Delicious recipe for Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry Crust, made easy with a store-bought puff pastry topping.
Martha and I go way back. Years and years, actually. And somewhere along the way, we had a bit of a falling out. As I recall, I had tried several Martha recipes that just didn’t work out. Not even that I didn’t care for them. They just didn’t work as written. We parted ways around then, Martha and I.
Fast forward many years and I’m older, mellower and much more forgiving. So I’ve been giving Martha another chance. I recently made her Angel Food Cake and it was to die for. Her Coffee Cake Muffins … sinfully delicious. I was ready to trust her with my craving for a chicken pot pie with puff pastry crust.
Martha did not disappoint this time! This was a really, really tasty chicken pie and I loved the balance of chicken to vegetables. This was no bland pie (and I’ve had a few!) but you do need to be sure to season well with salt and pepper, depending on the saltiness of your chicken stock. Good seasoning will bring all the flavours together.
For my pies, I decided to start with a whole chicken, that I simmered it in a large pot with some celery, onion, carrots, peppercorns and a bay leaf for about 2 hours. I removed the chicken meat from the bird and strained the broth. I had enough chicken for the pies and some left over for a sandwich or two. As for the broth, I reserved the two cups for this recipe and was able to freeze another 4 cups for a future use. Bonus!
Cook’s Notes for Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry Crust
Of course, left-over chicken, poached or baked chicken breast meat and/or store-bought broth is just fine here. If you can though, I strongly suggest fresh carrots and thyme (frozen carrots are just never the same and fresh thyme leaves are such a nice touch in dishes like this!). Frozen peas are just fine, though. I just went with regular button mushrooms, rather than cremini and left out the cognac. It might be nice with it, but it was also nice without it and more kid-friendly for my household.
Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry Topping
Ingredients
- ounces Frozen Puff Pastry (about 5-6)
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large onion, chopped chopped
- 3 pound medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces (about 1 lb.)
- 3 ounces medium carrots, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces (about 12)
- 12 ounces small cremini or button mushrooms, stems trimmed (I used regular button mushrooms)
- 2 cups homemade or store-bough chicken stock or broth
- 1 cup milk
- 5 cups cooked chicken, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup fresh or frozen shelled green peas
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (if using dried thyme use less, to taste)
- 3 teaspoons coarse salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon water
Instructions
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Do ahead: Thaw puff pastry and the roll out on a lightly floured surface into a 1/4-inch thick square or rectangular larger than the dimensions of your baking dish (or disheby about 3 inches on each side. Transfer to a baking sheet, cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
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Remove chilled dough from refrigerator, and place on a cutting board. Place your intended baking dish directly onto the dough, with the opening side down. With a sharp knife, cut around the dish so that you have an even 3 inches around the dish on all edges. Return the dough to the baking sheet, wrap tightly with plastic, and chill for an additional hour.
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Prepare vegetables and chicken and have ready.
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In a large heavy pot, melt 5 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion, potatoes, and carrots. Cook, stirring regularly, until the potatoes and carrots are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms, cooking until mushrooms are heated through. Add cognac (if usinand cook down for about 30 seconds. Add flour, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Pour in chicken stock and milk. Stir well. Bring to a simmer and cook until thick and bubbly, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in chicken, peas, parsley, and thyme. Taste and season well with salt and pepper, if necessary. Transfer filling to your baking dish (or disheand allow to cool 5 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, place oven rack in lower third of the oven and preheat oven to 425° F.
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Prepare your egg wash by combining 1 egg and 1 tsp. water. Remove dough from refrigerator and brush surface evenly with egg wash. Invert dough and place directly over the casserole, pressing lightly to seal overhanging crust to the side of the dish. Brush top surface of dough with egg wash. With a large round pastry tip or other small round object, cut a small circle in the centre of the pastry, removing the pastry circle. This allows the steam to vent.
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Transfer dishes to a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment (to catch any boil-over!). Bake for 10 minutes then cover loosely with aluminum foil to prevent crust from burning, and continue baking for about 25 minutes more, or until filling is bubbling and crust is golden. Serve hot.
Chicken pot pie is the ultimate comfort food in my book, and I think you and Martha did a great job with this one. :) It looks fabulous!
Yes, Martha definitely came through for me on this one, Betty. It is great comfort food and I especially love that it’s a dish everyone enjoys in my household!
Looks like a great Martha winner ;) I don’t recall one recipe I’ve made of hers that has flopped. I love the use of the puff pastry here!
Thanks Jennifer. You know, I think I just hit a couple of her few bad ones back then. My mind is definitely changed since then. She’s on a streak of winners with me this time around.
I am hit or miss with Martha. Like you, I have given up. However, your pot pie just might make me give her another shot. I specifically remember that last one to flop – it was a yellow cake with raspberry filling and a toasted meringue frosting. The meringue was perfect, loved the idea of it – the raspberry was also good – the cake, however, was awful. There were so many eggs in it! And it just tasted like eggs. I want breakfast to taste of eggs… not dessert :)
I love Pot Pie… and will definitely be trying this one out! (Mostly because it looks wonderful, and partly because there are significantly less eggs than my last try lol ;) )
Just an egg wash in this one, Jenni. This pot pie will not disappoint, Jenni. I promise. And I can vouch for her Angel Food Cake and Coffee Cake Muffins, too. Beyond that … we’ll see.
Oh man! We had this for dinner! I’m glad I didn’t let the Martha thing turn me off – it was the best dinner ever! I used pie crust rather than puff pastry, because I don’t regularly stock puff, and pie is easy :) deeeelish!
So glad, Jenni! I often seem to have puff pastry around since I love the stuff, but I’m sure a regular pie crust was just as nice.
MY OH MY OH MY! This is the way to my heart! I love chicken pot pie. This has to be the most beautiful one i have seen and sounds so tasty. I am definitley making this tonight. I am so glad i found your blog. Just beautiful!
Thanks Joudie. I had some filling left-over that I froze, so we enjoyed another meal of these just recently. Just as good!
I made this last night and it was “okay”…my boyfriend loved it and said don’t change a thing but I think the thyme overpowered it. I didn’t use the cognac and next time I’m going to try it using a pie crust so there is more crust which is my fav anyways and the puff pastry on top. Overall for my first time making it I was pleased :)
Glad you enjoyed it. Did you use fresh thyme, Christina? If you used dry, you would have needed to use less. This would be nice with pie crust, as well.
I wam planning on making this pie but am unsure as to size of pie dish to use for the recipe. Also is it generous in portions for 7 people
Hi Pauline. If you’re making it as one big casserole, a 3 qt. should probably be about right. You could use larger. It would just be a little thinner. It should feed 7 unless they are big eaters, in which case I might up the veggies and chicken a bit.
This looks wonderful and since my husband loves chicken pot pie I will try it soon before it gets too warm outside. I love Martha’s new recipe of the day with video that I signed up for free with everyday cooking mag that I also get for free on my iPad.The recipes are fabulous and very easy. You should give it a try.
Looks delicious! I threw a chicken in my pot with all sorts of goodness, simmering nicely. I am going to try this recipe!
Hope you enjoy it, Sharon!
Would these be able to be frozen?
Absolutely. This would freeze well.
Hi. I would cover loisely with foul and reheat in 350 oven about 30 to. 35 minutes.