Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Cook the vegetables. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for approximately 3–4 minutes, until it begins to soften. Add the frozen pre-chopped carrots and celery directly from the freezer (no need to thaw). Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are thawed, the carrots are beginning to soften, and most of the excess moisture has evaporated, generally another 6–9 minutes. If you’re including potatoes, dice them into approximately ½-inch pieces and boil separately until just tender. Drain before adding them to the filling.
- Prepare the cream-of filling. In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the homemade cream-of soup mix, cold chicken broth, and whole milk until the dry mix is completely incorporated. Pour the mixture into the skillet with the vegetables. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture reaches a gentle simmer and begins to thicken, approximately 2–4 minutes. The filling should be noticeably thicker than ordinary cream soup.
- Add the chicken and seasonings. Stir in the cooked chicken, frozen peas, and cooked potatoes, if using. Add the dried thyme, poultry seasoning, and black pepper. Add additional homemade chicken bouillon powder as needed, depending on the strength of your broth. Allow everything to heat through, stirring gently. Taste the filling and adjust the salt and seasonings. Remove from the heat and allow the filling to cool until no longer steaming heavily.
- Roll out the bottom crust. Remove one disk of chilled pie dough from the refrigerator. If it’s extremely firm, allow it to sit at room temperature for a few minutes before rolling. Roll the dough into a circle large enough to fit your 9-inch deep-dish pie plate with some overhang. Gently transfer the dough into the pie plate without stretching it.
- Add the filling. Spoon the cooled chicken filling into the prepared bottom crust, leaving approximately ½ inch of space below the rim. Don’t overfill the crust; refrigerate or freeze any extra filling for another meal.
- Add the top crust. Roll out the second disk of chilled pie dough, large enough to cover the filling and meet the bottom crust at the rim. Place it over the filling, trim the excess dough, and fold the edges together. Crimp the edges to seal the pie. Cut several small steam vents in the top crust. If desired, brush the crust lightly with an egg wash or whole milk.
- Bake. Bake at 400°F on a lower-middle oven rack. Begin checking at 40 minutes and continue baking as needed until the crust is golden, the filling is bubbling, and the center reaches 165°F. If the edges begin browning too quickly, use a pie shield.
- Rest and serve. Remove the chicken pot pie from the oven and allow it to rest for approximately 10–20 minutes before slicing. Serve warm.
Notes
This recipe makes a generous amount of filling. A 9-inch deep-dish pie plate is recommended. If using a standard 9-inch pie plate, you may have approximately 1¾ cups of filling remaining. Refrigerate or freeze the extra filling for another meal.
Testing: This recipe was tested in a standard 9-inch Pampered Chef stoneware pie plate, not a deep-dish plate; the full amount of filling has not yet been verified to fit every deep-dish plate. In the standard plate, the crust was golden after 40 minutes at 400°F. A deep-dish pie may need additional baking time.
Times: The prep time assumes you’re starting with cooked chicken, frozen pre-chopped vegetables, and prepared pie dough. Making the crust from scratch requires additional time. The cook time includes approximately 15 minutes preparing the filling on the stovetop and the 40-minute oven bake observed during testing.
Seasoning: The amount of additional chicken bouillon depends on the strength and salt content of your broth. Because broths and bouillon powders contain different amounts of sodium, add salt to taste.
Fresh vegetables: Substitute two medium carrots and two celery ribs, diced. Cooking times may vary slightly depending on their size.
Home-canned chicken: Drain if necessary and use approximately 3 cups.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers within two hours of baking, for up to 3–4 days. Reheat slices in the oven until the filling reaches 165°F. Freeze extra filling in a freezer-safe container, leaving room for expansion, and use within approximately 2–3 months for best quality.
