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Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

This homemade chicken pot pie is filled with tender chicken, potatoes, carrots, and peas in a thick, creamy gravy, all baked inside a flaky homemade double crust.

The crust uses both butter and butter-flavored Crisco for flavor, tenderness, and a flaky texture that holds its shape well. The filling is made from scratch with chicken broth, whole milk, and heavy cream for the traditional rich pot pie flavor we wanted. This version was kitchen-tested in a deep ceramic pie dish at 400°F for 45 minutes. Letting the filling cool before assembling and baking the pie on the lower oven rack gave us a fully cooked bottom crust with no sogginess.

Prep 35 min, plus crust chilling • Cook 45 min6–8 servingsJump to Recipe
Finished chicken pot pie in a deep ceramic pie dish with a slice removed to show the creamy filling and double crust.

A Flaky Homemade Double Crust

The crust is made with equal parts cold butter and butter-flavored Crisco. The butter adds flavor while the shortening helps create a tender, flaky crust that stays sturdy enough to hold the creamy filling. Keep the dough cold and avoid overworking it. After mixing, divide it into two disks and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before rolling.

Chicken pot pie ingredients and two wrapped disks of homemade pie crust on the kitchen counter.

Make The Creamy Chicken Filling

Start by partially cooking the diced potatoes and carrots so they finish tender in the oven without becoming mushy. For the gravy, cook the onion in butter, stir in the flour, then slowly add the chicken broth followed by whole milk and heavy cream. Simmer until thick and creamy before adding the chicken, vegetables, and peas. Allow the finished filling to cool for about 20–30 minutes before assembling the pie. This helps protect the bottom crust from becoming soggy.

Butter, onion, and flour roux cooking in a large pot.
Adding whole milk and heavy cream to the pot pie gravy.
Thick creamy gravy beside cooked chicken, potatoes, carrots, and peas.

Assemble The Pot Pie

Roll out one chilled dough disk and fit it into a deep 9-inch pie dish. If the dough becomes soft while you work, refrigerate the lined pie dish for 10–15 minutes before filling. Spoon the cooled chicken filling into the crust without overfilling. Roll out the second dough disk and place it over the filling. Trim and seal the edges, cut several vents in the top, and brush lightly with egg wash before baking.

Cooled chicken filling beside the prepared bottom crust in a deep ceramic pie dish.
Spooning the creamy chicken filling into the bottom crust.
Placing the rolled top crust over the chicken filling.
Assembled double-crust chicken pot pie brushed with egg wash on a baking sheet.

Bake Until Golden

Place the pie dish on a room-temperature baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake on the lower oven rack at 400°F for approximately 45 minutes, until the crust is deeply golden and the filling is bubbling through the vents. If the edges begin browning too quickly, cover them loosely with foil. Let the finished pot pie rest for 15–20 minutes before slicing so the creamy filling has time to settle.

Whole baked chicken pot pie with a golden homemade double crust.

How We Keep the Bottom Crust from Getting Soggy

The three things that made the biggest difference in our kitchen test were:

  • Let the filling cool before putting it into the crust.
  • Keep the pie dough cold during assembly.
  • Bake the pot pie on the lower oven rack.

Printable Recipe Card

Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

A traditional homemade chicken pot pie filled with tender chicken, potatoes, carrots, and peas in a rich, creamy gravy and baked inside a flaky butter-and-butter-flavored-Crisco double crust.

Prep: 35 minutes, plus crust chilling • Cook: 45 minutes • Oven: 400°F • Dish: Deep 9-inch pie dish

Ingredients

  • FOR HOMEMADE FLAKY PIE CRUST
  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • ½ cup cold butter-flavored Crisco
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 6–8 tablespoons ice water, as needed
  • FOR CHICKEN POT PIE FILLING
  • 3 cups cooked chicken, diced or shredded
  • 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced small
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon dried parsley
  • FOR EGG WASH
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon water

Yield: 6–8 servings

Instructions

Prepare The Pie Crust

  1. 1In a food processor, combine flour and salt.
  2. 2Add cold butter and butter-flavored Crisco. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces of fat.
  3. 3Add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing briefly until the dough holds together when pressed. Do not overmix.
  4. 4Divide dough into two portions and shape into disks.
  5. 5Wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Prepare The Vegetables

  1. 6Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
  2. 7Add diced potatoes and carrots.
  3. 8Cook for 8–10 minutes, until just beginning to soften.
  4. 9Drain and set aside.

Make The Creamy Filling

  1. 10Melt 5 tablespoons butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat.
  2. 11Add diced onion and cook for 4–5 minutes, until softened.
  3. 12Stir in flour and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly.
  4. 13Slowly whisk in chicken broth until smooth.
  5. 14Add whole milk and heavy cream, stirring until combined.
  6. 15Add salt, pepper, and parsley.
  7. 16Simmer for 4–6 minutes, stirring frequently, until thick and creamy.
  8. 17Stir in cooked chicken, potatoes, carrots, and frozen peas.
  9. 18Remove from heat and allow filling to cool for approximately 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Assemble

  1. 19Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. 20Roll out one portion of chilled pie dough on a lightly floured surface.
  3. 21Fit dough into a deep 9-inch pie dish, gently pressing into the bottom and sides.
  4. 22If the dough has softened, refrigerate the lined pie dish for 10–15 minutes.
  5. 23Spoon the cooled chicken filling into the bottom crust without overfilling.
  6. 24Roll out the second portion of dough and place over the filling.
  7. 25Trim excess dough and crimp edges to seal.
  8. 26Cut several small slits in the top crust to release steam.
  9. 27Whisk egg and water together and brush lightly over the top crust.

Bake

  1. 28Place pie dish on a room-temperature baking sheet to catch any drips.
  2. 29Bake on the lower oven rack at 400°F for approximately 45 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling through the vents.
  3. 30Cover crust edges loosely with foil if they begin browning too quickly.
  4. 31Remove from oven and allow to rest for 15–20 minutes before slicing.

Notes

  • Butter-Crisco Crust: Equal parts butter and butter-flavored Crisco create a flavorful, tender, flaky crust that holds its shape well.
  • Chicken: Cooked chicken thighs provide excellent flavor and tenderness, although chicken breasts can also be used.
  • Creamy Gravy: Chicken broth, whole milk, and heavy cream create a rich, traditional filling.
  • Preventing a Soggy Bottom: Allow the filling to cool before assembling, keep the pie dough cold, and bake on the lower oven rack.
  • Vegetables: Partially cooking the potatoes and carrots ensures they finish tender without becoming mushy.
  • Extra Filling: Save leftover filling rather than overfilling the pie dish.
  • Make Ahead: The crust can be prepared in advance and refrigerated until ready to use.
  • Kitchen-Tested Result: Baked at 400°F for 45 minutes in a ceramic pie dish. The finished pot pie had a golden flaky crust, thick creamy filling, and a fully cooked bottom crust with no sogginess.

Products Used

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