Chicken Pie Casserole (Printable)
Hearty chicken and vegetable casserole with creamy sauce and golden flaky crust, ideal for family dinners.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken & Broth
01 - 3 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced
02 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 cup frozen peas
04 - 1 cup diced carrots
05 - 1 cup diced celery
06 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
→ Sauce
07 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
08 - 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
09 - 1 cup whole milk
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
12 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
13 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
→ Crust
14 - 1 sheet refrigerated pie dough or equivalent
15 - 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery, sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until softened.
03 - Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
04 - Gradually whisk in chicken broth and milk. Add salt, pepper, thyme, and garlic powder. Simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 3 to 4 minutes.
05 - Fold shredded chicken and peas into the sauce mixture. Remove from heat.
06 - Transfer mixture evenly into prepared baking dish.
07 - Unroll pie dough and place over filling. Trim excess dough and cut several small slits in crust for ventilation.
08 - Brush beaten egg evenly over the pie crust.
09 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until crust is golden and filling is bubbling.
10 - Let cool for 10 minutes to set before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It comes together in under an hour but tastes like you spent all day on it.
- The filling is pure comfort—creamy, savory, and packed with chicken and vegetables in every spoonful.
- That golden crust on top is the real secret weapon, giving you a textural contrast that makes people actually excited about eating chicken and vegetables.
02 -
- The egg wash isn't just decoration—it's what creates that shiny, professional-looking crust that makes people think you actually know what you're doing in the kitchen.
- Don't skip the resting time; those 10 minutes let everything set so you can actually cut neat portions instead of spooning out a hot mess.
- If your filling seems too thick after thickening, you can add a splash more milk—it will thicken even more as it bakes, so aim for slightly looser than you think you want.
03 -
- Make your roux in the same skillet as your vegetables so you don't lose any of those caramelized bits stuck to the bottom—that's flavor you've earned.
- If you don't have pie dough, puff pastry works beautifully and gives you an even flakier crust, though you'll need to watch it so it doesn't brown too fast.