Chicken Pot Pie With Roasted Vegetables

Looking for a different twist on this epic comfort food? Take a look at Chicken and Mushroom Pie or Chicken and Leek Pie! This easy chicken pot pie recipe idea came to me late at night while I was already in bed. It got me so excited I should have given up on sleep right there and then. All I wanted to do was get up and fire up the oven! But I resisted and it was the right call because great things shouldn’t be rushed. This homemade chicken pot pie recipe has everything you could hope for. Tender chicken, creamy sauce filling with savoury roast vegetables and fragrant fresh herbs. Bake it all in a flaky pie crust and you have a winner for the whole family!

Chicken Pie or Chicken Pot Pie?

It depends on where you live. In the US chicken pot pie is a chicken pie that has only top crust as opposed to a pie encased in a double crust. In the UK most meat pies have top crust only. Different terminology. Same delicious food. It’s no surprise that there is variation in naming and recipes since chicken pies have been around for centuries. Of course they shift and change with the passing of time, but the basic thinking remains the same. Originally made by Greeks with a bottom crust, it was the Romans who added one on top. They were a regular part of the diet in countries like the UK, but it wasn’t until the 1950s that they became as popular as they are in the US. What changed? A few things likely are the reason, but the convenience of serving a small pot pie as part of a TV dinner cannot be ignored!

Ingredients

The classic filling for a chicken pot pie is cooked chicken mixed with carrots, peas and celery in a creamy gravy. All baked under a layer of flakey pie crust. It’s homey and comforting. It’s loved by many. It could be a lot of work, but fortunately it doesn’t have to be. A lot of effort can be saved by using a good quality pre-made pie crust. No one will know! I decided to change things up just a smidge by adding hearty roasted vegetables like pumpkin, cauliflower and carrots. I also added garlic for more flavour! You can roast them up to two days in advance to speed up the process.

Roast vegetables for pot pie

I know what you are thinking. Did I really HAVE to roast them? Couldn’t I just boil or steam them? The answer is a big, fat YES. Roasting pumpkin, cauliflower, carrots, onions and garlic with a bit of olive oil and sage adds so much flavour. Without roasting the flavours in this chicken pie are very mild. And the last thing I wanted was for you to come back to me and say, “BLAND“. I really try to avoid that! So I roasted loads and loads of vegetables and used some of them in these pies and saved the rest for future meals. Oh yeah, I also blended the roasted pumpkin and tucked it away for a pie. Yum! The vegetables I used for the creamy filling in this pie are variable of course. They depend on your personal preference and what you have in your fridge. I used what was in mine. Besides carrots, pumpkin and cauliflower listed in this recipe, you can roast broccoli, butternut squash, parsnips, even potatoes! It was definitely the right call to roast that pumpkin as it added a lovely natural sweetness to the chicken pot pie filling!

Serving suggestions

The result of this recipe is a pie that tastes like Thanksgiving dinner all rolled into one, which takes it close to the top as an ultimate comfort food. It wasn’t my intention, I simply used herbs and vegetables that made sense to me, but that is exactly what I got. This recipe would also be ideal for using your turkey and vegetable leftovers after Thanksgiving and Christmas because everything tastes better in a pie form! The pie is begging to be served with a tasty mash, which may well be available as leftovers anyway. If not, a classic Irish Champ or traditional Colcannon will do perfectly. For something more than potatoes, give Sweet Potato and Swede Mash or Creamy Celeriac and Potato Mash a try! A pour of gravy will also be welcome. Easy Homemade Gravy is always a winner, or take it to the next level with Red Onion Gravy.

Leftovers and storage

This classic chicken pot pie freezes wonderfully well! You can freeze an unbaked pie right after assembling. Or you can bake it first, then cool completely and freeze in freezer bags. They will keep well in a freezer for up to 2-3 months. To reheat a baked pot pie, preheat the oven to 350F/180C, shield the pastry with some aluminum foil and reheat for for 15-20 minutes. When refrigerated a cooked chicken pot pie will last for 2-3 days.