Description
This Chicken Pot Pie Casserole is a comforting, hearty dish featuring tender cooked chicken, fresh vegetables, and a creamy sauce, all baked with a flaky pie crust topping. Perfect for a family dinner, it combines classic pot pie flavors in an easy-to-make casserole form, ensuring a rich and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 1 (9-inch) pie crust (store bought or homemade)
Filling
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (½ stick)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 carrots (peeled and diced)
- 2 ribs celery (diced)
- 1 sweet yellow onion (peeled and minced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced or pressed)
- 3 cups cubed cooked chicken
- 4 ounces button mushrooms (cleaned and diced)
- 1 cup frozen peas (thawed)
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or stock)
- ¼ cup white wine (semi-dry or Chardonnay)
- 1 cup heavy cream (or half-and-half)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon ground sweet basil
Topping
- 1 large egg (beaten slightly with 1 teaspoon water)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Dish: Preheat your oven to 375°F and spray a 2-quart casserole dish with nonstick spray to ensure the pot pie doesn’t stick.
- Warm Pie Crust: Let the pie crust sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes to make it easier to roll and shape.
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat the butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, creating a flavorful base for the filling.
- Cook Carrots and Celery: Add diced carrots and celery and cook them for 3 minutes to start softening and melding flavors.
- Cook Onion: Add minced onion to the skillet and cook until translucent, about 3-5 minutes, allowing sweetness to develop.
- Add Garlic: Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds to release aromatic flavors without burning.
- Add Chicken, Mushrooms, and Peas: Incorporate cubed cooked chicken, mushrooms, and thawed peas, cooking for 1 minute to combine ingredients.
- Thicken Mixture: Sprinkle flour over the mixture and cook, stirring continuously, for 3 minutes to form a roux that will thicken the sauce.
- Deglaze Pan: Gradually stir in chicken broth and scrape the bottom of the pan to lift up brown bits, enhancing flavor.
- Add Wine and Cream: Pour in white wine and heavy cream, stirring well to combine and create a creamy filling.
- Season and Thicken: Add salt, black pepper, thyme, and basil. Continue cooking until the mixture thickens to a thick stew consistency, stirring occasionally.
- Transfer Mixture: Pour the thickened chicken stew into the prepared casserole dish evenly.
- Prepare Crust Topping: Roll the pie crust to a ¼ inch thickness and cut into 1-inch strips to create a lattice top, or simply drape the crust over the casserole and trim or crimp the edges for a seal.
- Apply Egg Wash: Combine beaten egg and water, then brush this mixture over the pie crust to help it brown beautifully during baking.
- Bake: Place the casserole on the center rack of the oven and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and cooked through.
Notes
- You can use leftover cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken for convenience.
- If you prefer a vegetarian version, substitute chicken with firm tofu or additional vegetables and use vegetable broth.
- For a lighter option, half-and-half can replace heavy cream, though the sauce will be less rich.
- Make sure to allow the pie crust to warm before rolling to prevent cracking.
- White wine can be omitted or replaced with extra chicken broth if preferred.
- Let the casserole cool for 10 minutes before serving to allow the filling to set.
