Chicken Pot Pie (2024)

FAQs

What is the sauce made of in chicken pot pie? ›

The sauce in chicken pot pie is typically a gravy. I use a seasoned white gravy made from scratch with flavor-building ingredients, chicken broth, and half-and-half.

A watery potpie may be the result of not cooking the filling for long enough or adding too much liquid to the filling. Another possible reason for the pie being watery is if you add watery vegetables like spinach or green beans to the filling rather than potatoes or carrots, which soak up liquid.

Mistake #7: The filling is too thick (or too runny)

The ideal texture is about the same consistency as if you added half of the liquid to that can of condensed soup. It should flow, but not be soupy.”

Adding flour to the chicken and vegetable mixture will set it up for becoming thick and creamy once you pour in the broth. Just let it simmer for a few minutes until it thickens. But if you've already added the broth and realize it's too thin, you can always make a slurry to stir in.

If for some reason your sauce is not as thick as you want it to be, you can always use cornstarch as a thickener. Start with about a tablespoon, and dissolve it in a bit of water, and add it to the sauce. Cook over medium heat until your sauce begins to quickly thicken.

I only gave my pot pie a top crust, because I feel like the bottom crust always gets soggy. If you do want to add a bottom crust, I suggest blind baking it. What does blind baking mean? It's when you bake your pie crust without a filling in order to crisp it up.

Most of the fat and calories in pot pie comes from that crust. And don't worry, we wouldn't ask you to give up it -- just make some changes. Crusts made with shortening, lard or puff pastry are overloaded with artery-clogging saturated and trans fats.

A stale or off smell is a clear warning sign. Additionally, if you notice any mold or discoloration on the pie, it's a sure sign it has gone bad. When tasting, if you find the flavor is off or sour, it would be best to toss it out.

Let cool for at least 20 and up to 45 minutes before serving so that the filling can thicken slightly.

Check that pot pie/empanada is cooked thoroughly. Internal temperature needs to reach 165 degrees F as measured by a food thermometer in several spots. Crust should be golden brown.

What's the difference between chicken pie and chicken pot pie? ›

That said, the crust is one of the major differences between a chicken pie and a chicken pot pie. There are plenty of recipes that use the terms interchangeably, but a true Southern-style chicken pie has a homemade crust.

Watery filling

Water can be released from your pie filling while cooking in the oven. To avoid turning your pie into a sloppy mess, add flour to the filling or add some nuts to thicken it up, like in our Chicken and Leek Pie. This will help to absorb any excess water while it's cooking and will keep the pastry crispy.

Very often flour or cornstarch is used, but in certain instances tapioca, arrowroot and potato starch can also help achieve the desired consistency. Tapioca starch is preferable for products that will be frozen because it will not break down when thawed. We like tapioca in blueberry, cherry or peach pies.

If the bottom crust doesn't set before the filling soaks in, it's going to be gummy. A metal pie pan placed on a preheated surface will set the bottom crust quickest; once cooked, the liquids from the filling above won't soak in, and as a result: no soggy bottom.

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into cubes) are ideal for making classic chicken pot pie. This chicken pot pie recipe calls for the usual suspects: peas, carrots, onions, and celery. You could toss in some mushrooms or green peppers if you want to incorporate more veggies.

Pan sauces make use of the tasty browned bits left on the bottom of the pan after searing meat, called fond. Here are a few simple tricks and techniques for making a pan sauce, and rescuing one that's over-reduced.

Our new recipe for a fresh-baked comfort food favorite, with slow-simmered chicken, peas, carrots, celery, potatoes, and onions in a creamy sauce topped with flaky pastry crust. Comes with your choice of hand-rolled Buttermilk Biscuits or Corn Muffins.

A significant amount of the calories and fat in traditional chicken pot pie come from the crust. Only using crust on the top of the pies made a big difference nutritionally.