Chicken pot pie is one of my favorite dishes, but dealing with two crusts can be such a chore. This chicken pot pie casserole makes my life so much easier! Instead of canned soup, it starts with a homemade filling. Butter, veggies, broth, cream, and a splash of white wine cook down into a silky, savory gravy. It’s loaded with tender chicken, carrots, peas, and mushrooms. Then it bakes under one flaky crust until the top is golden and the filling bubbles. This crazy good chicken casserole is the ultimate easy comfort food, and it tastes like you spent all day on it.
5-Star Review
“I love this pot pie! So savory with the wine and seasoning…It is delicious! Just made it again this week! Second time this fall! Love your step by step instructions.” -Susan
Pot Pie vs. Pot Pie Casserole
This casserole has everything I love about a classic pot pie. It’s loaded with the tastiest sauce, chunky chicken, peas, carrots, and more, and topped with a beautiful lattice pie crust. I love how homey, delicious, fun, and comforting it is. It has all the flavor of my favorite pot pie, but it’s there for me when I need something less fussy, just like this chicken pot pie soup with pie crust crackers.
Here’s what makes the casserole version so much easier.
- Only one crust. A classic pot pie needs a bottom crust and a top crust, and that bottom layer can turn soggy under a creamy filling. Here the filling goes straight into the dish, and the crust only goes on top, so there’s nothing to blind bake and nothing to go soggy.
- Less hands-on time. Prep only takes 15 minutes, and it’s so unfussy! Because it uses cooked chicken, the filling comes together in one skillet in about the time it takes the oven to preheat.
- Easier to serve. There’s no slicing neat wedges out of a pie plate. You just scoop it from the dish with a big spoon, and every serving gets plenty of crust and creamy filling.
- Made for a crowd. One 2-quart dish makes 8 hearty servings, so it feeds the whole family with room for leftovers.
If you love a bottom crust, you can still add one. Use a second pie crust and prebake it before adding the filling so it doesn’t turn out raw or gummy underneath.
One Crust Is All You Need
The filling is fully cooked on the stovetop before it ever hits the oven. That means the crust is only there to bake up flaky and golden, and a single top crust does that job perfectly. Skipping the bottom crust keeps every bite crisp on top and creamy underneath, without any doughy layer at the bottom of the dish.
- Store-bought is totally fine. A refrigerated 9-inch pie crust makes this a true weeknight dinner. Just let it sit on the counter for 15 to 20 minutes before you roll it out. Cold dough cracks when you try to bend it, and a few minutes at room temperature makes it soft and easy to work with.
- Want to make your own? My homemade pie crust is simple, tender, and flaky, and it’s made with shortening, so it’s easy to roll out (and dairy-free too). You only need the single-crust batch for this recipe.
- Make the crust ahead. Homemade dough can be shaped into a disc, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, and kept in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen dough overnight in the fridge, then let it warm up on the counter before rolling. On busy days, I like to have a crust ready to go so dinner is just filling, crust, and bake.
Tips for Success
- Simmer until it’s truly thick. The filling should look like a thick stew and coat the back of a spoon before it goes into the dish. It won’t thicken much more in the oven, so if it looks soupy, give it a few more minutes on the stove. If you like your filling even thicker, keep simmering until it reaches the consistency you want.
- Cook the flour for the full 3 minutes. Stirring the flour into the butter and veggies for a few minutes cooks out the raw flour taste and gives it the power to thicken the gravy. Rushing this step is the most common reason a pot pie filling turns out runny.
- Keep the crust taut. Try to keep the crust relatively taut over the baking dish so that it doesn’t touch the filling. If it is sitting directly on the filling, it may take longer to bake due to the extra moisture.
- Watch the color. If you notice that the crust is browning too quickly, loosely cover the casserole with foil halfway through baking.
- Let it rest before serving. Give the casserole about 10 minutes out of the oven before you scoop it. The filling sets up as it cools slightly, so it holds together instead of running all over the plate.
Chicken Pot Pie Casserole
Equipment
- 2-Quart Baking Dish
Ingredients
- 1 9" pie crust store bought or homemade
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter (½ stick)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 carrots peeled and diced
- 2 ribs celery diced
- 1 sweet yellow onion peeled and minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced or pressed
- 3 cups cubed cooked chicken
- 4 oz. button mushrooms cleaned and diced
- 1 cup frozen peas thawed
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock
- ¼ cup white wine semi-dry or Chardonnay
- 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
- ½ tsp kosher salt or to taste
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ¼ tsp ground sweet basil
- 1 large egg beaten slightly with 1 tsp water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and spray a 2-quart casserole dish with nonstick spray. Set aside. Allow the pie crust to warm at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before rolling out.1 9" pie crust
- Heat the butter and oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until they shimmer.4 tbsp unsalted butter, 2 tbsp olive oil
- Add diced carrots and celery and cook for 3 minutes. Add minced onion and cook until onion is translucent. Add minced onion and cook until onion is translucent.2 carrots, 2 ribs celery, 1 sweet yellow onion, 2 cloves garlic
- Add the cooked chicken, diced mushrooms, and peas and cook 1 minute.3 cups cubed cooked chicken, 4 oz. button mushrooms, 1 cup frozen peas
- Sprinkle vegetables and chicken with the flour and cook 3 minutes, stirring continuously.¼ cup all-purpose flour
- Stir in chicken broth and scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze the pan.2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- Pour in the white wine and cream. Stir well.¼ cup white wine, 1 cup heavy cream
- Season to taste with salt and add the pepper, thyme, and basil. Stir well and continue to cook until thickened to a thick-stew consistency.½ tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, ½ tsp dried thyme, ¼ tsp ground sweet basil
- Pour chicken mixture into the prepared casserole dish.
- Roll the pie crust to ¼-inch thickness and cut into 1-inch strips to create a lattice top. Or, drape it over the filling, trim or crimp the sides, and cut a few small vents.
- Combine egg and water and brush the pastry with the egg mixture.1 large egg
- Bake on the center rack of the oven for 35-45 minutes, or until the top is golden. Rest 10 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
- This recipe is built for leftovers, so the chicken only warms through in the filling instead of cooking from raw. Use any cubed or shredded cooked chicken, like rotisserie chicken, leftover roast chicken, or even leftover turkey. Raw chicken won’t have time to cook through on the stovetop, so cook it first if that’s what you have.
- The butter and olive oil both have a job here, so melt them together before adding the veggies. Butter gives the filling its rich flavor, while the oil keeps the butter from scorching over medium-high heat. Together they give the flour enough fat to soak up for a smooth, lump-free gravy.
- This filling should be thick before it ever goes in the oven, so simmer until it coats the back of a spoon like a thick stew. It won’t thicken much more as it bakes. If you use half-and-half instead of heavy cream, plan on a few extra minutes of simmering since it’s a little thinner.
- For a gluten-free pot pie, swap in a gluten-free pie crust and a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend. The blend thickens the gravy the same way all-purpose flour does, so the rest of the recipe stays the same.
- For a dairy-free pot pie, use dairy-free butter and coconut cream or a soy-based heavy cream. Check that your pie crust is dairy-free too. My homemade crust is made with shortening, so it already is.
- The wine adds a touch of acidity that keeps this rich filling from tasting heavy. If you’d rather skip it, replace it with more chicken broth and a small splash of vinegar to keep that same brightness.
- Leftovers keep tightly covered in the fridge for up to 3 days and in the freezer for up to 2 months. If you plan to freeze it, bake or store it in a metal or foil pan instead of glass, since glass can shatter when it goes from the freezer to a hot oven.
Nutrition
How to Make Chicken Pot Pie Casserole Step by Step
Gather the ingredients: Gather all the ingredients together. Preheat the oven to 375°F and spray a 2-quart casserole dish with nonstick spray. Take your 9-inch pie crust out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes. Cold dough cracks when you roll or bend it, and a little time on the counter makes it soft enough to work with.
Melt the butter and oil: Heat 4 tbsp of unsalted butter and 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the butter melts and the fat starts to shimmer. The oil keeps the butter from browning too fast, so you get all that buttery flavor without any burnt bits.
Build the veggie base: Add 2 diced carrots and 2 diced ribs of celery and cook for 3 minutes. They go in first because they’re the firmest and need a head start. Add 1 minced sweet yellow onion and cook until it turns soft and translucent. Then stir in 2 cloves of minced garlic for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Garlic burns quickly, which is why it goes in last. This carrot, celery, and onion trio is the classic base of any pot pie, and it gives the gravy a sweet, savory backbone.
Add the chicken, mushrooms, and peas: Stir in 3 cups of cubed cooked chicken, 4 oz. diced button mushrooms, and 1 cup thawed frozen peas, and cook for 1 minute. The chicken is already cooked, so it only needs to warm up. The mushrooms add a rich, meaty umami flavor that makes the filling taste deeper, and the peas bring little pops of sweetness and color.
Cook the flour: Sprinkle ¼ cup of all-purpose flour over everything and cook for 3 minutes, stirring the whole time. The flour soaks up the butter and oil and turns into a paste that coats the chicken and veggies. Cooking it the full 3 minutes gets rid of the raw flour taste and gets it ready to thicken the gravy. Everything should look evenly coated, with no dry white streaks of flour left.
Deglaze with broth: Pour in 2 cups of low-sodium chicken broth and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. The browned bits stuck to the skillet are packed with flavor, and the broth lifts them right into the gravy. Low-sodium broth lets you control the salt since the filling reduces as it simmers. It will look thin at this point, and that’s normal.
Add the wine, cream, and seasonings: Stir in ¼ cup of white wine and 1 cup of heavy cream. The cream makes the filling rich and velvety, and the wine adds a little acidity so all that richness doesn’t feel heavy. Season with ½ tsp of kosher salt, 1 tsp of freshly ground black pepper, ½ tsp of dried thyme, and ¼ tsp of ground sweet basil. The thyme is what gives it that classic pot pie flavor.
Simmer until thick: Keep cooking and stirring until the filling thickens to a thick-stew consistency. It should coat the back of a spoon and slowly fill back in when you drag a spoon through the pan. Don’t rush this part, because the filling won’t thicken much more in the oven. Taste it and add more salt if needed.
Fill the casserole dish: Pour the filling into the prepared casserole dish and spread it into an even layer so the crust sits flat on top.
Top with the crust: Roll the pie crust to about ¼-inch thickness. Cut it into 1-inch strips and weave a lattice over the filling, or drape the whole crust over the top and trim or crimp the edges. If you use a full crust, cut a few small slits in the center so steam can escape. Keep the crust as taut as you can over the dish so it bakes up crisp instead of sinking into the filling.
Brush on the egg wash: Beat 1 large egg with 1 tsp water and brush it over the crust. The egg wash is what gives the top that shiny, deep golden-brown finish.
Bake until golden: Bake on the center rack for 35-45 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling around the edges. If the crust browns too fast, loosely tent it with foil.
Rest and serve: Let the casserole rest for about 10 minutes before serving so the filling can set.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Store leftover chicken pot pie casserole in an airtight container (or tightly covered in its baking dish) in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The crust will soften a bit overnight, but the oven brings back some of its crispness.
Freezer
You can freeze chicken pot pie casserole both before and after baking. Just be sure to do so in a non-glass baking dish (a metal or foil pan works great) to prevent it from shattering. Tightly wrap the casserole in 2 layers of plastic wrap and 1 layer of aluminum foil and freeze for up to 2 months. The cream sauce may look slightly separated after thawing, but it comes back together as it heats.
Reheating
- Oven (best for leftovers). Reheat refrigerated leftovers in a 375°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until warmed through. Cover loosely with foil if the crust starts getting too dark.
- Microwave (best for single servings). Heat a scoop in 30-second bursts, stirring the filling between rounds. The crust won’t be crisp, but it’s the fastest option for lunch.
- Already-baked frozen casserole. Place it in a 375°F oven for 30 to 35 minutes.
- Unbaked frozen casserole. Bake in a preheated oven with the foil on for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and continue to bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until golden brown and 165°F in the center.
Cook the filling as directed, then let it cool completely. Store it covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. When you’re ready to bake, spread it in the dish, top with the crust, and bake as usual.
Assemble the Night Before
Let the filling cool completely before you add the crust. Hot filling steams the dough from underneath and can leave it gummy. Once it’s assembled, cover the dish and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake. Brush on the egg wash right before it goes in the oven, and add an extra 5 to 10 minutes to the bake time since it’s starting cold.
Freeze It Unbaked
Assemble the casserole in a freezer-safe pan with cooled filling, skip the egg wash, and wrap it as described in the freezer section. Either thaw it overnight in the fridge and bake as usual, or bake it straight from frozen using the reheating directions above. This is a great meal to drop off for a new parent or a friend who needs a hand, because they can bake it whenever they’re ready.
Serving Suggestions
This chicken pot pie casserole is a meal all by itself, and most nights I just scoop it straight from the dish into shallow bowls so everyone gets plenty of crust and gravy. It’s my go-to when I’m feeding the whole family on a busy weeknight, hosting a casual Sunday supper, or bringing dinner to a friend. One dish makes 8 hearty servings, so it feeds a crowd without me juggling a bunch of pans.
Because the filling is so rich and creamy, I like to round it out with a green vegetable side or two. Roasted Parmesan broccoli with lemon is the side I make most often with this casserole. The bright lemon cuts right through the creamy gravy, and I can prep it while the casserole bakes. If you’re making a dairy-free pot pie, just skip the Parmesan.
When I want a second veggie with a little more texture, I make roasted Brussels sprouts. The crispy, caramelized edges are a nice contrast to the soft, creamy filling, and they feel right at home on a cozy fall or winter table.
For a heartier side that still feels fresh, I make green beans with bacon. The smoky, slightly sweet beans pair naturally with the savory gravy, and it’s the side I reach for when I’m serving this for Sunday supper or having company over.
For bigger crowds or really hungry appetites, I spoon the pot pie over a scoop of make ahead mashed potatoes. The creamy filling acts just like gravy, and since the potatoes are made in advance, it’s an easy way to stretch dinner for a holiday weekend or a houseful of guests.
More Scratch-Made Casseroles
- King Ranch Chicken Casserole: This Tex-Mex casserole layers cooked chicken with a creamy homemade green chile sauce, two cheeses, and crushed tortilla chips instead of the usual canned soup and Velveeta.
- Chicken Divan: Leftover or rotisserie chicken and tender broccoli bake in a homemade cheddar cream sauce under a buttery panko topping. The whole casserole can be assembled and refrigerated up to 2 days before baking.
- Turkey Rice Casserole: Leftover holiday turkey, rice, peas, and carrots simmer in a creamy broth and cream sauce before baking under a crunchy cracker crumb topping. It’s a natural next step for anyone who swaps turkey into this pot pie casserole after Thanksgiving.
more twists on classic chicken pot pie
Our Chicken Pot Pie Casserole recipe was originally published 4/16/18. It was retested, reworked, and republished to be better than ever 10/21/26.
The post Chicken Pot Pie Casserole appeared first on The Cookie Rookie®.
0 Commentaires