Chicken Pot Pie Casserole Recipe

Whoever thought to combine creamy roast chicken and flaky, buttery pie must have been a genius. A hearty dish built with savory pulled chicken, rich and creamy broth, and plenty of tender vegetables, the stew is hard not to fall in love with, especially when covered in the layers of a crunchy pie crust. It's not hard to make, either, especially if you have leftover chicken and a store-bought crust shortcut. Still, it requires some time at the stove and a long list of ingredients to be great, which can mean that pot pie is reserved for Sunday suppers when you have ample time to prepare.

We think we all need comfort any day of the week, which is why we developed a chicken pot pie casserole recipe that requires no stovetop and just one deep casserole dish. Developed with Michelle McGlinn, this chicken pot pie casserole only takes 10 minutes to prepare, most of which is spent arranging the flaky puff pastry topping. Creamy layers of pulled chicken, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, cream cheese, and tender vegetables are baked into a casserole topped with puff pastry, and the whole delicious dish is ready to eat in just 30 minutes. For cozy comfort any day of the week, let the oven do the work with this creamy casserole.

To make a chicken pot pie casserole, you'll first need cooked chicken. The easiest option is a rotisserie chicken, which can be shredded and used right after purchasing. You can also cook the chicken yourself by searing and steaming chicken breasts until tender, then pulling them apart. You can also simply use leftovers from roasting your own chicken. From there, you'll need ingredients like cream of chicken soup, sour cream, cream cheese, garlic powder, salt, pepper, frozen peas and carrots, an egg, a splash of water, and a sheet of puff pastry. Remember to thaw the puff pastry before using it by keeping it cold in the refrigerator overnight.

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish.

Add the chicken, cream cheese, sour cream, soup, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to a large bowl. Stir vigorously to combine.

Add the chicken mixture to the casserole dish.

Add the vegetables, stirring to incorporate.

Roll the puff pastry out and cut it into 1-inch squares.

Add the squares to the casserole by overlapping them gently.

Combine the egg and water.

Brush the egg wash across the puff pastry.

Place the casserole dish in the oven and bake until the puff pastry is deeply golden browned, about 30 to 40 minutes.

If desired, top with flaky salt, pepper, and thyme to serve.

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Frozen puff pastry sheets are a clever shortcut for making flaky, buttery crusts and delicious, easy appetizers, so much so that even some professional bakers prefer them over making their own. Still, puff pastry can be tricky to work with. What makes puff pastry unique is that it is made by alternating layers of butter and dough, chilling each layer before beginning the next. The key to baking the many layers into flaky, browned pieces is to keep the butter cold, which can be challenging when trying to thaw a sheet quickly. Thaw the puff pastry until it's pliable, but don't let it get warm. Keep the pastry in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it, then quickly roll and slice the squares. This will prevent the pastry from failing to rise or brown.

If you worked with pastry that was cold and the pastry still didn't rise or brown, try baking the casserole for 5 to 10 minutes longer. It's possible that the oven wasn't hot enough (all ovens differ), and the pastry often just needs more time in the heat to brown. For an even more foolproof method, you can also skip cutting the pastry into squares and simply roll the sheet over the filling. Just remember to score vents into the puff pastry, or the steam from the casserole will affect its rising and browning, too (we told you puff pastry is tricky).

Condensed soups are like magic for busy cooks — though they might not be pretty, they are the perfect shortcut in making flavorful, creamy dishes without having to make a roux. Largely used for casseroles, the dense soup can be dumped into the dish with everything else and baked into a smooth and creamy final result. Of course, no shortcut comes without consequences, and with cream of chicken soup comes some nutritional compromises: Each ½ cup serving of condensed cream of chicken soup has 870 milligrams of sodium.

To avoid the high sodium intake, you can switch the condensed soup to a lower-sodium variety or simply make the filling from scratch. To do this, start with a roux of butter and flour, then stir in cream and chicken broth until thickened. You can then melt the sour cream and cream cheese directly into the thickened cream, stir everything together in the skillet, and transfer to a casserole dish for baking.

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