Easy & Versatile Chicken Pot Pie

Who doesn’t love chicken pot pie? It’s the perfect comfort food for this time of year (or any time of the year, really). This is my tried-and-true recipe, and it’s always a hit!

While it may not be entirely fair to refer to my version of this dish as a “pie,” seeing as there is no bottom crust, and the top crust is comprised of puff pastry, I think my version is just as good if not better than a standard pie. It's easy to prepare (considering the most difficult part is chopping vegetables!), there is a generous amount of tasty filling, and when that pastry soaks up the sauce from the filling, it is marvelously delicious!

The true beauty of this recipe, however, is that it is incredibly versatile. You can add additional vegetables if you wish, such as peas or broccoli, or you add an extra dimension of flavor with a bit of parsley, tarragon, or thyme. You can really utilize this recipe as a base for a variety of dishes. If you aren’t in the mood for a pot pie, you can serve the filling as a creamy chicken soup, or you can serve it over rice or noodles (per my mom’s suggestion). You can give this dish any personal spin you like and truly make it your own.

Easy & Versatile Chicken Pot Pie

2 cups cooked chicken, shredded*

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

1 large carrot, chopped

1 potato, peeled and diced

4 tbs. butter

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

2 tbs. flour

2 cups chicken broth*

1 frozen sheet of puff pastry 

*Tip: I like to boil my chicken until it is thoroughly cooked, then allow it to cool and shred it by hand. While the chicken is cooling, I add a bit of salt to the boiling liquid, let it reduce a bit, and then reserve 2 cups to utilize as the chicken broth for this recipe.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the puff pastry from its packaging, and allow it to thaw but not reach room temperature; it should still be chilled when used. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, melt the butter on medium-high heat. Add the celery, onion, salt, and pepper, and sautee for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are soft, and the onion is translucent. Add the flour, and cook the mixture for one minute longer. Then, add the chicken broth, stirring vigorously. Add the carrot and potato. Cook for an additional 10 minutes or until the mixture has thickened and the carrot and potato have become tender. Add the shredded chicken, then remove from heat, and reserve.

Cut your puff pastry to fit the top of your baking dish. (I recommend using a round, 9” deep dish.) You can do this easily by placing your baking dish upside down over the pastry dough, pressing it into the dough, and the cutting along the indentation made by the dish. Pour the reserved chicken mixture into your baking dish and top with the prepared pastry. Bake for 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Allow it to cool for 10 minutes, and serve.

Tip: You can cut your leftover puff pastry into squares or strips and bake them on a baking sheet for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Then, you can use them as croutons or dipping strips for your pot pie. 

Puff pastry makes everything better! 

 

The absolute epitome of comfort food!

 

Enjoy!