Easy Creamy Chicken Pot Pie Recipe With Puff Pastry

Name: Easy Creamy Chicken Pot Pie Recipe With Puff Pastry
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Ingredients: 50 g Butter ((1/3 cup)); 1 small Leek (trimmed and diced); 675 g Chicken thighs (about 5) (diced into bite sized pieces); 2 tsp Dried thyme (or Tarragon); 1 Bay leaf; 50 g Plain flour ((1/4 cup All Purpose flour)); 1 Lemon (Juice only); 2 tbsp Single cream (or half and half); 375 ml Chicken stock ((1 & 2/3 cup)); 1 tsp Wholegrain mustard; 1 large Carrot (diced); 1 medium Potato (diced); Pinch Salt; Pinch Pepper; 1 Onion (diced); 300 ml Whole milk ((1 & 1/4 cup)); 100 g Lardons ((1/2 cup)); 1 small Celery stick (diced); 375 g Ready Rolled Puff pastry (13oz); 1 Egg (beaten for an egg wash)

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This creamy chicken pot pie recipe is made with tender chicken, bacon, and a vegetable filling in a rich and creamy sauce. And the best part? It's topped with a ready-made flaky pie pastry crust and it's easy to make!

Half portions scooped out of an enamel baking dish with creamy chicken pie and puff pastry topping with large silver spoon

Tucking into a homemade chicken pot pie with a flaky top crust is the ultimate comfort food!

And asides from its delicious lemon and thyme flavour, the best thing about it is that you don't need to worry about double crusts which is a pie with a top and bottom crust.

Just cook your creamy chicken pie recipe filling, let it cool, then fill an ovenproof dish (or dishes) and bake with puff pastry lids. It's a super easy and tasty meal for the whole family any day of the week!

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✔️ Why You'll Love This Recipe
🛒 Ingredient Notes
📋 Instructions
👩‍🍳 Substitutions
⚖️ Variations
🔪 Equipment
❄️ Storage
💡Pro Tips
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
❓ FAQ
➕ More Chicken Recipes
➕More Pie Recipes
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

✔️ Why You'll Love This Recipe

Here are just a handful of reasons why we think this savory pie is a great recipe!

No need to use a pie maker
A great way to use leftover chicken
Easy to make with simple ingredients
It's delicious every single time we make it
The chicken mixture can be made vegetarian
Can be made into individual chicken pot pies
The pie filling is classic comfort food at its best

🛒 Ingredient Notes

Please see the printable recipe card with exact ingredient quantities, preparation instructions and nutritional information at the bottom of this post.

labelled ingredients for easy creamy chicken pie recipe

Chicken thighs - boneless and skinless chunks of chicken for extra flavour, or you can use chicken breast which is naturally leaner

Lardons - these are diced smoky bacon pieces with fat to crisp well in the pan before cooking in the sauce (although I don't always have time to do it)

Butter - this could be butter spread or pure grass fed butter used for cooking the flour before adding the stock (which is why is it equal amounts)

Fresh vegetables - I use mixed vegetables such as onions, leeks, potatoes, carrots, celery and occasionally peas or green beans. Or you could use any weighing 650g (1.4lb)

Herbs - I use a bay leaf and dried thyme as it is is easier to store than fresh, or you could swap for tarragon for a classic chicken pot pie flavour

Plain flour (AP flour) - this is for thickening the stock into a creamy sauce. Alternatively, you could swap this and the milk for a 14oz can of cream of chicken soup

Chicken broth - or use the best quality chicken stock you can

Whole milk - for a creamy, flavoursome pie filling base

Single cream - this is a swirl of luxurious to the pie mixture, or you could use heavy cream, creme fraiche or sour cream.

Lemon juice - for some acidity, or use 25ml of white wine or sherry

Wholegrain mustard - for tang and seeds for texture

Seasoning - salt and black pepper to taste, or you could use cayenne pepper if preferred

Ready-made puff pastry - I use one for a flaky pie crust, or you could use 2 puff pastry sheets with one being for the pastry base, blind baked. Or you could make cheese shortcrust pastry if preferred

Egg - for a pastry egg wash so that the top of the pie is golden brown

📋 Instructions

You can follow along with my step by step photo instructions, and watch my easy chicken pot pie recipe video for extra guidance.

person frying lardons and diced chicken thighs in a large fring pan

1. Add the smokey bacon lardons to a large pan and fry until crispy over medium-high heat.

Now melt butter straight in the pan and add the diced chicken, herbs, and seasoning and fry for 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

person sauteeing diced mixed vegtables in thyme and butter in a large saucepan covered

2. Next add the diced vegetables, stir well and cover and cook for 5 minutes.

person coating pie vegetables with flour while cooking

3. Add the flour and stir and cook for another minute over low heat until you see no traces of flour.

person thickening a chicken soupy stock with cooked flour, bay leaf and single cream in large pan

4. Add the lemon juice, stock, milk, single cream, mustard, and bay leaf.

Then bring to a rolling simmer over medium heat and cook while stirring for 10 minutes until thickened and the veggies are tender.

cool chicken pie filling in a pie dish while also brushing beaten egg on pie rim

5. Pour the creamy filling into a pie dish or individual pots and leave to cool for until room temperature.

Meanwhile, pre heat oven to 180 c fan, 200c, gas mark 6, 400F.

Then brush the beaten egg on the pie rim with a pastry brush.

person pressing puff pastry strips all the way around a pie dish rim

6. Slice a long 1" wide strip of pastry from the longest side (see video) and press down on the pie dish's rim.

Then cut 2 more strips from the shortest edge and press down gently all the way around until it is seamless.

person pinching pastry edge for a fluted pie pastry effect

7. Place the remaining ready rolled puff pastry on top and trim the excess off with a knife.

Then make little pinches for texture while also sealing the lid all the way around with your finger and thumb.

person brushing beaten egg wash on raw puff pastry, including pie leaf decorations

8. Brush the lid everywhere with more egg wash.

Then, if needed, on a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll out any remaining pastry and cut some pie decorations such as leaves, and place them on top.

Brush again with egg wash and poke some small slits for vents in the pie top for steam to escape.

Then bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes until golden brown.

Tip: for best results, fry the bacon lardons in olive oil first until crispy to enhance the flavour

close up of flaky puff pie pastry wih creamy and herby chicken filling

👩‍🍳 Substitutions

Depending on your dietary needs, here are a few simple swaps you can make:

Chicken - swap for lean turkey meat, or swap all meat for vegetarian options such as Quorn pieces, etc
Bacon - swap for diced ham, pancetta, smoked turkey bacon or plant based bacon for vegetarian
Puff pastry - use gluten-free puff pastry if needed, scrunch up squares of filo pastry for a healthier crunchy pie topping, or save money by making shortcrust pastry
Milk - swap for plant-based milk of your choice or stir cream cheese into the stock. Or see my swap below referring to canned chicken soup
Flour - use gluten free flour if needed such as cornflour, oat flour, arrowroot, or xantham gum to thicken. To bake pie in a hurry, you could swap this and the milk for a can of creamy chicken soup

⚖️ Variations

Here are a different ways you can enhance and truly personalise this recipe:

Chicken and mushroom - why not have fun making mini chicken stroganoff pot pies by swapping carrots for mushrooms?
Cheesy pies - you could stir in some cheddar, mix cheese into shortcrust pastry
Deluxe - something I love to do is add grated parmesan on top of the puff pastry before baking and swap the milk for heavy cream
Kid friendly - there's nothing more fun than getting children involved to make fun shapes or letters of their choice with the leftover pastry for the top

🔪 Equipment

Please note that as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases made through affiliate links.

❄️ Storage

Storing - we prefer eating this puff pastry chicken pie fresh out of the oven, but it can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days while covered in plastic wrap.

I try to avoid moving to an airtight container as it breaks up the puff pastry.

Freezing - cool to room temperature and again, store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.

Reheating - If you want to eat the next day, defrost in the fridge if required and bake while covered for 10 minutes to prevent the pastry from drying out. Then remove it for a final 10 to crisp the top again.

💡Pro Tips

For best results, fry the bacon lardons in olive oil first until crispy to enhance the flavour
If you find your flaky pastry browning too much, cover it with aluminum foil until the cooking time is up
Make sure the filling is cooled completely before adding the pastry crust. This will prevent the pastry from getting soggy and ensure an even crispy crust
Cut some vents in the pastry crust with a sharp knife to allow steam to escape and prevent the filling from bubbling over
Brush the pastry crust with egg wash for a golden and glossy finish

🍽️ Serving Suggestions

Here are a few dish dishes we love to pair with chicken pie.

Gravy - we love a good drizzle of chicken gravy

Potatoes - we often enjoy a pie with a serving of crushed potatoes, simple mash or colcannon

Vegetables - this might be sauteed vegetables, steamed, or a side of mushy peas for a classic pie, pea, and mash combo

❓ FAQ

Can I use ready-cooked chicken instead of raw chicken?

Yes, you can use ready-cooked chicken, such as rotisserie chicken or leftover roast chicken. Just skip the step of frying the chicken and add it to the sauce along with the vegetables.

Can I make this pie ahead of time?

Yes, you can make this pie ahead of time and refrigerate it for up to 3 days or freeze it for up to 3 months. Just make sure to cool the filling completely before adding the pastry crust. When ready to bake, thaw the pie in the fridge overnight if frozen and bake as instructed

How do I make this pie vegetarian or vegan?

To make this pie vegetarian, you can replace the chicken with tofu, quorn, or beans and use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock. To make this pie vegan, you can also use dairy-free butter, vegan cream, and milk and use vegan puff pastry or filo pastry

What can I use instead of puff pastry?

You can use other types of pastry, such as shortcrust pastry, pie crust, or filo pastry. You can also use biscuit dough, mashed potatoes, or dumplings for a chicken stew vibe

How do I know when the pie is done?

You can tell when the pie is done by checking the colour and texture of the pastry crust. It should be golden brown and flaky. The filling should also be bubbling.

➕ More Chicken Recipes

Looking for more easy recipes with chicken, then why not try these?

➕More Pie Recipes

Fancy some more pies?

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