top
Step 4 | Bake
Bake at 400 degrees F for 35-40 minutes. 15 minutes into the baking time, cover edges with a pie crust shield or foil to prevent edges from browning too soon.
Do I Need to Blind Bake the Bottom Crust?
There is no need to blind bake the bottom. The bottom will cook fully during the baking time. Plus, if you blind bake the bottom, it will be difficult to seal the edges with the top dough.
Follow these guidelines and you should be good to go:
- Don’t make the filling too thin. It should be creamy and thick.
- Make sure your oven is fully preheated, plus 15-20 minutes. Some ovens don’t fully preheat even though they say they are.
- Place the pie on top of a large preheated sheet pan. The hot sheet pan will transfer heat to the bottom of the pie. This also prevents any spills onto your oven.
If you’d still like to blind-bake the bottom crust, here are some tips:
- Prick the bottom of the dough with a fork. Then, place parchment paper on top, followed by pie weights – without pie weights, the dough will collapse.
- Cut any excess overhang from the dough. You want some overhang to seal the edges later, but not too much.
- Par-bake for 12-15 minutes at 400 degrees F.
- Sealing the edges: Tuck the top dough under the par-baked crust, if possible. Then use a fork to seal the edges tightly. A curvy sealed edge will not work in this case.
Variations and Shortcuts
Try these add-ons: Pre-boiled potatoes or frozen diced potatoes, frozen corn kernels, diced green beans instead of peas, turkey breast (cubed) instead of chicken.
Shortcuts:
- Store-bought pie crust, as long as it’s good quality
- Frozen mixed vegetables instead of carrots, celery, and peas
- Rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken breast. Add extra seasoning and herbs to the filling if needed.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions
- The filling can be prepared 1-2 days in advance and refrigerated.
- The pie crust dough can be made 5 days in advance and refrigerated, or frozen for up to 2 months (thaw in the fridge overnight).
- The assembled unbaked pie can be made 1 day in advance and refrigerated, but don’t brush with egg wash until ready to bake. Bake as directed, adding an extra 5-10 minutes or as needed to the bake time.
- Freezing: Assemble and wrap the UNBAKED PIE with aluminum foil (use 2 layers of foil). When ready to bake, let the pie sit on the counter for 30 minutes. Then, bake FROZEN and COVERED (don’t remove aluminum) foil for 35 minutes at 400 degrees F. Remove foil, brush with egg wash, and bake for another 30 minutes until heated through and golden brown on top.
Pairing and Serving Ideas
I often serve this homemade chicken pot pie on its own, but if you’re looking for side dish ideas, definitely check these out:
Recipe FAQs
This recipe makes a 9-inch double crust chicken pot pie. I’d highly recommend this 9-inch Emile Henry Pie Pan – I use it every time I make pies.
I’d highly recommend it. Heavy cream contains fat, which will give you a deep golden brown color and shiny exterior. A pie crust brushed with just beaten eggs can turn a bit pale.
I’d recommend this silicone pie crust shield. Edges tend to brown quicker, so you need to cover them about 15 minutes into the baking time. You can also wrap the edges with aluminum foil, but I find that a bit difficult to do (it doesn’t stay in place and takes forever to get it wrapped).
There is no need to blind bake the bottom. The bottom will cook fully during the baking time. For more details, see the “Do I Need to Blind Bake the Bottom?” section above or in the recipe card notes below.
Definitely! If the chicken is bland, add extra herbs and seasoning to the filling.
This recipe was published in 2019 and updated in February 2022 with photos and information, plus a few recipe modifications.
Tips for Success
- Use enough chicken and vegetables, so the filling is thick and full for the amount of liquid and cream in the recipe.
- Egg wash: Add a splash of heavy cream to the beaten eggs. This will help the crust get extra golden brown and shiny.
- Use a pie crust shield: Edges tend to brown quicker, so they need to be covered or protected about 15 minutes into the baking time.
- Refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours or overnight. I’d highly recommend making it the day before.
- There is no need to par-bake the bottom crust – it cooks fully during the bake time. Plus, if you blind bake the bottom, it will be difficult to seal the edges with the top dough. See “notes” below for details.
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Homemade Chicken Pot Pie with Buttermilk Pie Crust
Equipment
- Large sheet pan to place under the pie dish
Ingredients
- Buttermilk pie crust - makes 2 disks
- 1 egg - for egg wash
- 1 to 2 teaspoons heavy cream - for egg wash
Chicken pot pie filling
- 2 large skinless chicken breasts - or 3 medium breasts, see note
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small onion, small diced
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream - plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- ½ teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- ¾ cup frozen peas
Instructions
Make the double pie crust
- Make the buttermilk double pie crust following this recipe at least 2 hours in advance or preferably overnight. Note: If the refrigerated dough is too hard or solid to roll (this happens when refrigerated overnight), let it sit on the counter for 15 minutes.
Make the filling
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Pound chicken breasts to ½ inch thick evenly. Season chicken with garlic powder, fresh thyme, and salt and pepper (about ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ pepper per breast). Drizzle with some olive oil and let it sit on the counter for about 15 minutes to let the flavors absorb.
- In a large deep skillet, heat about 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Cook the chicken, about 6-8 minutes each side, until fully cooked through. Transfer to a plate and let it rest for 10 minutes. Cut into cubes.
- Wipe the skillet clean. Melt the butter to medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook until tender, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the flour until vegetables are coated and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring. Gradually add chicken broth, stirring to dissolve the flour. Add thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper.
- Stir in the heavy cream until evenly combined. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer over medium-low heat, uncovered, for about 6-7 minutes until thickened, stirring occasionally.
- Add the cubed cooked chicken, parsley, and the frozen peas into the mixture. Simmer for another 1-2 minutes, stirring. Season with more salt and pepper if needed. Remove from heat and set aside to let it cool slightly.
Assemble and bake
- Roll both disks into 12-inch circles over a well floured surface (flour the rolling pin too).
- Place the dough (one of them) on a 9-inch pie pan. There should be overhang around the sides. Fill the pie with the chicken pot pie filling. Cover with the second rolled out dough.
- Tuck and fold the overhang of the top dough under the bottom pie dough to loosely seal the pie. Then, crimp the edges to seal tightly with your fingers or with a fork. Tip: I like a curvy design around the edges, pressing between my thumb and index finger with my knuckle.
- Egg wash: Mix beaten egg and 1 teaspoon heavy cream. Brush the pie with the egg wash, including the edges. This will give it a shiny golden brown color. Some of the egg wash will pool around the edges – that’s fine, as long as it’s not too much.
- Place the pie dish on top of a large aluminum sheet pan (to prevent spills and transfer heat to bottom of pie crust). Bake at 400 degrees F for a total of 35 minutes. 15 minutes into baking time, cover edges with a pie crust shield (or aluminum foil) to prevent edges from browning too soon. Tip: I’d highly recommend using a pie crust shield. You can also wrap the edges with aluminum foil, but I find that difficult to do (it doesn’t stay in place and takes forever to get it wrapped).
- Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use enough chicken and vegetables, so the filling is thick and full for the amount of liquid and cream in the recipe. You need about 4-5 cups of cubed chicken, from 2 large chicken breasts or 3 medium ones.
- Pie crust: I’d highly recommend this buttermilk pie crust recipe. It’s super flaky and buttery, and also make-ahead and freezer friendly.
- Egg wash: Add a splash of heavy cream to the beaten eggs. This will help the crust get extra golden brown and shiny.
- Use a pie crust shield: Edges tend to brown quicker, so they need to be covered or protected about 15 minutes into the baking time.
- Make ahead: The assembled unbaked pie can be made 1 day in advance and refrigerated, but don’t brush with egg wash until you’re ready to bake. Bake as directed, adding an extra 5-10 minutes. Alternatively, the filling and pie crust can be made ahead separately and assembled later.
- Freezing instructions: Assemble and wrap the UNBAKED PIE with aluminum foil (use 2 layers of foil). When ready to bake, let the pie sit on the counter for 30 minutes. Then, bake FROZEN covered (don’t remove aluminum) foil for 35 minutes at 400 degrees F. Remove foil, brush with egg wash, and bake for another 30 minutes until heated through and golden brown on top.
- Pie crust: Good quality store-bought double pie crust (top and bottom).
- Frozen mixed vegetables instead of carrots, celery, and peas.
- Fresh thyme and rosemary: Use dried herbs (use less, dried herbs are strong), adjusting the quantity to taste.
- Rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken breast. You need about 4-5 cups. Add extra seasoning and herbs to the filling if needed.
Angela says
This is my go-to chicken pot pie. I LOVE IT! It is so good!!
Rene says
Excellent!! Made the recipe exactly and it is so good…the crust it superb! Flaky, light, puffed up and yummy. I made a pie for my son also to take home for dinner. Thank you so much for all your tips. I actually did 4 crusts in total and froze two for pie in the future.
Tania says
Thank you, Rene!
Shelley says
Can you make these ahead and then freeze before you bake.
Tania says
Hi! yes, sure can! Just make sure the filling is completely cooled down before adding it to the pie crust, otherwise it will get soggy.
Cassy says
Made this for our family of 4 (2 kids who are picky eaters), and there were no leftovers to my selfish disappointment 🙂 We absolutely loved this recipe! The filling was the perfect consistency, without being runny! The recipe was easy to follow and so simple to make. I’ll definitely be incorporating this into my rolodex of go-to recipes — Thank you!
Tania says
So happy to hear, Cassy!
Cayla says
This recipe is truly delicious!! So flavorful, creamy, and comforting! I even cheated and used store-bought refrigerated crust and it still turned out great. I’m sure the homemade crust takes it to the next level!
Tania says
Thank you so much, Cayla!