People have asked me to do a Chicken Pot Pie recipe for quite some time now. They’ve also been asking me to do a Chicken & Dumplings recipe. So I decided to take the best of both worlds and make a Chicken Pot Pie that has some hints of Chicken & Dumplings in the filling.
We’re talking one of the fullest and creamiest pot pies you’ve likely encountered. It’s almost like that southern favorite “dressing,” but with biscuits thickening up the pot pie instead of cornbread.
Not only is this dish a one-pot shop thanks to the Instant Pot, but you have OPTIONS on how you want to pie-ify it! Whether it be with a flaky pastry puff, pie dough or in a sourdough bread bowl, there is NO way you can go wrong with this easy and remarkable dish!
Here’s How I Made It!:
Start out by taking a pack of frozen Puff Pastry Sheets out of your freezer to thaw (they’ll be thawed by the time you’re ready to use them).
Then take some thick chicken breasts…
…and cut them into chunks.
Take a yellow onion…
…and dice it up.
Take some Idaho potatoes…
…and peel them and cut them into chunks too. Set it all aside.
Now give the Instant Pot some heat and add in some butter.
Once the butter’s melted and bubbling…
…add in the onions, coat with the butter and cook for a few.
Now add in the chicken…
..along with some thyme…
…oregano…
…basil…
…poultry seasoning…
…seasoned salt…
…and black pepper.
Stir everything together so the chicken and onions are coated with the seasoning. Stir the chicken so it begins to turn white on all sides.
Once the chicken’s halfway whitened, add in some crushed garlic…
…and stir until all the chicken has become white (but not fully cooked).
Now we’ll add in the chicken broth…
…and potatoes (if you want firmer potatoes, don’t add them yet).
Give everything a good stir, secure the lid and cook at high pressure.
Next we’ll want some Cheddar Bay Biscuit mix (or Bisquick is fine too).
In a bowl, add some of the mix…
…shredded cheddar cheese…
…and some milk.
Stir together until combined into a dough and set aside.
Next, in a separate bowl, crack an egg…
…and beat it up into an egg wash and also set aside.
When the lid comes off the pot, make sure we heat it up and bring it to a boil.
Take a packet of gravy mix…
…and add it to the broth to thicken it up (use one packet for slightly thickened and use two packets for more richly thickened – I used two).
Give it all a good stir so the mix is blended in.
Then, take a pack of frozen mixed veggies.
…and add that into the pot. Stir well.
After a few moments of bubbling, the sauce will have thickened nicely.
Take the biscuit mix in ping-pong ball sizes (it doesn’t matter if they are neat or not because we are going to end up mixing them in with the pot pie mixture anyway)…
…and plop ’em in one at a time!
They’ll kinda look like matzoh balls! Just let them boil for a few minutes on each side, flipping them over halfway through so they’re cooked.
When done, they’ll obviously be soggy from cooking in the pot pie, so now it’s time to take the mixing spoon, break them up and mix in to the pot pie to give it that dressing-like texture with a chicken & dumplings flavor!
Once the biscuits are broken apart and mixed in, it will have thickened up nicely. Add some heavy cream, stir…
…and presto! The thickest, creamiest chicken pot pie filling ever!
Now take about four individual ramekins (or a large pie dish)…
…and lay it on the now thawed and unwrapped pastry puff (or pie crust).
With the ramekin upside down on the pastry puff crust, cut about an extra 1/2″ diameter around the lip…
…remove the extra pastry puff crust…
…fill the ramekin with the pot pie…
…and place the cut pastry puff crust over the ramekin.
Pull it down so the excess pastry puff crust is cascading over the sides for easy sealing.
Take the egg wash and brush it on the pastry puff crust…
…and then place on a foil-lined baking sheet.
Pop it in the oven…
…and then take it out and dig in (I like adding extra pot pie filling to the side). Perfection!
IF you don’t feel like going the pie route, take a sourdough bread bowl (I got mine from Panera)…
…hollow it out…
…and stuff with the pot pie filling.
So good, you’ll eat the bowl!
Enjoy!
THE BEST CHICKEN POT PIE EVER!
Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie
When I set out to make Chicken Pot Pie, I knew it had to be a really thick filling instead of a runny, watery one. So my secret is to use some biscuit mix to make it just right.
Ingredients
- 2-2.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons of salted butter
- 3 cups of reduced sodium chicken broth (I used 3 cups of water + 3 tsp of Chicken Better Than Bouillon)
- 1 tsp of oregano
- 1 tsp of dried thyme
- 1 tsp of dried basil
- 2 teaspoons of poultry seasoning
- 1/2 tsp of seasoned salt
- 1/2 tsp of pepper
- 1 tablespoons of crushed garlic
- 2 Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
- 1 pack of 2 puff pastry sheets (I used Pepperidge Farm, frozen and set out to thaw) OR 1 pack of 2 pie crusts OR sourdough bread bowls (I like the ones from Panera)
- 1 egg, beaten for the egg wash on the pastry sheet
- 1-2 packets (1-1.25oz each) of Chicken Better Than Gravy (or any kind of chicken or turkey gravy if it can’t be found). Use 1 packet for a thickened consistency and use 2 packets for a very thickened one
- 10 oz box of mixed frozen vegetables (the kind with corn, carrots, peas and green beans mixed)
- 1 cup of heavy cream
- Milk, as desired (totally optional for final consistency)
Biscuits (optional, but makes for a really fantastic Chicken & Dumplings taste with a Dressin’ consistency – meaning nice, smooth and thick):
- 1 2/3 cup of Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix (half the box) or 1 2/3 cups of Bisquick
- 1⁄3 cup of milk
- 1⁄3 cup of shredded Cheddar cheese
- *If you want a REALLY, REALLY thick and almost stuffing-like consistency, use the whole box and double the milk and cheese
Instructions
- If using the pastry puff, take out of the freezer FIRST so it can thaw as you do everything else. (DO NOT try to unroll it yet as it is frozen and will crack/break)
- On the Instant Pot, hit “Sauté” and Adjust so it’s on the “High” or “More” setting and add the butter
- Once melted and bubbly, add the chicken chunks, onion, oregano, basil, poultry seasoning, basil, salt and pepper into the instant pot and mix to coat. Cook the chicken until brown on all sides, stirring frequently. Add in the garlic at the end and cook for another minute
- Add the chicken broth and potatoes (if you want them softer. For firmer potatoes, add after quick releasing) and stir everything together. Secure lid and hit “Pressure Cook” or “Manual” High Pressure for 5 minutes
- As the chicken’s cooking, prepare the biscuits (if using) by mixing together the mix, milk and shredded Cheddar cheese and then prepare the egg wash by beating the egg
- When done cooking, quick release. Hit “Keep Warm/Cancel” and then “Sauté” and Adjust so it’s on the “High” or “More” setting. When the broth begins to boil, add in the gravy packet(s), stir well and add in the frozen mixed vegetables (and potatoes if you want them firmer).
- Drop in the biscuit mix (in golf ball sizes) into the broth and boil for 7 minutes with the lid off. Flip them over midway through boiling (it’s okay if they break apart, we’re going to mix it all in with the pot pie mixture anyway). Occasionally use the mixing spoon to scrape the bottom of the pot while the biscuits are cooking to avoid any chicken or veggies from sticking
- When the biscuits are done after 7 minutes (they will rightfully appear soggy because they were cooked in broth), use the mixing spoon to break and mix them up so they’re blended in with the rest of the broth so it becomes a pot pie filling.
- Lastly, add in the heavy cream and stir. This is when the color and that thick and creamy consistency comes to life! (After stirring, if it feels a little too thick for your taste, add in a little milk and stir to the desired consistency (that’ll do the trick)
- When done, transfer the pot pie into ramekins (individual 8oz or 12oz) OR a large pie dish OR sourdough bread bowls
- If going the bread bowl route, carve a hole at the top, scoop out the center, fill with the pot pie and you’re done! Enjoy!
- If going the ramekin/pie route, NOW the pastry puff or pie crusts should be thawed (and still cool). Unwrap and unfold it. Lay the ramekins/pie dish upside down on top of the dough and then cut the pastry puff/crust around the top of the ramekin or pie dish leaving about 1” extra diameter to fold over the sides, fill to the brim with the pot pie, seal with the dough with the excess folded over the sides, brush with the egg and pop in the oven at 400 degrees for 10-15 mins until golden brown and flakey (every oven varies, so keep an eye on it). If you went the pie route, you’re done!
- Enjoy!
Jeffrey's Tips
IF YOU WANT:
- to make individual pot pies, these 8 oz porcelain ramekins (sold in a set of 4) are what I sued and I love them!
- a larger individual portion, these 12 oz porcelain ramekins (sold in a set of 4) should do the trick!
- to use a pie dish for a large group, I suggest using a nice, large, deep one such as this one here
- to go the pie route and can’t find the Puff Pastry sheets, you can totally use a Pillsbury pie cPillsbury pie crustust instead – with the dough layered over the ramekins/pie dish, just cook according to pie crust’s instructions
- firmer potatoes, add them in along with the frozen mixed veggies after quick releasing
- a less thick pot pie filling, omit the biscuits altogether
Rachael S
I love this recipe but my pants only want me to make it a few times a year! Only other comment is it says you sued the 8OZ ramekins!
Gary
Why would you SUE the ramekin people, especially if you LOVE them? It seems a mixed message to me. 😉 Keep up the fine work, and inspiring (even we writers/ editors) to cook better!
Steve
Sounds delicious, but there are several typos
Dana
Holy crap! That was THE BEST Chicken Pot Pie I’ve ever made! Decadent. Really could not believe it didn’t have Boursin Cheese in it. LOL!
Tim
This was delicious but I found that 1/3 cup of milk added to the biscuit mix wasn’t nearly enough. I had to more than double the amount as the initial mix was way to dry.
Crystal
this was excellent I substituted frozen vegs for canned but otherwise it was perfect and had lots of leftovers
Michele
Like so many of your recipes, this sounds delicious. Anxiously waiting for ramekins to arrive so I can give it a try. No doubt it will become a family favourite.
Karen Hiscock
First time I made this I was new to Jeffrey’s recipes and my IP. This recipe made sooo much filling my family of two finally had to toss out the leftovers as there was just so much! Older and wiser me made it again today but split the finished filling into 3 and froze two big yogurt containers for future use. Tonight was a perfect sized dish for just two big portions with enough left for one meal of yummy leftovers! 😁
Jeffrey
So glad you enjoyed!
Jay Shapiro
Made this recipe for the 6th time and love it!
Only recommendation would be to separate the ingredients list as I find myself going back and forth between the actual prep and the ingredients list.
Jeffrey
6 times! I’m so happy and honored you love it so much!