Chicken Pot Pie
Chicken pot pie is a classic comfort food dish consisting of a creamy chicken and vegetable filling encased in a flaky pastry crust. It is beloved for its rich, savoury flavour and hearty, satisfying texture. Traditionally, it features a mix of cooked chicken, vegetables, and a creamy sauce, all baked together under a golden pastry crust.
In this blog post, you will learn how to make a creamy, chicken pot pie.
How to Debone Chicken Thighs
Deboning chicken thighs can seem a bit daunting at first, but with a little practice, it becomes a straightforward task. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you debone chicken thighs efficiently:
Steps to Debone Chicken Thighs:
- Prepare Your Workspace:
- Place a clean cutting board on a stable surface.
- Have your boning knife and a kitchen towel or paper towels ready.
- Position the Chicken Thigh:
- Lay the chicken thigh skin-side down on the cutting board.
- Identify the bone running through the centre of the thigh. This is the thigh bone (femur).
- Locate the Bone Ends:
- Use your fingers to feel for the ends of the bone. You’ll typically find one end near the centre of the thigh and the other end near the joint.
- Make an Initial Incision:
- Using the tip of your knife, make a cut along the length of the bone to expose it. Be careful not to cut through the meat entirely.
- Expose the Bone:
- Gently work the knife around the bone, cutting through the connective tissue and muscle to expose more of the bone. Use the tip of the knife to get into the small spaces around the bone.
- Free the Bone:
- Continue cutting along the bone until it is mostly free from the meat. Be sure to angle your knife towards the bone to avoid cutting through the meat.
- Remove the Bone:
- Once the bone is exposed and mostly free, grasp one end of the bone and lift it gently while cutting any remaining attachments with your knife.
- Carefully cut through the joint area if you encounter any tough spots, and remove the bone completely.
- Trim Excess Fat and Tendons:
- After removing the bone, inspect the thigh for any excess fat, tendons, or cartilage. Trim these away with your knife to leave a clean, boneless piece of chicken thigh.
- Check for Bone Fragments:
- Run your fingers over the deboned thigh to ensure there are no small bone fragments left behind.
How to Bake the Chicken Thighs to Prepare Them for Shredding
In a 9”x13” pan, either line it with baking parchment or coat in a non-stick spray. Fold up your deboned chicken thighs and place them in the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Pour 1/4 c. of water into the pan. And lastly, cover the pan with aluminium foil.
Bake the chicken thighs at 400℉/200℃/Gas Mark 6 for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and shred with two forks going in a crisscross direction. Set aside.
Chicken Pot Pie Filling
The filling of a chicken pot pie is the heart of this classic comfort dish, offering a rich and creamy blend of tender chicken, savoury vegetables, and a luscious sauce. This chicken pot pie filling consists of cooked, shredded, or diced chicken breast or thigh meat, vegetables, onion, garlic cloves, carrots, and celery, and a creamy sauce made of milk, chicken bone broth, and butter.
Chicken Pot Pie Crust Recipe
The chicken pot pie crust can either be store bought or homemade.
Click this link to learn how to make my own Flaky, Pie Crust Recipe.
If you choose to make the pie crust in the link, that particular pie crust is big enough for the base and lid of a pie and there will be a few bits of pie dough leftover if you want to make any decorations for the chicken pot pie.
I definitely recommend making the above pie crust. I have made it many times for this chicken pot pie recipe. Besides, it is hard to tell what is tastier and more satisfying: the chicken pie filling or the pie crust.
Chicken Bone Broth
Want to try making your own homemade chicken bone broth? Click this link to learn how to make your own Chicken Bone Broth.
Ingredients
Pie Filling
Chicken Thighs: chicken thighs are dark meat from the chicken, typically more flavourful and tender than chicken breast.
Onions: onions add a foundational sweetness and depth of flavour to the filling when sautéed. They help to build the base flavour profile of the dish.
Garlic Cloves: garlic cloves provide an aromatic and slightly spicy flavour that enhances the overall taste of the filling. Garlic adds a layer of complexity and warmth to the dish.
Celery Stalks: celery stalks add a mild, slightly peppery flavour and a bit of crunch to the filling. Additionally, celery also contributes to the aromatic base when sautéed with onions and garlic.
Carrots: carrots add a natural sweetness, colour, and a tender texture. Furthermore, carrots complement the savoury elements and enhance the nutritional value of the pot pie.
Sauce
Butter: butter is used to sauté the vegetables and create the roux. Butter adds richness, a smooth texture, and a creamy flavour to the filling.
All-Purpose/Plain Flour: the flour is combined with butter to form a roux, which thickens the sauce and gives the filling a creamy consistency.
Milk: milk adds creaminess and a rich texture to the sauce while also helping to create the smooth, velvety filling that binds the chicken and vegetables together.
Chicken Bone Broth: chicken bone broth provides a deep, savoury flavour base for the filling. The bone broth adds complexity and enhances the overall taste of the pot pie.
Dijon Mustard: Dijon mustard adds a subtle tangy and slightly spicy flavour that brightens the filling and adds depth. Dijon mustard also helps to balance the richness of the sauce.
Thyme: thyme adds an earthy, slightly minty flavour that complements the chicken and vegetables. Secondly, thyme is a classic herb used in savoury dishes to enhance the overall flavour profile.
Pie Crust
Egg: the beaten egg brushed onto the pie crust before baking to give it a golden, shiny finish. The egg wash helps to create a beautiful, appetizing appearance.
Pie Crust: the pie crust provides a flaky, buttery layer that encases the filling. The pie crust adds texture and flavour, making the pot pie a complete and satisfying dish.
Tips
- Using chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts allows for a more moist chicken pie.
- Buy boneless, skinless chicken thighs to save time while making this dish.
- If you use homemade chicken bone broth and have seasoned the chicken thighs before baking them, you will probably not need to season the chicken pot pie filling a lot more as there is plenty of flavour already infused from the bone broth.
Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. 1 kg Skinless, boneless chicken thighs
- 2 onions finely chopped
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 4 celery stalks finely chopped
- 4 large carrots finely chopped
- 1/4 c. butter
- 1/3 c. all-purpose flour/plain flour
- 2 c. milk
- 1 c. chicken broth or 1 chicken stock cube dissolved in 1 c. of water
- 1 tbsp. Dijon Mustard
- Thyme to taste
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 store bought pie crust or 1 homemade pie crust
Instructions
- Debone and remove the skin from the chicken thighs. Place the ready thighs in an oven safe 9”x13” pan coated in non-stick spray or lined with parchment paper. Season the thighs with salt and pepper and pour 1/4 c. water in with the chicken thighs. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 400℉/200℃/Gas Mark 6 for 45 minutes.
- Once cooked thoroughly, remove the thighs from the oven and put into a large bowl. Use two forks and in opposite motions to each other hand shred the chicken thighs. Cover and set aside.
- Coat a deep-frying pan with non-stick spray or pour olive oil into the pan. On medium heat add your onions and fry for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, celery, and carrots to the frying pan and fry for about 8 minutes. Once the vegetables have softened, pour them into the bowl with the shredded chicken.
- Return your frying pan to the heat and place your butter into the pan and melt. Once the butter has melted, stir in the flour until a paste forms and cook until it turns golden brown. Slowly begin to whisk in the milk. A little bit at a time until all of the milk has been incorporated into the flour and butter and a creamy sauce is formed.
- Pour in the 1 c. of chicken broth. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Once it has reached a gentle simmer, add the vegetables and chicken back into the sauce.
- Add the Dijon mustard, thyme, and other spices. Cover with a lid and let simmer on a low heat for 15-20 minutes. Stirring occasionally.
- While your chicken filling is simmering, roll out your pie dough and place into your pie dish.
- Preheat the oven to 400℉/200℃/Gas Mark 6.
- Spoon the chicken filling into the pie dish. Brush some of the beaten egg onto the edges of the pie dough and place the pie dough lid onto the top of the pie and crimp the edges together. Use either a spoon or kitchen scissors to remove the excess pie dough. Brush the entire pie dough lid with the beaten egg. Poke some holes into the top of the chicken pot pie. Add your decorative cut outs here if you have any and brush with the beaten egg.
- Bake the pie for 35-40 minutes until it is golden-brown and the edges are bubbling.