Big On Flavor, Low On Fuss!
If you love homemade chicken pot pie as much as I do but tend to avoid it because it feels like too much work, puff pastry is the genius, weeknight-friendly shortcut you’ve gotta try. ♡
I absolutely adore pot pie and have made plenty of versions over the years. But once I started using puff pastry as a topping instead of traditional pie dough, I never looked back. It bakes up perfectly flaky and buttery, looks so pretty, and delivers all of those nostalgic pot pie vibes with a fraction of the work. Plus, cutting it into pieces and layering it on top means more golden edges and crispy bits in every scoop — so good!
I also have a bit of a soapbox about bland, boring pot pie filling, and I promise this one is anything but. The creamy sauce is layered with flavor from crispy bacon, Parmesan, plenty of garlic, and fresh herbs, then loaded up with classic veggies and tender chicken. If you’d like to make things even easier, I highly recommend shredding a rotisserie chicken to cut down on prep time. I also love making the filling earlier in the day — or even the day before — then stashing it in the fridge and adding the puff pastry right before baking on busy nights. It’s one of my favorite comfort food recipes that never disappoints!
Recipe Tips
Detailed recipe instructions are included below, but here are a few helpful tips to keep in mind before you get started:
- Let the pot pie rest before serving. A short 5–10 minute rest helps the filling thicken up just enough for perfect scooping.
- Use an oven-safe skillet if you can. A cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven lets you go straight from stovetop to oven with no extra dishes. That said, if you don’t own one, feel free to just cook the filling in a skillet, transfer to a baking dish, add the topping and bake!
- Keep the puff pastry slightly cold. It’s much easier to cut when it’s mostly thawed but still cool, and it puffs better in the oven. I like to cut it using a pizza slicer, but a knife works just fine too.
- Overlap the pastry pieces. This creates those pretty layered edges and ensures everyone gets plenty of flaky topping.
- Watch the browning closely. Puff pastry can brown fast, so loosely tent the topping with foil if needed near the end of baking.
Recipe Variations
This recipe is super flexible, so feel free to make it your own with any of these easy swaps or add-ins if you’d like:
- Finish with a little lemon zest to brighten everything up just before serving.
- Add sliced mushrooms to the filling for extra savory depth.
- Stir in frozen corn alongside the peas for a touch of sweetness.
- Swap milk for half-and-half if you want a richer, more decadent filling.
- Add a splash of white wine after sautéing the vegetables for extra flavor.
- Make it vegetarian by using vegetable broth and swapping the chicken for chickpeas or white beans.
FAQ
Yes! You can prepare the filling up to a day in advance and refrigerate it. When ready to bake, reheat gently, add the puff pastry, and bake as directed.
The filling freezes well, but puff pastry is best baked fresh. Freeze the filling separately, then thaw, top with pastry, and bake.
Yes. Transfer the filling to a greased baking dish, top with puff pastry, and bake as directed.
If it’s too thick, stir in a splash of milk or broth. If it’s too thin, let it simmer a bit longer before adding the chicken.
Puff Pastry Chicken Pot Pie
- Prep Time: 25 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 mins
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
This puff pastry chicken pot pie is a cozy, one-skillet dinner made with tender chicken, vegetables, a creamy garlic-herb sauce, and a flaky golden puff pastry topping.
Ingredients
- 2 strips of bacon, diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon finely-chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 teaspoons finely-chopped fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3 cups (1.25 pounds) cooked shredded chicken
- 2/3 cup frozen peas
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 sheets frozen puff pastry, mostly thawed*
- 1 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water (for egg wash)
Instructions
- Prep the oven. Heat oven to 400°F.
- Cook the bacon. Heat a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until crispy, about 5–7 minutes, turning occasionally. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate, leaving the rendered bacon fat in the pan.
- Sauté the vegetables. Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the bacon fat and sauté for 5–6 minutes, until softened. (If the pan seems dry, add a drizzle of olive oil or a small knob of butter.) Stir in the garlic, thyme, and rosemary and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Build the sauce. Stir in the Dijon mustard, then sprinkle the flour evenly over the vegetables. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1–2 minutes. Gradually pour in the chicken broth while stirring, scraping up any bits from the pan. Add the milk and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce thickens to a creamy, stew-like consistency.
- Finish the filling. Stir in the shredded chicken, peas, Parmesan, cooked bacon, salt, and pepper. If you would like a soup-ier filling, you can add in an extra splash of milk. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Add the puff pastry topping. Unfold the mostly thawed puff pastry and cut it into 2-inch squares or rectangles. (It’s easiest to cut if it’s not completely thawed.) Arrange the pieces evenly over the hot filling, slightly overlapping them so you get those pretty, layered edges. Brush lightly with egg wash, then season with a few twists of pepper and salt.
- Bake. Transfer the entire skillet to the oven and bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the puff pastry is deeply golden and the filling is bubbling around the edges. (If any spots of pastry start to brown too quickly, tent loosely with foil.)
- Serve. Let the pot pie cool for 5–10 minutes, then sprinkle with extra parsley if you’d like. Scoop into bowls, making sure everyone gets plenty of the flaky pastry on top, and enjoy!
Notes
Puff pastry: I find it’s easiest to slice the puff pastry when it’s mostly (but not completely) thawed. I like to use a pizza cutter to slice it, or you can just use a chef’s knife.
I like the idea of adding lemon zest. When do you do this? Also, my daughter does not eat bacon so I assume I can use olive oil and utter to saute the vegetables. Can’t wait to try this. Thank you <3
Sure, I would add the lemon zest to the filling before you add on the topping. And it will still be delicious without the bacon! Enjoy! :)
For a weekday recipe I plan to prep the vegetables and cube the cooked chicken the evening prior. I’m so happy I have all the ingredients for this at home :-)
To much ingredients and to much time for working people!!
I would like to make this. Can you please provide what size/volume casserole dish to use? I will be serving this for company and it makes a nicer presentation. Thanks!
We tested this with a 9×13 casserole dish and it worked great! Enjoy!
This looks delicious! I’m wanting to add it to my menu for this weekend. I know that my husband will love this!
hi. thankyou for the recipe; however, what do we do with the two strips of bacon (first item on ingredients list)?
also, can heavy whipping cream be used in place of whole milk? i just happen to have this in refrigerator.
thank you – sara
Sorry about that, I accidentally uploaded an earlier draft of the recipe instructions. The bacon instructions are now included! And sure, you could use 1/2 cup cream and 1/2 cup water.
What about Parmesan cheese? When to add?
Can almond or oat milk be substituted for whole milk? I’m lactose intolerant.
Sure! I would recommend plain oat milk for better flavor and texture.
They make lactose-free half-and-half, whole milk, and all dairy products lactose-free if you are lactose intolerant. Oatmeal collects the lipids that bind everything together in the recipe, so using oat milk would cause it to be extremely runny.
What about the bacon? I’m assuming you fry it first. Remove from skillet and add it back in at some point or crumble it over filling before topping with puff pastry
Oops, thank you so much for catching that, I somehow forgot to add in the bacon instructions. Just edited the recipe! :)
Where does the bacon come in?
I am also wondering about the bacon!