Chicken Pot Pie
Creamy chicken and vegetable filling baked under golden puff pastry in a single dish. Simple pantry ingredients, minimal prep, comfort food that actually delivers.
Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients
Filling
- 1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 1 bag frozen peas and carrots
- 1 russet potato, diced
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 26 oz cream of chicken soup, 1 large can
- 1 cup heavy cream, or half and half
- garlic powder, to season
- black pepper, to season
Pastry
- 3 sheets puff pastry, thawed
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
Instructions
- Prep the potato.
Place diced potato in a microwave-safe bowl with 1 cup of water. Microwave for 10 minutes or until fork-tender. Drain completely and set aside.
- Cook the chicken.
Season chicken thighs with garlic powder and black pepper. Cook in a pan over medium-high heat or simmer in salted water until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly, then shred or cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Preheat.
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Build the filling.
In a large bowl, combine the cream of chicken soup and heavy cream. Add the cooked chicken, diced onion, frozen peas and carrots, drained potato, and thyme leaves stripped from the sprig. Season with garlic powder and black pepper. Stir until evenly combined.
- Fill the dish.
Pour the filling into an 8x11 baking dish and spread evenly.
- Top with pastry.
Lay the puff pastry sheets over the filling, overlapping as needed to cover the dish fully. Press the edges down against the rim of the dish. Trim any excess.
- Egg wash and bake.
Whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon of water. Brush the pastry evenly with the egg wash. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the pastry is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling at the edges.
- Rest and serve.
Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Potato microwave method: Dice the potato first, then microwave in 1 cup of water for 10 minutes or until fork-tender. Drain fully before adding to the filling -- extra water will thin the sauce.
Cream of chicken soup: This is the base of the filling and does the heavy lifting on flavor. Use the full 26 oz can. Don't dilute it with extra water.
Heavy cream vs half and half: Heavy cream gives a richer, thicker filling. Half and half works fine and cuts cost -- the cream of chicken soup is already rich enough to carry it.
Puff pastry: Thaw in the fridge overnight or on the counter for 30-40 minutes. Cold pastry is easier to work with and puffs better in the oven. Overlap sheets to cover the dish fully and press the edges down against the rim.
Egg wash: Don't skip it. It's the difference between pale and golden-brown pastry.
Internal temp check: The filling needs to be bubbling at the edges before you pull it. If the pastry is browning too fast, tent loosely with foil and keep baking.
