The Pantry
American

Chicken pot pie

A small chicken pot pie with a crisp pastry lid, tender vegetables and a creamy filling. It makes useful work of cooked chicken and frozen peas.

Prep 15 minCook 45 minAdjust servings ↓
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Chicken pot pie
~610 calper person · ~1220 total
~$7.00meal total · ~$3.50 per person

Estimated calories and US ingredient costs.

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Your whole cook, in one place.

Ingredients, steps and a live timeline. Ready for 2 people.

Step timeline

Cooking order

10 left
Step 1

Prepare the oven and pastry

~4 min

Prepare the oven and pastry.

Heat the oven to 400°F.

Set an ovenproof skillet or shallow baking dish on a sheet pan.

Choose a dish large enough for the filling with a little headroom.

Keep 4 oz pie pastry chilled while making the filling.

Step 2

Soften the vegetables

~8 min

Soften the vegetables.

Melt 1 tbsp butter in a skillet over medium heat.

Add 3 oz onion, 4 oz carrots and 2 oz celery.

Cook 7–8 minutes, stirring, until the onion softens and the carrots begin to soften.

Ingredients
  • 1 tbspUnsalted butter
  • 3 ozOnion
  • 4 ozCarrots
  • 2 ozCelery
Step 3

Thicken the filling

~4 min

Thicken the filling.

Sprinkle over 2 tbsp flour and stir for 1 minute.

Gradually stir in 1 cup chicken broth and 1/2 cup milk, scraping the bottom.

Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 minutes until lightly thickened.

Ingredients
  • 2 tbspAll-purpose flour
  • 1 cupLow-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 cupMilk
Step 4

Add chicken and peas

~2 min

Add chicken and peas.

Stir in 8 oz cooked chicken, 1/2 cup frozen peas, 1/2 tsp thyme, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper.

Simmer for 2 minutes.

Transfer to the baking dish if the skillet is not ovenproof.

Ingredients
  • 8 ozCooked chicken
  • 1/2 cupFrozen peas
  • 1/2 tspDried thyme
  • 1/4 tspKosher salt
  • 1/8 tspBlack pepper
Step 5

Add the pastry lid

~4 min

Add the pastry lid.

Roll the pie pastry just wide enough to cover the filling.

Lay it over the hot filling, tuck the edge inside the dish and cut several small vents in the top.

Use caution around the hot skillet handle.

Ingredients
  • 4 oz total for recipePie pastry
Step 6

Bake the pie

~25 min cook

Bake the pie.

Bake 20–25 minutes, until the pastry is deeply golden and the filling bubbles through the vents.

Insert a thermometer through a vent; the center of the filling must reach 165°F.

If the pastry browns early, shield it loosely with foil.

Step 7

Check chicken

After ~25 min

Check Chicken pot pie and continue when ready.

Step 8

Rest and serve

~5 min cook

Rest

Let the pie stand for 5 minutes so the sauce settles

The filling will still be hot.

Step 9

Check chicken

After ~5 min

Check Chicken pot pie and continue when ready.

Step 10

Serve meal

~1 min

Once all dishes are cooked and ready, plate and serve the meal together.

Chicken pot pie: serve.

Chicken pot pie: then spoon the filling and crisp pastry onto serving plates.

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Ingredients

For 2 people

  • 8 oz cooked chicken, shredded
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 3 oz onion, diced
  • 4 oz carrots, diced small
  • 2 oz celery, diced
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas
  • 4 oz pie pastry
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper

Method

  1. Prepare the oven and pastryHeat the oven to 400°F. Set an ovenproof skillet or shallow baking dish on a sheet pan. Choose a dish large enough for the filling with a little headroom. Keep 4 oz pie pastry chilled while making the filling.
  2. Soften the vegetablesMelt 1 tbsp butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add 3 oz onion, 4 oz carrots and 2 oz celery. Cook 7–8 minutes, stirring, until the onion softens and the carrots begin to soften.
  3. Thicken the fillingSprinkle over 2 tbsp flour and stir for 1 minute. Gradually stir in 1 cup chicken broth and 1/2 cup milk, scraping the bottom. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 minutes until lightly thickened.
  4. Add chicken and peasStir in 8 oz cooked chicken, 1/2 cup frozen peas, 1/2 tsp thyme, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper. Simmer for 2 minutes. Transfer to the baking dish if the skillet is not ovenproof.
  5. Add the pastry lidRoll the pie pastry just wide enough to cover the filling. Lay it over the hot filling, tuck the edge inside the dish and cut several small vents in the top. Use caution around the hot skillet handle.
  6. Bake the pieBake 20–25 minutes, until the pastry is deeply golden and the filling bubbles through the vents. Insert a thermometer through a vent; the center of the filling must reach 165°F. If the pastry browns early, shield it loosely with foil.
  7. Rest and serveLet the pie stand for 5 minutes so the sauce settles, then spoon the filling and crisp pastry onto serving plates. The filling will still be hot.

Before you cook

What to get ready

Ovenproof skillet or shallow baking dish, sheet pan, rolling pin and thermometer.

Dice carrots small and measure the broth. Use safely stored cooked chicken; keep pastry chilled until the filling is ready.

If something needs adjusting

Pastry is golden but filling is cool

Loosely shield the pastry and keep baking until the center reaches 165°F. Deep dishes take longer.

Filling is thin

Let the flour-thickened sauce simmer before topping; the short rest after baking also helps it settle.

Store for later

Refrigerate portions promptly in shallow containers. Reheat in the oven until the center reaches 165°F; shield the pastry if it browns too much.

Refrigerate perishables within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F. Keep the fridge at 40°F or below; use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days. USDA storage and reheating guidance.

Make the ingredients go further

Use safely stored cooked chicken and frozen mixed vegetables. Include pastry in the cost calculation rather than comparing only the filling.

Calculate this meal with your own prices →

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Cooking notes updated October 24, 2026. How we create recipes.

Tips, swaps and questions

A little kitchen know-how

Small carrot pieces soften in the filling before the pastry finishes. A deep dish needs longer than a shallow one, so check the center temperature.

Make it work for you

Use frozen mixed vegetables in place of the carrots and peas. Add them with the cooked chicken and bring the filling back to a simmer before baking.

Use extra carrots and chicken in chicken noodle soup.

Can I use leftover roast chicken?

Yes, if it was refrigerated promptly and is still within its 3–4 day refrigerated storage window. Baking does not restart that storage window; reheat the filling to 165°F.

Times are estimates. Check ingredients for allergens. For safe temperatures and storage, see FoodSafety.gov.

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