This Momma’s Chicken Pot Pie

As a kid, I remember loving the individual frozen chicken pot pies in the aluminum pans that you cooked for (I swear) an hour, dumped out on your plate and anxiously watched the steam escape. Then there was Marie Callender’s—perhaps the restaurant credited for making chicken pot pie famous—which has been pretty much relegated to the freezer aisle alongside other various brands. The thing with most frozen chicken pot pies is that when you pierce the crust, about three carrots, a handful of peas and a few big chunks of chicken run out in a too-thin gravy. They all come with quick microwave instructions, but let’s be honest, this method is a far cry from the delicious, comforting smell of a chicken pot pie baking in the oven. This momma says homemade is the only way to go.

My chicken pot pie baking days span the last 20+ years. This dates me for sure, but I began with what was one of the first cookbooks I had when I got married – the red & white Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. I still use the “Chicken Pot Pies” recipe from BH&G as my base but have made it my own over time.

Some of the things I’ve tweaked and modified to add to the rich- and creami-ness include:

The dairy: 

Substitute half-and-half for the water and milk. At times I’ve used a combo of milk, cream and half-and-half depending on what’s in my fridge. But half-and-half is the best.

Butter is important! Be generous with the amount of (real) butter you sauté the veggies in. 

The seasonings:

The original BH&G recipe calls for salt, pepper and sage. I’ve enhanced the seasonings a bit in my recipe below and use a combo of poultry seasoning (my husband swears by poultry seasoning), thyme, marjoram and sage. Don’t forget to add salt and pepper.

The veggies: 

Celery and onions are a must. I like to add mushrooms (and especially from Mt Si Fungi). Potatoes aren’t really needed with the heaviness of the crust. Frozen peas and carrots are very traditional, and I agree the green and orange colors are essential. However, I switched to but I switched to slicing fresh carrots and adding asparagus tips for my green.

The chicken:

I always use white meat, but if you’re a dark meat fan, then by all means venture to the dark side. My top vote is for leftover buttermilk-marinated roasted chicken, but this time I used my Instant Pot to cook the chicken while I whipped together the rest of the pie. It takes 4 minutes in 1 cup of chicken broth (you can also sprinkle on poultry seasoning or salt & pepper) with a 10-minute natural release time. Store-bought rotisserie chicken or leftover Thanksgiving turkey work well. Or simply brush olive oil on your chicken, sprinkle on salt and pepper and bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees. I also like the suggestion (which I’ve yet to try) from Le Creuset’s Mini-Cocotte Cookbook to baste your chicken breasts with softened butter (yum more butter) and season generously before baking. 

The crust: 

I know it’s cheating, but I almost always use the Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust. On my bucket list is to perfect pie crust before the end of 2020.

Here’s my current version:

Momma’s Chicken Pot Pie

• 5 Tbs butter

• ½ cup chopped onion

• ½ cup chopped celery (2 stalks)

• 2 large carrots, sliced

• ½ cup sliced mushrooms

• ½ – ¾ cup asparagus tips

• 1/3 cup flour

• ½ tsp kosher salt

• ½ tsp black pepper

• ½ tsp poultry seasoning

• ¼ tsp sage

• Couple shakes of thyme and marjoram

• 2 ¾ cup half and half (or whole milk)

• ½ to 1 cup low sodium chicken broth

• 2 cups chopped, cooked chicken breast (about ¾ -1 lb)

• Double pie crust

• Bake 1-2 chicken breasts (depending on size) in oven at 350° for 20 minutes. When done, rest for 5-10 minutes before chopping into bite-size pieces.

Turn oven up to 450°

Meanwhile, in a saucepan cook onion, celery and carrots in butter until tender. Test a carrot for desired doneness. When nearly done, add mushrooms and asparagus tips for 2-3 minutes.

Stir in flour and seasonings. Add half-and-half. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. 

Mix in about ½ cup chicken broth. Add chicken to pie filling mixture. Cook for a few more minutes. Add more milk or chicken broth a little at a time to reach desired consistency.

Prepare crust in 9” pie plate. If using refrigerated pie crusts, follow directions on box. Make sure to let come to room termperature for at least 20 minutes. Unfold one crust and place gently in ungreased pie plate. Pour chicken mixture into plate and top with second crust. Crimp or flute the edges. Poke several air vents into top crust with butter knife. Bake on middle rack in center of oven for 15 minutes, watching the crust so it doesn’t get too brown. Let cool 5-10 minutes before slicing.

Notes:

This pie can be made ahead and put in fridge until dinnertime. Let it sit out while oven is preheating. You may need to add a few minutes of baking time.

Single serving pie plates can also be used. I sometimes use individual foil pans and freeze the pies for up to a month. For the smaller size, I prefer to only have a top crust so the pie isn’t “all crust” or you could do a bottom crust with a lattice top.

I’ve also used these cute mini round cocottes from Le Creuset. Butter the cocotte (because butter is always good), pour in the pie mixture and top with a crust round. Bake in a 450° oven for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.

This is the perfect comfort food for a chilly day. If you make it, let me know how you liked it or what you did different to make it your own kind of momma’s pie!