Flaky Crust Chicken Pot Pie (Printable)
Tender chicken and vegetables in creamy sauce, topped with a golden, flaky pastry crust for a comforting meal.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Flaky Pie Crust
01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
04 - 6 to 8 tablespoons ice water
05 - 1 egg (for egg wash)
→ Filling
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 1 medium onion, diced
08 - 2 medium carrots, diced
09 - 2 celery stalks, diced
10 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
11 - 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
12 - 3 cups chicken broth
13 - 1 cup whole milk or half-and-half
14 - 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced
15 - 1 cup frozen peas
16 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
17 - 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
18 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# How To Make It:
01 - Whisk flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut in cold butter until pea-sized pieces form. Gradually add ice water, mixing until dough comes together. Divide dough in half, shape into disks, wrap in plastic, and chill at least 30 minutes.
02 - Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté diced onions, carrots, and celery until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
03 - Sprinkle flour into the skillet, stirring constantly for 2 minutes to eliminate raw flavor. Gradually whisk in chicken broth and milk. Cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens, approximately 5 to 7 minutes.
04 - Stir in chicken, peas, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 2 minutes, then remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
05 - Set oven temperature to 400°F (200°C).
06 - Roll out one dough disk to fit a 9-inch pie dish. Gently press the dough into the dish and pour in the filling.
07 - Roll out the second dough disk and place it over the filling. Trim excess dough and crimp edges to seal. Cut small slits in the top crust to allow steam ventilation.
08 - Beat the egg with 1 tablespoon water and brush the mixture evenly over the top crust.
09 - Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the crust turns golden brown and filling bubbles. Cover crust edges with foil if browning excessively.
10 - Allow the pot pie to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It's the ultimate comfort food that feels fancy enough for guests but easy enough for a weeknight when you need something warming and real.
- Once you master the crust, you'll have a skill that makes every pie you bake feel like a small triumph.
- It reheats beautifully, which means leftovers taste just as good as the first slice.
02 -
- The secret to a flaky crust isn't fancy equipment or complicated technique, it's just keeping everything as cold as possible and handling the dough like you're being gentle with something fragile.
- Don't skip the resting step for the dough or rush the cooling step for the filling, because a warm filling hitting a warm crust means soggy edges instead of crispy ones.
- When you brush on the egg wash, use a light hand and brush in one direction so the crust looks polished rather than streaky.
03 -
- Brush the crust with egg wash right before baking, not ahead of time, because this keeps it from getting tacky and looking dull instead of glossy.
- If your filling is still warm when you add the top crust, place the pie dish in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before baking so the bottom crust gets a head start on cooking.