One-pan Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry is the kind of classic American comfort food you've known and loved since childhood. Only now, it's easy enough to throw together on a weeknight! We can thank the puff pastry for that.
Beneath a layer of golden, flaky puff pastry lies the most delicious, 15-minute chicken pot pie filling you've ever tasted, featuring juicy chicken, tender peas, carrots, and onions, all cloaked in a creamy, savory gravy that's the just-right consistency.
Chicken Pot Pie was one of the first recipes I learned to conquer as a comfort food-loving home cook over 20 years ago. Making sure both the crust and filling were equally delicious was top on my priority list. And while I love a homemade pie crust for a classic chicken pot pie, sometimes an easy button is what you really need at dinner time.
Table of Contents
Ingredients (+ Substitutions)
Puff Pastry | Use Dufour Pastry Kitchens or Pepperidge Farm puff pastry, which can be found in the freezer section of your grocery store, typically near the pies and other frozen bread options. Your puff pastry must be cold when working with it so it's best to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. If needed, you can set it on the counter at room temperature for about 30 minutes or until no longer frozen. If the puff pastry gets too close to room temperature, it might become soggy and difficult to work with, so be sure to set a timer and keep an eye on it.
Butter + Flour + Chicken Broth | The holy trinity of comfort food sauce used in many beloved comfort food recipes, including smothered chicken and chicken and rice casserole. Butter and flour make a simple roux that thickens everything up, and the chicken broth adds that rich, savory depth. It's basically pot pie gravy — a cozy foundation for those chicken and veggies.
Chicken | You can use any chicken you have on hand for this recipe. You want a total of two cups of diced or shredded chicken. My go-to for this recipe is my oven-baked chicken breast (since I prefer the classic white meat filling in my chicken pot pie), but you can certainly use leftover chicken or even rotisserie chicken. See our FAQs section for more protein swaps. And if you end up with extra chicken, we've got you covered with leftover chicken recipes to put it to good use.
Vegetables | Similar to our Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice, this recipe calls for a classic mix of onion, carrots, celery, and peas. Feel free to add cooked, cubed potatoes to bulk up your pot pie. You can also swap out the onions and celery for leeks and mushrooms if you want your pot pie to have a bit more of a gourmet feel.
Egg Wash | All you need for an egg wash is an egg, a splash of water, and a pastry brush. It helps to turn the puff pastry a gorgeous golden brown, giving it that irresistible sheen. However, while an egg wash certainly has its benefits, it is completely optional. Feel free to leave out the egg if time doesn't allow.
How Make Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry
Ready Your Pan | Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- If using a 12-inch cast iron skillet or braiser: Melt the butter in the skillet over medium heat.
- If using a saucepan and casserole dish combo: Grease a 9x13" casserole dish (or deep pie dish) and set aside. Then melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Saute the Veggies
Add Flour and Broth | As soon as the butter has melted, add the celery, carrots, and onion, and sauté until they are softened. It's important that you dice your veggies into similar-sized pieces. This will help them to cook evenly.
Build the Sauce
Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir until evenly coated. Add the chicken broth one big splash splash at a time, whisking after each addition.
Season + Simmer | Add the salt and pepper, and increase the heat to medium-high. Allow the mixture to simmer, stirring often, about 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.
Add the Chicken and Peas
Add Chicken and Peas | Stir in the peas and the diced chicken and set aside until ready to use.
- If using a cast iron skillet or braiser: Set the skillet aside to cool slightly.
- If using a casserole or pie dish: Pour the chicken and vegetable filling into the prepared dish and set aside to cool slightly.
Prep the Puff Pastry
Prep Puff Pastry | Lightly flour your work surface and roll out the sheet of puff pastry to fit your baking dish.
- For a 12-inch cast iron skillet, braiser, or pie dish: Roll into a 13-inch round or square so it barely drapes over the edges.
- For a 9x13 casserole dish: Roll the pastry into a rectangle just large enough to cover the top with a slight overhang.
Lay the Puff Pastry | Carefully lay the pastry over the filling, and tuck in any excess.
Make Egg Wash | To make the egg wash, whisk together the egg and water, and using a pastry brush, lightly brush the mixture across the top.
Make Slits | Cut 3-4 small slits in the center (or evenly along the top) to allow steam to escape. If your baking vessel if very full, transfer to a sturdy, rimmed baking sheet to catch any spillage.
Bake Until Golden
Bake | Bake the pie for 25-30 minutes, until puffed and golden brown.
Allow to Cool | Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15-20 minutes before cutting into. This rest time is essential--it gives the gravy a second to set up.
Speaking of gravy, be sure to check out this chicken and gravy dish for next time.
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
Make-Ahead | Filling can be made ahead and refrigerated until the next day. Make the filling, allow it to cool completely, cover it, and place it in the refrigerator. The next day, set the filling out at room temperature for about 30 minutes to remove the chill. It is essential that the filling is at room temperature and not cold when going into the oven, or your puff pastry will over-brown before the filling is thoroughly heated through. Before baking, roll out the puff pastry and proceed with the rest of the recipe as directed in the recipe card.
Freeze (Uncooked) | I do not recommend freezing an assembled, unbaked puff pastry chicken pot pie. Puff pastry bakes much faster than a frozen filling can heat, which means your crust will be well past golden before the inside is ready.
However, you can make the filling in advance. Allow to cool completely and freeze in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Then, thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Storage | Cool completely and cover with foil or plastic wrap. Keep refrigerated for the 3-4 days.
Reheat | For a crispy puff pastry topping the next day, it's best to reheat in the oven. Cover with aluminum foil to keep the pastry from overbrowning, and bake at 350°F for about 15 minutes. Remove the foil for the last 5 minutes of baking to let the pastry crisp back up.
What to Serve with Puff Pastry Chicken Pot Pie
Chicken pot pie with puff pastry is rich, creamy, and hearty, so pairing it with fresh, crisp sides adds balance to the meal.
A light house salad, a hearty wedge salad, or a flavorful apple and bacon salad adds lightness to contrast the pie's creamy filling, while warm veggie sides like green bean almondine bring color and texture to the plate.
If you want to completely indulge, pair the pot pie with twice-baked potatoes, or keep it classic with breadbasket faves such as buttermilk biscuits, cornbread, or dinner rolls—all perfect for soaking up every last bit of that savory sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. This is not recommended, as puff pastry requires dry heat to become crispy. Even blind baking would not help here. A bottom puff pastry crust would end up soggy and likely even a bit undercooked.
For the butter in puff pastry dough to puff up into layers, it needs to stay cold. Make sure your dough stays cold even up to the minute it goes into the oven. You also want to be sure to cut slits in the puff pastry so steam from the filling has an escape route and doesn't all build up under your pastry layer, resulting in a soggy topping.
Either the puff pastry is too warm, or your oven isn't fully preheated to the correct temperature.
We love a classic American combo of onion, peas, and carrots. Mushrooms, leeks, par-cooked diced potatoes, and even green beans work in this dish if you're looking to bulk up the filling or change up the flavors.
Absolutely. You can use leftover steak, pot roast, and even turkey in this recipe. Pro tip: If using beef, substitute beef broth for chicken to create an ultra-savory beef pot pie.
More Creamy Chicken Recipes You’ll Love
- Crockpot Chicken and Stuffing
- Chicken and Dumplings
- Chicken Spaghetti
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- Scalloped Potatoes and Chicken
Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 stalks of celery, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups unsalted chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup fresh or frozen peas
- 2 cups cooked, white meat chicken, diced
- 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. If using a 12-inch cast iron skillet or braiser: melt the butter in the skillet over medium heat. If using a saucepan and casserole dish combo: grease a 9x13" casserole dish (or deep pie dish) and set aside. Then melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
- As soon as the butter has melted, add the celery, carrots, and onion and sauté until softened, about 8 minutes.
- Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir until evenly coated. Add the chicken broth one big splash splash at a time, whisking after each addition.
- Add the salt and pepper, and increase the heat to medium-high. Allow the mixture to simmer, stirring often, about 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in the peas and the diced chicken, and set aside until ready to use.
- If using a cast iron skillet or braiser: Set the skillet aside to cool slightly.If using a casserole or pie dish: pour the chicken and vegetable filling into the prepared dish and set aside to cool slightly.
- Lightly flour your work surface and roll out the sheet of puff pastry to fit your baking dish. For a 12-inch cast iron skillet, braiser, or pie dish: roll into a 13-inch round or square so it barely drapes over the edges.For a 9x13 casserole dish: roll the pastry into a rectangle just large enough to cover the top with a slight overhang.
- Carefully lay the pastry over the filling, and tuck in any excess. To make the egg wash, whisk together the egg and water, and using a pastry brush, lightly brush the mixture across the top.
- Cut 3-4 small slits in the center (or evenly along the top) to allow steam to escape. If your baking vessel if very full, transfer to a sturdy, rimmed baking sheet to catch any spillage.
- Bake the pie for 25-30 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15-20 minutes before cutting into. Serve and enjoy.
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