The 2 Biggest Mistakes That Are Ruining Your Chicken Pot Pie

Although meat pies date back to Ancient Egypt and Greece, chicken pot pie feels about as Americana as it gets. This rustic comfort food first gained popularity in the early 20th century and has been a staple of traditional American cooking ever since. While various spins on the recipe exist, from mini curried chicken pot pies to the egg-noodle-filled "bott boi" courtesy of the Pennsylvania Dutch, there are a handful of core truths that ensure you always end up with a perfect flaky, flavorful bake — just be sure you aren't making two of the biggest mistakes you can with the dish.

We spoke with chef Jesse Moore, the Corporate Chef at Cargill Protein North America, to get his expert opinion on the mistakes people make when crafting a chicken pot pie. According to Chef Moore, "[There are a few] different [mistakes] you see when having chicken pot pie, dry or overcooked, unseasoned chicken and a lackluster gravy." While timing your pie to come out of the oven with that crispy, golden crust and perfectly creamy, tender filling might be tricky, there is no excuse for poor chicken or gravy.

One way to avoid these mistakes, or at least relieve the pressure, is to head to the freezer aisle and load up on some frozen pot pies. However, we recommend trying your hand at a homemade chicken pot pie first, because nothing beats the taste (and smell) of a freshly made pot pie right out of the oven. With Chef Moore's guidance and our chicken pot pie tips, you can easily avoid the pitfalls of novice chefs.

There is a lot going on in chicken pot pie. With recipes that call for over a dozen ingredients, it's easy to forget to ensure the main ones are properly seasoned. Yes, we know this is counterintuitive, but just because you add mushrooms, peas, carrots, and onions doesn't mean your chicken will be flavorful. Chef Moore states, "Be sure to season your chicken, and when cooking it be sure not to overcook it. You don't want overcooked chicken in the pot pie when you go to cook it with the crust on top." That's some sound advice.

For the ultimate flavor, we recommend making your chicken stock using a whole chicken and then utilizing both light and dark meat in your pot pie. When boiling the chicken, you don't need a hot lava cauldron; just keep things at a low simmer and remove the bird when it has just cooked through. Also, if you are using the whole chicken, different pieces will cook at varying times, so don't step away from the pot for too long. Start checking the smaller pieces, such as the wings and thighs, after about 15 minutes. Whenever a piece is done, remove it right away. This small change will help improve the overall texture of your chicken pot pie filling. Trust us, it's worth the extra effort.

It can be tempting to simply use the gravy as a binding agent in your chicken pot pie. After all, it is quite literally a filling. However, the gravy is a hard-working base ingredient that impacts everything it touches. According to Chef Moore, "There are a number of components that go into [the pot pie] so everything needs to be seasoned individually or [the] gravy needs to carry enough to flavor all ingredients." As ideal as it is for the gravy itself to naturally flavor the rest, it makes sense that Moore would recommend seasoning each ingredient individually. This will ensure that each component is prepared properly, enhancing the overall dish.

When it comes to making gravy, don't overthink it. Flour, butter, and chicken stock — especially if you made it from scratch — will absolutely do the trick. But if you already feel confident in your chicken pot pie-making abilities, the gravy is a great opportunity to get creative and infuse more flavor than what the flour slurry calls for. We recommend trying out these Thai Chicken Curry or Chicken Massaman Curry recipes as your filling ingredients.