You’ll love this chicken pot pie made with whole food ingredients. The homemade savory herb and cheddar crust sends it over the top! Delicious!
This recipe is wonderful comfort food on a chilly day, served over homemade garlic mashed potatoes and alongside green beans. It takes awhile to prepare, but is worth every minute! I like to prepare the crust and cook the chicken (if I don’t have any pre-cooked in the freezer) right after lunch, then come back to it when I’m ready to begin preparing supper.
This is one of my husband’s favorite meals. Enjoy!
Chicken Pot Pie Casserole
Crust (this is for a top crust only; if you would like a bottom crust as well, remember to double)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour (I used freshly ground, hard white wheat)
- 2 tablespoons chopped, dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped, dried basil
- 3/4 cup butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
- 2 egg yolks
- 6 tablespoons half and half
Chicken and Vegetable Filling
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, coarsely chopped
- 3 medium carrots, cut into 1/4 inch slices
- 2 stalks celery, cut into 1/4 inch slices
- 1/4 cup frozen peas, thawed slightly
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
Sauce for Filling
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 and a 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup half and half
- 1 teaspoon ground thyme
- salt and pepper to taste
Glaze for Crust
- 1 egg yolk whisked with 1 tablespoon water
Here’s what you do:
First, the crust. Place the flours, parsley, and basil in a bowl. Using your hands, work in the butter fairly quickly, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the cheese and work in until just blended. In a small bowl, whisk together the yolks and 6 tablespoons of cream. Sprinkle the yolk mixture over the dough, a little at a time, stirring with a fork until it comes together. Knead lightly until just combined. Press pastry into a flat disc shape. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.
Second, the chicken and vegetables. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add the butter. Sauté the chicken until lightly browned but not cooked through; if you can use pre-cooked chicken from your freezer, do that. With slotted spoon, remove chicken to bowl.
In the same pan over medium-high heat sauté the vegetables about 5-7 minutes, until slightly softened. With slotted spoon, place vegetables in the bowl along with the cooked chicken.
Next, prepare the sauce. In the same pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until the mixture is bubbling and smooth, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and gradually whisk in chicken broth, half and half, and thyme. Return skillet to heat and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Cook for about 2-3 minutes until sauce has thickened and is smooth. Stir in reserved chicken and vegetables. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool slightly for about 10-15 minutes. It will thicken a bit as it sits.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spoon the chicken and vegetable mixture into a 10-inch deep-dish pie plate. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the crust into a circle about 11-inches in diameter. Place pastry on top of chicken mixture. Trim edge, and press gently all around baking dish. Brush crust with beaten egg yolk. Using a sharp knife, cut three slits in the center of the crust.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is heated through. Cool on baking rack for 30 minutes before serving.
This is my chicken pot pie with a bottom crust (you’ll need to double the crust recipe to do this)
*This recipe is my healthier and frugal variation of Wolfgang Puck’s classic chicken pot pie.
This looks great …I will try it soon. I also had a lamb recipe I wanted to send you but I have to take the time to pull the magazine that has the recipe in it. I served rack of lamb for the first time last Easter. I have also had a friend who cooked some lamb and used it along with “bitter herbs” to re-enact the passover with children. They even used some red paint and put a cardboard piece that was painted over the door post. She turned off the lights and had candles while discussing the first passover in Egypt and the meaning of Easter now. Thought you might like to save a bit of lamb and try that with you own sons. I will try to get that Lamb recipe to you later today during a “calm” spot.
Thank you, Susan! 🙂 That’s a wonderful idea!
I made your pot pie last night for dinner. It was wonderful and my family loved it! Thanks for the encouragment toward healthier eating. I need the reminders!
This really looks fantastic and I know my husband would love this. Perfect for a weekend meal when there is plenty of time to tinker in the kitchen.
The crust on this pot pie sounds (and looks) wonderful. 🙂 Since I’m cooking up a chicken in my crockpot today, your recipe is going on the menu for this weekend (menus are made to be broken, right?). Thanks for sharing!
Blessings! ~Lisa
Let me know how it goes!
This sounds wonderful. I love the sound of a savory herb and cheese crust. mmm.
Whoa. That looks amazing….really amazing….and if I get a nice slow Saturday afternoon in March, I’m totally making it.
Well, then I hope you get a nice slow Saturday afternoon in March 😀
This was amazing!!! It did take me about 4 hours when all was said and done. I guess that is what I get for cooking with a newborn! LOL
Four?! Oh my! The crust and chicken take me about a half hour or so after lunch, then the rest may take about 40 minutes or so leading to dinner. Then I clean up as it bakes. I’m so glad you thought it was amazing, though – and maybe next time it will go more quickly for you! 🙂
I made it again, I guess you can say I’m slightly addicted :-D, and it only took 2 hours this time and that includes baking. Note to self make it during nap time! It goes MUCH quicker that way!
Haha! I love it! 🙂
This looks absolutely wonderful! I am going to have to add this to next week’s meal plan. Thanks for sharing! Blessings, Kelly
Hi 🙂 I really want to try this recipe! can you tell me what ‘half and half’ means though? I’ve never come accross that before in a recipe? What is the ingredient? Maybe it’s not turning up at my end properly, thanks so much
half milk and half cream 🙂
this was positively scrumptious. i made it with the double crust and it turned out perfect, just a question though, is the 3/4 cup butter measurement correct? it seemed like a lot
thank you
My daughter and I made made this for the family tonight and it was delicious! If you have your chicken pre-cooked it doesn’t really take too long! We wasn’t feeling very good before we started, but by the end of preperation, we were in good moods and having fun together! We will be having this again soon!
This looks delicious!! Pinned to try sometime. Visiting from TBT on Tots and Me
Thank you, and welcome!