Chicken Pot Pie

Homemade chicken pot pie is one of my absolute favorite dishes. It’s hearty, creamy without being too rich or heavy (I use milk instead of cream), very chicken-y, and perfectly savory.

In addition to being delicious, this dish can also be easy if you use pre-made crust. You can make your own, and I have several times, but sometimes all you want on a cold night is hot food now.

I used to make chicken pot pie with poached chicken breasts. But no matter what you add to that boiling liquid — bay leaf, lemon slices, smashed garlic, peppercorns — they will always taste bland. The last time I made this dish, I thought why the hell do I POACH this chicken?? It made perfect sense to sear the chicken in the same pot/dish you make the rest of the filling in, and that way, all the bits that develop from searing end up in the filling. So much more delicious, and it also means this recipe doesn’t call for chicken broth. Simply using water works fine since it becomes infused with all those brown chicken-y bits.

The Best Chicken Pot Pie
• 2 medium-large size chicken breast, sliced lengthwise to make 4 pieces
• Olive oil for searing chicken
• Italian seasoning, salt, pepper
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1 medium sized onion, chopped
• 2 medium sized carrots, chopped
• 3 medium sized celery stalks, chopped
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup milk
• 1 sheet store-bought puff pastry
• Egg wash

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

2. Generously season chicken with salt, pepper, and italian seasoning on both sides. Set aside.

3. Heat a large skillet or pot on medium-high heat with a thin layer of olive oil. Add the chicken breast when hot and sear until the thickest part of the meat reaches 150-155° on a meat thermometer. Let chicken rest on a plate.

4. In the same skillet, melt the butter and lower the heat to medium. Then add in the chopped onions, season with salt, and cook until they soften considerably.

5. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes.

6. Whisk in the water and scrape all the chicken bits off the bottom of the pan. Bring it to a boil.

7. Add in the carrots and celery; cook for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, chop the cooked chicken into bite size pieces.

8. Add in the milk, and cook for 2 more minutes . Add in the chicken and the juices from the plate, frozen peas, and parsley. Turn off the heat and let it cool down.

9. Taste for seasoning and add salt if you feel it needs it.

10. After it’s cooled down, pour into a 9x13” or any medium-sized baking dish. (Pro tip: put your baking dish on a sheet pan that’s been lined with parchment. If there’s any spillage while it bakes it won’t burn on the bottom of your oven.)

11. Brush egg wash on the edges of the dish where the crust will be adhering to.

12. Depending on the size of the baking dish, either roll out your crust or simply stretch it over the dish. Fold excess over and adhere it to the rim of the dish.

13. Brush the top with egg wash and cut slits to allow for steam to escape.

14. Bake for 30-45 minutes (it all depends on your oven) or until crust is deeply golden brown.

15. When it’s done, let it cool for at least 15 minutes or else the filling will be like water. Like many things in life, it needs time to set.