In my neck o’ the woods, July of 2021 has been a very strange month! Hot. Cold. Very, very wet. To make me forget about the near-daily deluge and its accompanying thunder and lightning, yesterday I made a Double Crusted Chicken Pot Pie. May I offer you a slice of this old-time comfort food?
Double Crusted Chicken Pot Pie: The Video
Wanna watch me make this pie? Click the “play” arrow on the video above. In the same video, I’ll share a childhood memory while rolling out the pie dough.
FAQs
Can I make a pie crust without using a food processor? Yes! Use your fingers to “cut” (read: mash) the butter into the flour and salt mixture. Once the flour resembles fine crumbs, stir in the liquid ingredients. This is how pie crust was routinely made when I was a kid in the 1700s.
In the video, you used milk for the white sauce. Can I use chicken or vegetable stock instead? Absolutely! The white sauce does not have to be white. Feel free to use stock or even a combination of stock and dry white wine. Speaking of which, be sure to try my recipe for Poulet au Vin Blanc.
How to Freeze a Double Crusted Chicken Pot Pie
Omit the egg wash if you intend to freeze the pie. When you are ready to bake, take the pie from the freezer, cut 4 slits in the crust, cover with foil and place the pie — still frozen — in a cold oven set to 375°F for 1 1/4 hours. Then uncover and brush with egg wash, and continue baking for 55 minutes to 1 1/4 hours until crust is golden brown. Cool for at least 45 minutes before serving.
Got any pot pie tips you’d like to share? Please speak up in the comments section below! I, for one, would love to know your favorite filling-to-white sauce ratio.
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Here’s the printable:
Double Crusted Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 12 tablespoons cold, diced unsalted butter
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup sour cream
For the White Sauce:
- 1/3 cup butter (salted or unsalted)
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Grinds of black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves, or to taste
- 2 1/2 cups hot milk (or, use a combination of milk and chicken stock)
For the Chicken and Vegetables:
- 10 ounce bag frozen peas and carrots
- 1/2 to 1 cup diced onion (frozen works well)
- 2 cups cut-up cooked chicken
For glazing the crust:
- 1 egg, beaten
Instructions
Making the pastry dough:
- Put the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Process briefly just to combine. Add the butter, and pulse approximately 5 times to break up the butter. Stir the egg and sour cream together in a small cup, then add to the flour mixture. Process until the dough just begins to mass on the blade (don't overmix) -- 15-20 seconds. Form the dough into a ball, and then flatten it into a disk. Wrap the disk in cling film and refrigerate for at least one hour (or freeze for up to 2 months).
Rolling out the pastry dough:
- Let the dough sit out for approximately 10 minutes. Then cut the dough in half. On a lightly-floured surface or pastry cloth, roll each half into a 12-inch-diameter circle. Transfer one circle to a 9-inch pie pan; place the remaining circle on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Put the pie pan and baking sheet in the refrigerator while you make the white sauce and filling.
The white sauce and chicken filling:
- Adjust the oven rack to the lowest position; preheat the oven to 450°F. Meanwhile, melt the 1/3 cup butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add the 1/3 cup flour. Whisk the flour and butter together until the mixture bubbles and darkens slightly -- about 1 minute. Add the hot milk, and whisk constantly until the sauce boils and thickens -- about 1 minute.
- Off heat, whisk in the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and tarragon. Use a spatula to fold in the frozen peas and carrots, the onion, and finally, the chicken. Taste carefully for seasonings -- you might like to add more salt and/or pepper.
Assembling the pie:
- Pour the chicken mixture into the pastry-lined pie pan. Place the remaining crust over the filling. Roll edges under, and flute to seal. Cut 4 slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape.
- Brush the crust with the beaten egg.
Baking, cooling, and serving the pie:
- Bake on the lowest rack in the preheated 450°F oven until the crust begins to color -- 18-20 minutes. Then lower the heat to 375°F and continue baking until the crust turns golden-brown -- 12-15 minutes. Allow the pie to cool until the filling sets up -- 45 minutes to 1 hour. Serve warm or at room temperature.
mlaiuppa says
I’ve never tried sour cream in crust but will give it a go.
When I was young my Mother used two knives held together to make the dough and that’s how I learned. Later we got a pastry blender. I still don’t own a food processor but it’s been on my to-buy list for a decade.
I don’t usually put onions in my pie but instead dice a small potato and occasionally add some celery as well. The hardest part I find is the ratio of “filling” to “gravy” and I still haven’t gotten it right. My pies still have to much filling and not enough gravy, but they are getting better.
I don’t do chicken pot pie in the summer, it’s just too hot. But I will be trying this as soon as the weather cools down again.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi mlaiuppa – I agree with you: the filling-to-gravy ratio can be a challenge! For this pot pie, I made just enough white sauce to hold the veggies and chicken in creamy suspension.
Lynn says
I love the idea of having a bottom to chicken pot pie – I’ve never done that. I’m definitely going to try your recipe. And btw corn is a delicious addition to the filling.
Lynnie says
I thought mine was the best but this one looks to beat mine!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Lynn – Good idea. Corn would be most welcome in this pie.
Hi Lynnie – If you try this pie, please let me know how it compares to your own version. And if yours is the winner, please share the recipe with me!
Rachel says
How did you know that chicken pie was on my mind today? That veggies and chicken need using up?
Mine will be a gf crust (no dairy, either) but King Arthur makes an excellent 1:1.
Thanks for the spot-on mind reading, Kevin.
Also, please send a few of those deluges down here…our gardens could use the water.
Christine says
Kevin, I’ve never used sour cream in pie crust before…it looks and sounds wonderful! I will try it as soon as our Hudson Valley temperatures dip below 90!! This is another Kevin Lee Jacobs recipe to add to my ever growing list. Thank you!
Mary Dee says
Kevin, Can’t wait to try this. I love pot pies and yes, used to beg my Mother to buy them. That was the only frozen food dinners she would get for us. I do want to ask how you cure onions for freezing? Thanks so much.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Rachel – If you have the chance, please let me know how your GF version turns out. I’m all ears!
Hi Christine – Hope you enjoy!
Hi Mary Dee – After I harvest my onions, I let them sit outdoors for 2-3 weeks in a sheltered, well-ventilated area until their skins turn papery and their green stalks wither and brown. This “curing” process is vital to winter-storage success, whether or not one intends to dice and freeze the onions.
Rebecca says
I’m with Rachel, I’ve had chicken pot pie on my mind lately. That’s wild you must be getting vibes from us.
I tried your fried rice skillet dinner. Loved it!
Thanks Kevin
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Rebecca – So glad you enjoyed the Fried Rice Skillet Dinner. And yes, readers are communicating to me — telepathically — their food wishes!
Joyce says
This sounds great! I def will be trying. You made me laugh with your weather description. We live in New England. My husband turned to me on July 4th and said, “I refuse! To put the heat on!”. That about sums it up…
Taina says
Hello Kevin,
My husband and I made your chicken pot pie two days ago and finished it last night. It was delicious and picture-perfect A real bottom crust! We might want to try a beef version in the very near future. Seems like each recipe of yours that we’ve tried so far has been a solid addition to our repertoire. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and skills. We look forward to trying lots more.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Taina – I’m so glad this pie was a success for you!