This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
This Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry is the comfort food dinner I make when I want the whole family at the table, no questions asked! A rich, creamy chicken filling packed with fresh herbs, parmesan, and cream cheese, all topped with golden, flaky puff pastry squares. From scratch, deeply flavorful, and way easier than it looks.
For more family dinners everyone will love, make my chicken pot pie with cheddar bay biscuits and Dutch oven chicken noodle soup!
I’ve been making pot pie for years, but once I switched to puff pastry on top, there was no going back. It’s easier than a traditional pie crust, bakes up into a gorgeous, shatteringly crispy, golden top that has more texture and more flakiness in every bite! It’s the reason this pot pie gets requests on repeat. Flaky and golden, and that mosaic of overlapping pastry squares on top makes it look like you really did something special. And honey, you did!
Chicken Pot Pie Recipe Overview
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy
- 🕒 Prep Time: About 20 minutes
- 🥧 Cook Time: About 45 minutes
- 🧑🍳 Total Time: About 1 hour 10 minutes
- 👪 Serves: About 6–8 servings
- 🥕 Made With: Chicken, puff pastry, carrots, celery, onion, peas, fresh herbs, chicken broth, cream cheese, Parmesan, heavy cream, and Dijon mustard
- 🥧 Why This Recipe is the Best: This isn’t your average chicken pot pie! Tender chicken and vegetables are smothered in a rich, creamy sauce loaded with fresh herbs, Parmesan, and cream cheese. Then it’s topped with buttery puff pastry squares that bake up beautifully golden and flaky. All that homemade comfort without the hassle of making pie crust from scratch? Yes, please!
Table of Contents
- Chicken Pot Pie Recipe Overview
- What Makes This Chicken Pot Pie Recipe Different
- Key Ingredients
- Variations & Substitutions
- How to Make Homemade Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry
- Britney’s Pro Tips
- Storage Suggestions
- Chicken Pot Pie Recipe FAQs
- More Hearty Chicken Dinner Recipes
- Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry Recipe
What Makes This Chicken Pot Pie Recipe Different
This chicken pot pie recipe with puff pastry is all about the filling – kind of like how dutch oven chicken and dumplings is all about the dumplings. Most recipes stop at carrots, peas, and a basic cream sauce, but this one goes further. We’re cooking the vegetables down with fresh sage, rosemary, thyme, tarragon, and parsley, then building the sauce with Dijon mustard, chicken bouillon paste, cream cheese, parmesan, and heavy cream. The result is a filling that’s deeply savory, layered with flavor, and nothing like what you’d get from a store-bought version!
Key Ingredients
(full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe card)
- Chicken breast is seasoned with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, then seared until golden before being cut into bite-sized pieces and folded into the sauce.
- Carrots, celery, and yellow onion are the classic aromatic base that gives this filling its hearty, homestyle flavor.
- Fresh sage, rosemary, thyme, and parsley are what make this filling taste like so much more than a basic pot pie. I use a similar flavor profile in my creamy chicken and wild rice soup and the flavor is incredible.
- Tarragon is a slightly underrated herb that adds a subtle, almost floral savory note to the filling, and it pairs beautifully with chicken!
- Chicken bouillon paste deepens the savory flavor of the filling and gives the broth more body. It’s a little trick I use in my homemade chicken broth for extra boost of flavor.
- Cream cheese melts right into the filling and makes the sauce irresistibly creamy and thick without being too heavy.
- Puff pastry is the ultimate shortcut topping! Just thaw, cut, and layer!
Variations & Substitutions
- Swap the chicken breast for rotisserie chicken to save time. Just shred it and skip the searing step. Talk about an easy pot pie recipe! You can also use leftover cooked chicken from my smoked chicken breasts.
- Add more veggies! Diced potatoes, corn, mushrooms, or green beans are all great additions to bulk up the filling.
- Use a 9×13 baking dish instead of a cast iron skillet if that’s what you have, it works just as well!
- No heavy cream? Half-and-half works in a pinch, though the sauce won’t be quite as rich.
How to Make Homemade Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry
Step 1: Sear the chicken. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Season the chicken with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Sear in olive oil over medium heat until golden and cooked through. Remove and set aside to rest.
Step 2: Cook the vegetables. In the same pot, sauté carrots, celery, and onion for 5–7 minutes until slightly softened. Add the seasonings, fresh herbs, and garlic with a pinch of salt and pepper and cook for 3 more minutes.
Step 3: Finish the filling. Add butter, chicken bouillon paste, and Dijon mustard, stirring constantly. Once the butter is melted, add flour and stir until a thick paste forms. Pour in the chicken broth and deglaze the bottom of the pan, using a wooden spoon to scrape up those browned bits. Bring to a boil and add frozen peas, cream cheese, and heavy cream. Cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. While it cooks, cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces, then add to the pot and stir in parmesan.
Step 4: Top with puff pastry and bake. Roll out the thawed puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and cut into 16–24 squares. Lay them over the filling, slightly overlapping to cover the top. Brush with egg wash. Set the skillet on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 25–30 minutes, until the pastry is puffed, crisp, and deep golden brown.
Britney’s Pro Tips
- Don’t skip searing the chicken. It might be tempting to just poach it or use rotisserie chicken every time, but taking those few extra minutes to sear the chicken breast until golden in the pan builds a ton of flavor.
- Cook the filling until it’s really thick before it goes in the oven. Let the filling simmer and reduce until it coats the back of a spoon, you want it noticeably thick. It will loosen slightly in the oven, and that’s exactly the right consistency for scooping.
- Keep your puff pastry cold until the last second. Puff pastry puffs best when it goes into a hot oven straight from cold. If it warms up too much while you’re working with it, the butter layers start to meld together and you lose that flaky, airy rise.
- Use a parchment-lined baking sheet underneath the skillet. This filling is bubbling and rich, and it may overflow a little as it bakes, that’s a sign you made it right! Placing the skillet on a lined sheet pan saves you from a smoky oven situation and makes cleanup a breeze.
Storage Suggestions
Store any leftover puff pastry pot pie covered tightly with foil or plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, pop individual portions in the oven at 350°F for about 15 minutes to bring the pastry back to life. The microwave will work in a pinch but the pastry will lose its crunch.
I don’t recommend freezing the finish pot pie. When thawed, the puff pastry will be soggy. You can, however, freeze the filling and then thaw and cook with the puff pastry on top as per the instructions.
Chicken Pot Pie Recipe FAQs
Yes, and honestly, I think puff pastry is even better! It bakes up flakier, crispier, and more golden than a traditional pie crust, and it’s way less work since there’s no rolling or blind baking required. Just skip the bottom layer of crust if you decide to use puff pastry. It works best as a topping only!
Yes! You can prepare the chicken pot pie filling up to 2 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to bake, transfer the filling to your baking dish, top with thawed puff pastry, brush with egg wash, and bake until golden and bubbly. You may need a little extra baking time if the filling is cold.
The key is to let the chicken pot pie filling cool slightly before adding the puff pastry. If the filling is too hot, the butter in the pastry can melt before it reaches the oven, preventing those beautiful flaky layers from forming. Also, make sure your filling is thick and creamy rather than watery.
Make sure your filling is thick enough to support the puff pastry. Let the filling cool for about 10–15 minutes before adding the pastry, and keep the pastry cold until you’re ready to bake. This helps the pastry hold its shape and puff up beautifully in the oven.
Absolutely! Rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut for making chicken pot pie with puff pastry. Simply shred or dice the cooked chicken and stir it into the filling once the sauce has thickened. It’s a great way to save time without sacrificing flavor.
More Hearty Chicken Dinner Recipes
Main Course
Easy Cajun Chicken and Rice
Main Course
Creamy Mushroom Chicken
Main Course
Chicken Alfredo Spaghetti Squash
Main Course
Crock Pot French Onion Chicken
Want more delicious and beautiful recipes? Subscribe to my newsletter to receive the latest seasonal creations as soon as they’re released!
If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating on the recipe card and comment below! You can also tag @BritneyBreaksBread on Instagram and hashtag #britneybreaksbread so I can celebrate your beautiful creations!
Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry Recipe
Equipment
- Braising Pan (or 12-inch Cast Iron Skillet)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs Chicken Breast
- 2 tsp Italian Seasoning
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 Carrots, (diced)
- 2 Celery Stalks, (diced)
- 1 Yellow Onion, (diced)
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Dried Tarragon, (dried thyme is a good substitute if you don’t have tarragon)
- 2 Sage Leaves, (chopped)
- 2 sprigs Rosemary, (chopped)
- 2 sprigs Thyme, (chopped)
- 3 tbsp Parsley
- 4 tbsp Salted Butter
- 4 cloves Garlic, (diced)
- 2 tsp Chicken Bouillon Paste
- 2 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 5 tbsp All Purpose Flour
- 3 cups Chicken Broth
- 1 cup Frozen Peas
- 4 oz Cream Cheese
- 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
- 1/2 cup Parmesan
- 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1 Sheet Puff Pastry, thawed
- 1 Egg + 1 tbsp water, for egg wash
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Note: Keep the puff pastry in the refrigerator until we're ready to use it – keeping it cold helps it puff up while baking.
- Add chicken breast to a bowl and season with Italian seasoning, kosher salt, and black pepper, ensuring all of the chicken is coated. Add olive oil to a braising pan or dutch oven over medium heat and add the chicken. Cook until golden brown and cooked all the way through, about 5-7 minutes per side. Remove onto a plate to rest. 1 1/2 lbs Chicken Breast 2 tsp Italian Seasoning 1 tsp Kosher Salt 1/2 tsp Black Pepper 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- Drizzle more olive oil to the pan if needed, then add carrots, celery, and onion. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until slightly softened. Then add onion powder, dried tarragon, sage, rosemary, thyme, parsley. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and cook for 3 minutes. 2 Carrots 2 Celery Stalks 1 Yellow Onion 1 tsp Onion Powder 1 tsp Dried Tarragon 2 Sage Leaves 2 sprigs Rosemary 2 sprigs Thyme 3 tbsp Parsley
- Add butter, diced garlic, chicken bouillon paste, and dijon mustard and stir everything together constantly. Once the butter is melted, add the flour, stirring everything together until a thick paste forms, about 3 minutes. Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. 4 tbsp Salted Butter 4 cloves Garlic 2 tsp Chicken Bouillon Paste 2 tsp Dijon Mustard 5 tbsp All Purpose Flour 3 cups Chicken Broth
- Add frozen peas, cream cheese, and heavy cream. Stir everything together, the reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the filling has thickened. While the pot pie filling is cooking, cut chicken breasts into bite sized pieces then add it to the pot and stir together. Once thickened, add parmesan and lemon juice and stir together. 1 cup Frozen Peas 4 oz Cream Cheese 1/2 cup Heavy Cream 1/2 cup Parmesan 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
- Allow the filling to sit for about 10 minutes, to cool slightly.
- Lightly dust your work surface with flour, then roll out the puff pastry and cut it into about 16 evenly sized squares. Lay the pieces over the chicken filling, slightly overlapping to cover the top. 1 Sheet Puff Pastry
- Mix together egg and water in a small bowl. Brush the pastry with egg wash, then set the skillet on a parchment-lined baking sheet to catch any overflow. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the pastry is puffed, crisp, and a deep golden brown. 1 Egg + 1 tbsp water
Video
Notes
- Don’t skip searing the chicken. It might be tempting to just poach it or use rotisserie chicken every time, but taking those few extra minutes to sear the chicken breast until golden in the pan builds a ton of flavor.
- Cook the filling until it’s really thick before it goes in the oven. Let the filling simmer and reduce until it coats the back of a spoon, you want it noticeably thick. It will loosen slightly in the oven, and that’s exactly the right consistency for scooping.
- Keep your puff pastry cold until the last second. Puff pastry puffs best when it goes into a hot oven straight from cold. If it warms up too much while you’re working with it, the butter layers start to meld together and you lose that flaky, airy rise.
- Use a parchment-lined baking sheet underneath the skillet. This filling is bubbling and rich, and it will overflow a little as it bakes, that’s a sign you made it right! Placing the skillet on a lined sheet pan saves you from a smoky oven situation and makes cleanup a breeze.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
