When I tell the family I’m making chicken pot pie, you can bet we’ll have a full table for dinner. Chicken pot pie is a crowd pleasing comfort food. Whether you make it with a traditional pie crust, or serve it “deconstructed” with biscuits or pastry dough on top, the key to success for this dish is making a creamy filling full of flavor.
Chicken filling starts with boneless, skinless chicken breasts that have been poached or roasted, and cut into bite-sized pieces. If you’re poaching your chicken you can infuse savory flavors in the poaching liquid like bay leaves, peppercorns, and fresh thyme.
The key to thickening your sauce will be to create a roux. A roux is simply the combination of fat and flour that when heated create a thickening agent for your liquid.
You can poach frozen or defrosted chicken. Start with the chicken in the pot then add enough water to completely cover the chicken and any other ingredients you’ve added. Bring to a boil and then lower the temperature slightly for a soft boil. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes for 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts. You’ll need to plan roughly 50% longer for frozen chicken. Of course, cook time varies depending on the size of the chicken pieces, how many you are cooking and whether they are bone in or not. More chicken in the pot, bigger pieces, and bone in chicken will take longer to cook.
To determine whether the chicken is fully cooked, take a piece out of the pot and place a meat thermometer into the thickest section. When the internal temperature hits 165 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s done. Cutting it open is okay too. Put it back in the water to cook if it’s still pink inside.
Don’t worry about that “white stuff” floating in the water. It’s nothing to be concerned about and quite normal. As the flesh cooks and the fibers shrink, the protein from the chicken rises to the top. Fatty fish, such as salmon, do the same thing.If any of it sticks to the outside, simply scrape it away.
To keep the meat from drying out be sure not to cook it over 165 degrees. Also, allowing the chicken to rest for about 10 minutes after cooking redistributes its natural juices to keep it moist and tender.
You’re gonna love it!
Prep Time: 1.5 Hours
Serves: 4-6
Recipe Ingredients:
For Pie Crust
1 1/4 Cups flour
1/2 Cup butter
1/3 Cup sour cream
If you don't feel like making crust from scratch, use ready-made packaged pie crust that you can unroll.
For Chicken Filling
4 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 Bay leaves
5 Peppercorns
4 Tablespoons butter
1 Diced onion
4 Celery stalks, diced
4 Medium carrots, diced
1 Small fennel bulb, diced
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1/2 Teaspoon black pepper
2 Teaspoons poultry seasoning
1 Teaspoon dried thyme or 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
2-3 Tablespoons flour (to thicken)
1 Small package frozen peas
2 1/2 Cups chicken stock
Recipe Steps:
For Crust:
Combine flour and butter in food processor. Pulse until crumbs form. Add sour cream and pulse until dough forms a ball. Wrap in plastic and chill for a couple of hours.
(Crust may be made up to 3 days in advance)
For Chicken Filling:
Poach boneless, skinless chicken breasts in boiling water with a pinch of salt, two bay leaves and 5 pepper corns. (Follow poaching instructions above.)
Once cooked, remove chicken from water, let cool, remove bay leaves and peppercorns.
Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
In a large saucepan, sauté butter, onions, celery, and fenel over medium heat until softened (about 10 mins.).
Sprinkle flour, salt, pepper, and dried seasonings over sauté and cook for about 5 minutes to create a roux.
Slowly pour chicken stock into center of the saucepan, stirring constantly until a thick gravy develops – another 5-8 minutes.
Add chicken pieces, peas, sliced carrots and celery, and combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Adjust spicing if needed before assembling.
Spoon chicken filling into a 9-inch deep dish pie or casserole dish.
Roll out pie dough on a lightly floured surface to a 10 inch diameter.
Cover chicken filling with pie crust, crimping pie dough around the edges.
Pierce a few times with a fork in the middle of the pie crust to allow air to escape.
Place on a cookie sheet and bake in preheated 350 degree oven, for 45 minutes, until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling.
Let the pot pie rest for about 10 minutes before serving.