Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

This recipe for Homemade Chicken Pot Pie is the absolute BEST--a generations-old recipe that features a from-scratch creamy sauce, loads of tender chicken and veggies, and a homemade flaky biscuit topping. This is a must-make family recipe!

While I love Cheesy Chicken and Rice and Amish Chicken, my all-time favorite chicken casserole is my Papa's Old Fashioned Chicken Pot Pie. 

This Chicken Pot Pie recipe has been in my family for generations and it is simply the best! It is an old-fashioned recipe that is completely made from scratch. That means no canned soup or canned biscuits.

And while it may take a bit more effort to prepare, the results, and most importantly the taste, are well worth the extra effort. 

It is creamy and comforting and the pure flavors of the chicken, vegetables, and creamy sauce shine through. The contrast in textures is perfectly balanced from the tender potatoes to the flaky crust. 

One bite and you will agree, this Homemade Chicken Pot Pie is the absolute best!

Notes on Ingredients

• Chicken: You can use boneless, skinless chicken breast or chicken thighs OR any leftover cooked chicken you like roasted chicken breast, Instant Pot shredded chicken, or leftover rotisserie chicken. 
• Chicken Stock: Either your favorite store-bought brand, homemade chicken stock, or Instant Pot chicken stock. I recommend using low sodium stock so you can control the sodium content yourself. And note that you can use chicken stock or chicken broth interchangeably.
• Potatoes: Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes are best for this chicken pot pie recipe.
• Carrots: Use frozen, cut carrots or fresh carrots that have been peeled, sliced, and parboiled until tender.
• Peas: This recipe calls for frozen peas, but feel free to omit the peas or carrots if your family doe
• Biscuit Topping: I make an easy homemade biscuit topping from flour, butter, and milk,  but you can take a shortcut and use refrigerated pie dough, puff pastry, or biscuit dough, if desired.

How to make Chicken Pot Pie

Because we are making this chicken pot pie using a homemade sauce and homemade biscuit topping, there are several steps. But I promise you that none of the steps are difficult! And again, the final taste makes the extra effort TOTALLY worth it!

Step 1: Prepare the Biscuit Dough

• In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking powder, mixing well to incorporate.
• Add the butter and milk to the flour and mix until well combined, using a wooden spoon or spatula. Keep in mind that the dough will be fairly sticky and wet, but it still should hold its shape.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and sprinkle the dough with additional flour. Using your hands, pat the dough into a 1-inch thick disk.
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap or parchment paper and refrigerate it while preparing the filling for the chicken pot pie.

Step 2: Prepare Chicken and Vegetables

To speed up this recipe for homemade chicken pot pie, you can use leftover cooked chicken, frozen carrots, and leftover boiled or baked potatoes. Alternatively, you can poach raw chicken and parboil potatoes and carrots immediately before assembling the chicken pot pie by following the instructions below.

• Place the raw chicken breasts or thighs into a large stock pan and cover with cold, tap water and add a pinch of salt to the water.
• Over high heat, bring the water to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.  
• Allow the chicken to cool slightly and then cube or shred into bite-sized pieces. 
• Meanwhile, place cubed, peeled potatoes and peeled, sliced carrots into a large stock pan, season well with kosher salt, and cover with cold water
• Bring the water to a boil over high heat and then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the potatoes and carrots are tender. Drain the vegetables.

Step 3: Prepare the Sauce

Once the vegetables and chicken are prepared, it is time to make the sauce for the chicken pot pie. This part of the recipe will come together fairly quickly.

• Over medium-high heat, melt the butter in a large saucepan. Feel free to use the same pan used for cooking the chicken and/or vegetables, just first wipe it out with a paper towel.
• Add in flour and cook for 1 minute. This will allow the flour to toast and remove any taste of raw flour from the finished sauce.
• Slowly whisk in the chicken stock and milk until well combined. Season with seasoned salt and pepper. Whisking continuously, cook over medium-high heat until the sauce is thickened and coats the back of a spoon. This will only take a couple of minutes. 
• Turn off the heat.

Step 4: Assemble Chicken Pot Pie

• Add cooked, diced chicken, potatoes, carrots, and frozen peas to the sauce, and toss gently, until everything is evenly coated.
• Pour the mixture into a 9x13 pan or 2-quart casserole dish.

Step 5: Top with Biscuit Topping

• To prepare the biscuit topping, remove the prepared dough (or store-bought dough) from the refrigerator and roll the dough out to ¼-inch thick on a lightly floured surface.
• Cut the dough into ½-inch long strips.
• Create a lattice top on the chicken pot, by crisscrossing the strips of pastry in rows and columns. 
• Brush the dough with an egg wash.
• If desired, sprinkle sesame seeds and/or poppy seeds on top of biscuit dough to add a bit of crunch and extra color to the dish.

Step 6: Bake

• Bake uncovered until filling is bubbly and crust is browned.

Storage

Leftover chicken pot pie can be stored for 3-4 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. I don't recommend freezing the leftovers, as the sauce may separate.

Make-Ahead Instructions

If desired, you can prepare the components of this chicken pot pie up to 3 days prior to baking and serving.

• Prepare the dough, chicken, carrots, potatoes, and sauce as the recipe directs.
• Combine the the cooked carrots, potatoes, peas, and chicken into the sauce and store that mixture in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Wrap the biscuit dough well in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
• When ready to bake, remove the components from the refrigerator and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• While the oven is preheating, assemble the pot pie by pouring the chicken mixture into a casserole dish, and then roll out the biscuit topping and add to the pot pie mixture as directed. Brush with an egg mixture, sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake. Keep in mind you may need to increase the baking time by 10 minutes, as the filling will be cooler after refrigeration. 

Recipe Tips and Modifications

• Time-Saving Tip: To cut down on prep time use precooked, leftover chicken, frozen carrots, and leftover Instant Pot Baked Potatoes cut into chunks. Then you can skip the step of par-boiling the chicken and potatoes. 
• Egg-Free Chicken Pot Pie: The only use of an egg in this recipe is for the egg wash on the lattice topping. Instead, brush with milk or melted butter to keep this chicken pot pie egg-free.
• Gluten-Free Chicken Pot Pie: Replace the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
• Serving Suggestion: Chicken Pot Pie is an all-in-one meal, but I do love pairing it at times with a Mandarin Orange Salad or a simple side salad dressed with Balsamic Dressing to pack in some extra vegetables into dinner. 

More Comfort Food Classic Recipes

• Slow Cooker Pot Roast
• Homemade Beef Stroganoff
• Crock Pot Pork and Sauerkraut
• Instant Pot Beef Stew
• Chopped Steaks with Mushroom Gravy

From my Papa's kitchen to yours, I hope that you cherish this family recipe for Chicken Pot Pie as much as my family does! I would love for you to leave a comment below if you tried this recipe.  

This post was originally published in 2016 but has been updated in 2021 with new pictures and a video.