One of my first jobs in a restaurant was at a Marie Callender's as a server. I always loved their fresh daily pot pie's and I wanted to make them at home, but I never got the recipe from the kitchen. I've made chicken and gravy plenty of times over the years, so adding the ingredients to a pie crust was the next step. My cheat is using store bought puff pastry for the pie crust. It's easy to keep in the freezer and thaw out a sheet when you want to make this dish. Plus, since it's only on the top of the pie, you don't have to worry about soggy bottoms.

Upgrade Tools Needed

  • Mortar and pestle, or spice grinder
  • Pastry brush

Ingredients

  • 1 boneless skinless chicken breast
  • ​1 medium onion
  • Vegetables, your choice
    • Example: carrots, celery, potatoes 
  • 1/2 TSP each of basil, parsley, rosemary, thyme, peppercorns
  • 2 bay leaves​​
  • 1 package, chicken stock
  • 2 TBSP butter
  • 4 TBSP flour, more as necessary
  • small amount of melted butter
  • 1 sheet of puff pastry, thawed

Directions

  1. Make a rue: Heat butter in a small pan. Once melted add flour. Cook until lightly browned. Set aside.
  2. Cut up the chicken breast into 1" cubes.
    TIP: If the chicken is still just a tad bit frozen it makes it easier to slice!
  3. Add all herbs to your spice grinder, and combine until all is a fine powder.
  4. Dice Onion, and all other vegetables. I like a fairly small cube for the vegetables so cooking doesn't take too long.
  5. Heat a drizzle of oil in your soup pan on medium heat.
  6. Add chicken to pan, and brown, stirring occasionally to cook all sides.
  7. Add onion and lightly brown.
  8. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil.
  9. Reduce heat to simmer, and add herbs and any vegetables that need longer cooking at this point, like carrots and celery.
  10. Simmer for 5 minutes, or until your vegetable are just starting to soften.
  11. Add the rue to the pot and stir or whisk into the mixture. Let simmer to thicken. You can add a little more flour if your mixture does not become as thick as you like, but make sure you give it time to cook before adding more. I have found that 1 TBSP of flour per cup of stock works well for me.
    Note: this is when I added my diced sweet potato because I didn't want them to get too cooked before the mix went into the oven.
  12. Meanwhile, pre heat oven to 375F.
  13. Lay out the puff pastry dough on a lightly floured surface so it does not stick. Lay out your baking dishes and cut the dough oversized so that it will drape down the sides of your pan.
  14. Once your filling is the thickness you prefer, dish into the baking dishes you plan on eating in the next few days. You can set aside the rest of the mixture into freezer containers for later meals.
  15. Top the dished with the puff pastry you cut, brush a little butter on the top of the dough with a pastry brush, adding 2 slits in the center for steam to release.
  16. Place on a baking sheet to catch spills, and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until puff pastry is golden.
  17. Let stand for a few minutes before eating.
Customize to your tastes:
  • Add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Switch out the vegetables, so you have different versions for quick meals.
  • Switch out the protein, or omit it altogether using vegetable stock for the liquid.
  • Try different spices, like a curry mix for flavor boost.

Packaging the Leftovers, and Reheating - updated 12/15/20

  • I store about 2 pot pies worth of filling in a freezer container. I thaw it out the night before I want to cook it, so it will be easy to spoon into a baking dish and top with puff pastry. I tend to bake 2 at a time, 1 to eat that night, and 1 to take to work sometime in the week. The pastry isn't as flaky and crispy on the reheat, but still very tasty.
  • For the one I want to take one to work, I just scoop the whole baked container into another microwaveable one with a lid, the flat rectangular style. I will often pull off the puff pastry before scooping out the filling, and then add it back on top.
    ​TIP - If you are just setting up meals for work, cut the puff pastry into sections that fit inside your container and bake on a cookie sheet. I used the parchment paper that came with the pastry to keep it from sticking. Let it cool down and then you can add to the container. The lid will take some of the height out of the pastry, but it won't effect the flavor when reheating.
  • ​At work, I pop the top of the container to allow the steam to escape, but leave the lid in place for splatter, and microwave for about 3 minutes. Check the center of the meal by pushing the backside of your utensil into the center of the mix. If it comes out cold still, you need more time. As long as the pastry in one piece, you can always lift it off onto a paper towel, and stir the mixture, microwaving it separately if it needs more time, and then adding the pastry back when it's warm enough for you. I find I only need to do this if the mixture is still frozen when I want to reheat.
​last updated 12/15/2020
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