Puff Pastry Chicken Pot Pie
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An easy recipe for homemade chicken pot pie with puff pastry, frozen veggies and cooked chicken leftovers. The prep takes about 10 minutes, so it is very doable on a weeknight.
There is no lengthy list of ingredients and no need to spend half a day in the kitchen. The filling comes together quickly and the whole dish is on the table in about 45 minutes from start to finish.
This is a small batch pot pie that serves 2 to 3 people, but you can easily double or triple it if needed. It is a very simple way to turn leftover chicken into a comforting dinner.
Flaky, buttery puff pastry is a delicious topping for this pie, so if you have some in your freezer, this is a good way to use it.
If you enjoy cooking with puff pastry, have a look at my puff pastry recipes for more ideas.
In this post, you will find tips, substitutions and step-by-step photos to make the process as clear as possible.
A few things to know before you start
- This recipe uses leftover or cooked chicken and a frozen vegetable mix, so there is very little chopping.
- The sauce is a quick white sauce made with butter, flour and stock. It holds everything together and keeps the filling creamy.
- The pie is baked with puff pastry on top only. The bottom of the dish is left without pastry, which keeps the top light and flaky instead of soggy.
- The recipe is written as a small batch version that serves 2 to 3 people. If you are feeding more people, you can scale it up.
How to make puff pastry chicken pot pie
First, preheat your oven. The prep is quick and puff pastry should not sit at room temperature for too long.
Make the white sauce: Melt butter in a saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour in the chicken stock in a thin stream and whisk well so there are no lumps. Season with salt, pepper and sage.
Bring the sauce to a gentle boil, then turn off the heat. It should be smooth and pourable, not very thick, but not too runny either.
In a large bowl, combine the frozen vegetables with diced or shredded cooked chicken. Pour the sauce over and mix well. Transfer the mixture into an ovenproof dish and cover it with puff pastry. Trim the edges if needed, seal them, brush the top with egg wash and cut a few small slits in the middle so the steam can escape.
Bake until the pastry is puffed up and golden and the filling is bubbling around the edges.
See the tips and step-by-step photos below to get the best results.
My tips for the best puff pastry chicken pot pie
- Vegetables: There is no strict rule about veggies. You can use frozen, fresh, a ready mix or put together your own combination. I used a frozen soup vegetable mix that also contains potatoes, which makes this meal more filling. Note: If you decide to use fresh veg, I recommend sautéing them in a little oil or butter for about 10 minutes first so they soften.
- Chicken: Use what you have on hand. Rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken, shredded or diced, thighs or breasts, all work here. The only important thing is that it is cooked. I like boneless chicken thighs that I slowly simmer in water (without seasoning) until they are ready, then dice or shred them.
- Liquid for the sauce: I use low-sodium chicken stock to make the white sauce. You can substitute turkey stock, vegetable stock or stock made from bouillon cubes. If you use regular (salty) broth, reduce the amount of salt in the recipe, you might only need a pinch. If you prefer a thinner sauce, add a little more stock.
- Herbs: Dried sage adds a lot of flavor, but you can substitute dried thyme. Oregano will also work. If you change the herb, you might want to add a little more, depending on your taste.
- Puff pastry: Use puff pastry on top only. If you line the bottom of the dish with it, it will stay soggy and will not bake properly. Keep the pastry chilled until you are ready to put it on, then work quickly.
- Baking dish: Do not overfill your casserole dish. The filling should sit slightly below the rim. If you pack it too full, it will bubble over in the oven and burn on the bottom.
- Serving: This pot pie tastes best freshly baked, while the pastry is still nicely puffed and crisp.
Make ahead, storage and reheating
You can prepare the sauce and filling ahead. Let the sauce cool down a bit, mix it with the vegetables and chicken and transfer the mixture into your baking dish. Cover and keep it in the fridge for up to 24 hours. When you are ready to bake, add the puff pastry on top and brush it with egg wash, then bake as usual. It might need a few extra minutes in the oven if the filling is very cold.
Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 2 days. The pastry will soften, but the flavor is still good. Reheat the pot pie in the oven at 350°F (175°C) until the filling is hot in the middle. If the top browns too fast, cover it loosely with foil.
For a single portion, you can use a microwave, but the pastry will not be crisp.
Recipe Q&A
Yes. If you use fresh vegetables, cook them first. Sauté them in a little oil or butter for about 10 minutes so they soften, then continue with the recipe.
I do not recommend adding raw chicken straight into the filling. For a similar result, cook the chicken first, either by simmering it in water or sautéing it in a pan, then dice or shred it and follow the recipe.
I prefer to freeze the filling on its own. Let it cool, then freeze it in an airtight container. Thaw in the fridge, transfer into a baking dish, top with puff pastry and bake. I do not usually freeze the fully baked pie, as puff pastry softens too much after thawing.
Leftover puff pastry ideas
If you make this chicken pot pie for two people, you will probably end up with some puff pastry scraps or an extra sheet. Do not throw them away. You can turn them into quick snacks like: puff pastry breadsticks (ready in no time), parmesan breadsticks or mango chicken puffs (my favorite, also made with shredded chicken).
You can also use puff pastry to make another easy dinner like salmon in puff pastry.
I hope you give this puff pastry chicken pot pie a try. If you do, let me know in the comments how it turned out for you.
Puff Pastry Chicken Pot Pie Recipe
Ingredients
For the Sauce:
- ¼ cup flour 35 grams
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock see note 1
- 1 tablespoon dried sage
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper see note 2
For the Filling:
- 2½ cups frozen vegetable mix see note 3
- 1½ cups cooked chicken pieces diced, see note 4
For the Topping:
- ½ pound puff pastry sheet thawed, about 225 grams, see note 5
- 1 egg beaten (optional, for egg wash)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and stir for 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly pour in the chicken stock while stirring constantly so there are no lumps.
- When the sauce starts to thicken, add the sage, salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring, then turn off the heat and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the frozen vegetable mix, cooked chicken and the sauce. Mix well.
- Pour the mixture into an ovenproof dish (see note 8). Cover with the puff pastry, trim and seal the edges, brush with egg wash if using and cut a few small slits in the middle for the steam to escape.
- Bake for about 35 minutes, or until the puff pastry is puffed and golden on top and the filling is bubbling around the edges.
- Let it sit for a few minutes, then serve and enjoy.
Notes
- Stock and salt: I use low-sodium chicken stock so I can control the amount of salt in the recipe. You can use regular chicken, turkey or vegetable stock if you like, but you might need less salt. Keep in mind that store-bought rotisserie chicken and most leftover chicken are already seasoned, so taste as you go and avoid overseasoning.
- Black pepper: Use as much or as little as you like. I have noticed that different brands have a different level of heat, so it is safer to start with less and add more the next time you make the recipe, if needed.
- Vegetable mix: I like using a frozen vegetable soup mix that includes potatoes. They make the meal more filling and work well with the chicken. You can use any frozen vegetable mix you like, or put together your own combination such as sweetcorn, peas and carrots.
- Chicken: Rotisserie chicken, leftover chicken or freshly cooked chicken all work here. You can boil chicken breast or boneless thighs in water until cooked, then chop or shred them. You will need about 1 pound (450 grams) of raw chicken to get the amount used in this recipe, or you can simply measure already cooked chicken pieces.
- Puff pastry amount: You will probably need a little less than ½ pound of puff pastry. The exact amount depends on the size and shape of your oven dish. Roll or cut it so it just covers the top.
- Baking time: The baking time is a guide. It will vary depending on your oven and on the puff pastry you use. The pie is ready when the pastry is puffed and nicely browned and the filling is bubbling around the edges.
- Scaling the recipe: This recipe can be doubled or tripled if needed. You can also adjust the chicken to vegetable ratio to your liking, as long as you keep the total amount of cups of filling similar so the sauce to filling balance stays the same. The sauce will thicken slightly as it cools.
- Baking dish size: I bake this pot pie in a glass meal prep container that is ovenproof and holds 30 ounces (880 milliliters) of liquid. The size is 8 x 6 x 3 inches (20 x 15 x 7 centimeters). A slightly larger ovenproof dish that is not as high will also work.
- The post above this recipe card contains more tips and ideas for using leftover puff pastry.
This was so good that I have made it twice in two weeks!
Yay! That is so good to hear, Carol!
Hey just wondering is it really 1 tablespoon or 1 tsp of sage … it just seems like a lot to me?
Hi Katie. It is a tablespoon. I use home-grown sage a lot in cooking. Perhaps, my dried sage was not as finely chopped as the store-bought so if using the store-bought kind you can use less. 1 to 2 teaspoons or to taste. Hope this helps.
This recipe was a big hit with my family. A good way to get them to eat vegetables. I had roasted a butterfly chicken, with a spice rub, the night before and was looking for a recipe for the left overs. I didn’t use the sage because the spice rub provided good flavour. I served it with mashed potato.
Thanks a lot for your feedback, Miranda!
I made a version of this (thighs, low fat milk, more broth and used flour for roux. ) But this prep etc was so helpful. Thank you for the recipe and cooking instructions. Mom and I are loving our first pot pie made from scratch. So easy and so yummy.
You are welcome! :)
Can you freezer the chicken mixture and then just add puff pastry when you need it
Hi Tammy. Yes, you can. But, it is not recommended to thaw and re-freeze foods so when using frozen veggies to make it, I suggest you cool down the sauce first, then quickly add frozen veggies and chicken. Transfer in a freezer-friendly container and freeze. Hope this helps.
Gonna try this recipe with leftover turkey. Can this be frozen and reheated later?
I do sometimes freeze it but without the puff pastry. This I add when ready to reheat in the oven so I simply cover it with the puff pastry and cook until it is golden brown and the filling is hot.
Who doesn’t crave for a super tasty chicken pot pie!
Right?! :)
Who doesn’t love pot pie? This is a great shortcut! Delicious recipe. Thanks for sharing.
You are welcome!
This recipe is GENIUS! Such a time saver for a classic recipe.
Glad to hear you like it, Jess!
Wow this pie looks so delicious, that pastry looks perfect!
Thank you, Amy.
I love how quick and easy you’ve made it to make a chicken pot pie. Great idea to make a smaller version too!
Thanks!
This is so easy that it would be a fun dinner to make with the kids. Love it!
Absolutely! :)