Chicken Pot Pie Flaky Crust (Printable)
Classic comfort: tender chicken, fresh vegetables, creamy sauce, all encased in a golden, flaky pastry.
# What You'll Need:
→ For the Flaky Pie Crust
01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
04 - 6–8 tablespoons ice water
05 - 1 large egg (for egg wash)
→ For the 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 freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How To Make It:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and salt. Incorporate the cold, cubed unsalted butter using a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse meal with pea-sized pieces. Gradually add the ice water, mixing until the dough just comes together. Divide the dough in half, shape each portion into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes.
02 - In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium heat. Add the diced onions, carrots, and celery, sautéing until softened, which typically takes about 6 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
03 - Sprinkle the 1/3 cup of all-purpose flour into the sautéed vegetables, stirring constantly for 2 minutes to cook out any raw flour taste. Gradually whisk in the chicken broth and whole milk (or half-and-half). Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens, approximately 5–7 minutes.
04 - Add the cooked chicken, frozen peas, dried thyme, dried sage, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Simmer for 2 minutes, then remove the skillet from the heat. Allow the filling to cool slightly.
05 - Preheat your oven to 400°F.
06 - On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of chilled pie dough to fit a 9-inch pie dish. Gently press the dough into the dish. Pour the prepared chicken pot pie filling evenly into the crust-lined dish.
07 - Roll out the second disk of pie dough and carefully lay it over the filling. Trim any excess dough from the edges and crimp to seal the top and bottom crusts together. Create a few small slits in the center of the top crust to allow steam to escape during baking.
08 - In a small bowl, beat the remaining large egg with 1 tablespoon of water to create an egg wash. Lightly brush the top crust of the pie with this mixture.
09 - Bake the chicken pot pie for 40–45 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is visibly bubbling. If the edges begin to brown too quickly, loosely cover them with aluminum foil.
10 - Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. This resting period helps the filling set.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- It's the ultimate comfort food, wrapping you in warmth on even the coldest days.
- That perfectly golden, flaky crust is incredibly satisfying to make and even better to eat.
02 -
- Overworking the pie dough is the enemy of flakiness; handle it gently and quickly.
- Cooking the flour for a full two minutes in the roux really does eliminate that raw taste, making for a smoother sauce.
03 -
- For an even flakier crust, grate your cold butter directly into the flour mixture using a box grater.
- Don't overcrowd your skillet when sautéing vegetables; work in batches if needed to ensure proper browning, not steaming.