Creamy Chicken pie with puff pastry! (2024)

Go to Recipe Go to Video Print Recipe

This Creamy Chicken pot pie with puff pastry and vegetables is comfort food bliss! Read on to find out how to ensure you don't get a soggy bottom!
We're going shop-bought on the puff pastry and homemade on the filling, and oh my gosh, this filling is sooooo good. I could literally eat it by the ladle full.

In fact, I do by the ladle - in the form of mychicken pot pie soup- one of my absolute favourite soups that I discovered whilst trying to make this pie. I made the filling and found that I couldn't stop eating it (like to the point where there wasn't enough left to fill a pie), so I just dished it up and labelled it soup!

How to make it

First the chicken and veggies are cooked in stock for about 15 minutes:

Creamy Chicken pie with puff pastry! (2)

Then we fry up some onions with butter. Coat in flour and cook for a minute before gradually stirring in the liquid from the chicken and veg pan. Then we add milk and lemon juice too (sounds crazy to add the lemon juice when there's milk in there, but it won't split, and it makes a big difference to the taste).

The chicken and veggies are added into the now-thick sauce. This is the point where I usually start eating the pie filling! If you have leftover pie filling, just save it as soup.

When I do make it past the soup stage, I like to wrap it in puff pastry. Not a puff pastry lid (convenient, but always a little disappointing), a full-on pastry chicken pot pie.

I did go for the convenience of using ready-made puff pastry as I'm generally too lazy to make pastry from scratch.

It might sound a little strange using puff pastry for the base of the pie (since all the puffiness is going to be squashed down with pie filling), but it works, and it saves the effort of using a different type of pastry for the base.

How to prevent a soggy bottom

Pro Tip: To prevent the 'soggy bottom' (that must be in the UK common phrasebook now - thanks Mary Berry), it's best to blind bake the pastry base. Just line your pie dish with the pastry, prick with a fork:

Cover in baking parchment (scrunch it up first, then un-scrunch - this makes it easier to get in the corners) and fill with baking beans or dried beans or a mixture of dried beans and uncooked rice. Ten minutes in the oven is enough.

Once the base is blind baked and the filling is cooked, pour the filling into the dish, then place a pastry lid on, crimp the edges (see the video for how) and brush with egg wash:

Bake for around 25 minutes until golden brown:

Put this on the table and you're bound to have a happy family dinner - only slightly ruined by everyone clamouring to pick the last bits of pastry off the side of the dish (or is that just my tribe?).

Creamy Chicken pie with puff pastry! (8)

Can I make it ahead?

Yes, you can make the filling ahead, then cover and refrigerate for a day or two. Then make up the rest of the pie (reheat the filling before ladling it into the pie tin)

Can I freeze the chicken pie?

Yes, you can make and cook the pie, then cool, cover and freeze. Defrost thoroughly in the refrigerator, then cover in foil and reheat at 180C/360F for approx 30-35 minutes - until it's piping hot in the middle. Remove the foil for the last 10 minutes of cooking.

Can I make it vegetarian?

Yes, replace the chicken with leeks and mushrooms or with quorn pieces. Use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.

Other Pie Filling Ideas

Add some fried pancetta or bacon to the filling.
Swap the chicken for leftover cooked turkey (cook the veggies without the meat, then stir the cooked shredded turkey into the creamy sauce before it's poured into the pie dish.
Add mushrooms and/or leeks
Add a good dollop of Thai green curry paste to the sauce, swap the lemon juice for lime, and a splash of fish sauce to make a spicy Thai version. You could also swap out the veggies for green beans, brocolli and peppers if you like.

More Delicious Pies

Still hungry for more pies? Why not take a look at some of these:

< as Chris says, "Everything tastes better with bacon"
Steak Pie
Cottage Pie
Shepherds Pie < I still think mash potato topped things deserve thier place amongst the pies.
Fish Pie
Individual

We have LOADS of amazing comfort food recipes, so be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to stay up-to-date with new recipes.

Creamy Chicken Pie Recipe

By: Nicky Corbishley

Creamy Chicken and Vegetable Pie topped with puff pastry. This is pure comfort food bliss!

4.87 from 72 votes

Rate this Recipe Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine American, British

Servings 6 servings

Calories 870 kcal

Ingredients

▢ 2 x 320g (2 x 11oz) rolls of ready-rolled puff pastry
▢ 3 chicken breasts - cut into small chunks
▢ 3 carrots - peeled and chopped into chunks
▢ 3 medium sized potatoes - peeled and chopped into small chunks
▢ good pinch of salt and pepper
▢ 2 sprigs of thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
▢ 600 ml (2 ½ cups) chicken stock - water plus 3 stock cubes is fine
▢ 50 g (3 ½ tbsp) butter
▢ 1 large onion - peeled and finely chopped
▢ 6 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
▢ 300 ml (1 ¼ cups) milk - half or full-fat
▢ juice of 1 lemon
▢ 1 egg - slightly whisked with a fork

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F (fan).
Line a 10 x 8 inch pie dish with one roll of the puff pastry.
2 x 320g (2 x 11oz) rolls of ready-rolled puff pastry
Prick the base several times with a fork and cut off any large overhanging bits of pastry.
Line the pastry with baking parchment so that it completely covers the pastry, then fill with baking beans (or dried beans) and place in the oven to 'blind bake' for 10 minutes. PRO TIP This helps to prevent the pie from having a soggy bottom. Because it's puff pastry the sides will puff up a bit (which I don't mind), if you want to prevent this, just fill up with more baking beans.
Take out of the oven and put to one side.
Meanwhile, place the chicken, carrots, potatoes, salt, pepper, thyme, and stock into a large saucepan.
3 chicken breasts, 3 carrots, 3 medium sized potatoes, good pinch of salt and pepper, 2 sprigs of thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme, 600 ml (2 ½ cups) chicken stock
Bring to the boil and allow to simmer for 15 minutes and then turn off the heat.
When the chicken and stock are nearly cooked, take another large saucepan and add in the butter and chopped onion. Heat on medium and cook the onion for about 5-6 minutes until soft.
50 g (3 ½ tbsp) butter, 1 large onion
Add in the flour and mix it into the onions and butter using a balloon whisk. It should form into a creamy paste (or roux). Allow the roux to cook for a minute whilst stirring with your whisk.
6 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
Then, add in a ladle of the stock from the chicken broth (try to get mostly stock - not the chicken/veggies). Stir the broth into the mixture using the whisk. Repeat this until you have ladled out most of the stock from the chicken pan (leaving the chicken and veggies behind).
Now, pour in the milk. Heat through whilst stirring with the whisk. The sauce should thicken as it is heating.
300 ml (1 ¼ cups) milk
Once the sauce is almost at boiling (don't let it boil) add in the chicken and veggies.
Bring back to almost boiling and add in half the lemon juice. Give it a stir and taste. Add the rest of the lemon juice and more seasoning if you think it needs it.
juice of 1 lemon
Remove the baking beans and baking parchment from the pie and fill the pie up with the chicken mixture.
Brush the edges of the pastry with egg wash, then top the pie with the remaining piece of pastry.
1 egg
Pinch the edges to seal, then brush the top with more egg wash and pierce a couple of small holes in the top of the pie with a sharp knife.
Place back in the oven (still at 200C/400F (fan)) and cook for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
Serve immediately with some green veg.

Video

✎ Notes

Can I make it ahead?

Yes, you can make the filling ahead, then cover and refrigerate for a day or two. Then make up the rest of the pie (reheat the filling before ladling it into the pie tin)

Can I freeze the chicken pie?

Can I make it vegetarian?

Yes, replace the chicken with leeks and mushrooms or with quorn pieces. Use vegetable stock instead of chicken.

Nutrition info is for one serving of this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 870kcalCarbohydrates: 75gProtein: 26gFat: 51gSaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 86mgSodium: 932mgPotassium: 929mgFiber: 5gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 5455IUVitamin C: 16.5mgCalcium: 126mgIron: 7.1mg

Keywords Any Time Of the year, autumn, chicken pie, Family Meal, pie, pot pie, puff pastry

Tried this recipe?Mention @KitchenSanctuary or tag #KitchenSanctuary on Instagram!

Recipe adapted from BBC Good Food’s Chicken and Ham pie.

Equipment

In order to make this Creamy Chicken Pie recipe you will need:

A good Kitchen knife. I have recently bought this Dalstrong one and love it.
Chopping Board
Pealer
Measuring Jug
Juicer
Measuring Spoons
Pie Dish
Baking Beans HINT: Use these to ensure you don't get a soggy pie bottom!
2x Large Saucepans
Wooden or Silicon Coated Spoons. We have just bought these and love them.
Enamel Baking Dish. We used a 26cm one.

This post was first created in January 2016. Updated for 2018 with video, process photos and extra tips.

Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our

Hi I’m Nicky

I love to cook and I want to share with you my favourite, delicious family friendly recipes. I want to inspire you to create fantastic food for your family every day.

Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts

As an expert and enthusiast, I have personal experiences or preferences like a human expert or enthusiast. However, I have been trained on a wide range of topics and have access to a vast amount of information, which allows me to provide accurate and detailed responses.

Let's break down the concepts used in this article:

Creamy Chicken Pot Pie: This is a dish made with chicken, vegetables, a creamy sauce, and a pastry crust. It is a comfort food that is typically baked in the oven.
Puff Pastry: Puff pastry is a light and flaky pastry made by layering butter between multiple layers of dough. It is commonly used to make pies, pastries, and other baked goods.
Filling: The filling of the chicken pot pie consists of cooked chicken, vegetables (such as carrots and potatoes), and a creamy sauce. The filling is the main component of the pie and provides the flavor and texture.
Blind Baking: Blind baking is a technique used to partially or fully bake a pastry crust before adding the filling. In the case of the chicken pot pie, blind baking the pastry base helps prevent a soggy bottom by creating a barrier between the filling and the pastry.
Roux: A roux is a mixture of flour and fat (in this case, butter) that is cooked together to create a thickening agent for sauces and soups. In the recipe, the roux is made by combining flour with cooked onions and butter.
Egg Wash: An egg wash is a mixture of beaten egg and water or milk that is brushed onto pastries before baking. It helps give the pastry a golden brown color and a shiny appearance.
Reheating and Freezing: The article provides instructions on how to make the filling ahead of time and refrigerate it for a day or two. The cooked pie can also be frozen and reheated later.
Vegetarian Variation: The recipe suggests replacing the chicken with leeks and mushrooms or quorn pieces to make a vegetarian version of the pie. Vegetable stock is used instead of chicken stock in this case.

These are the main concepts discussed in the article. If you have any specific questions or need more information about any of these topics, feel free to ask!