This 10-Second Fix Prevents Store-Bought Chicken Pot Pie From Being Soggy

Chicken pot pie is a delicious dish, perfect for diving into on a cold, blustery winter's day. However, it can be quite a labor-intensive dish to make, as you have to prepare a tasty filling complete with veggies and plump chicken and a flaky pie crust to seal everything together. So if you're running short on time, indulge in a good-quality freezer aisle favorite: We've ranked 12 store-bought chicken pot pies to help you choose. But to ensure it doesn't have that infamous soggy bottom, we have a simple tip: Flip your pie when serving.

Instead of letting your pie sit in the foil wrapper, which allows it to steam, take a few seconds to flip it out of the foil and onto a plate with the top face-down. This will prevent the bottom of your crust from becoming soft and allows you to more easily slice into the pie with a fork, making it worth the extra dish to clean.

Besides preventing a soggy bottom, this hack has another added benefit: Since the bottom of the crust is exposed, you can much more easily break it open and add any ingredients to the filling that you'd like before giving it a stir and enjoying. We always recommend tasting your chicken pot pie filling before adding any extra seasonings; it might already be salty or garlicky enough.

There is a long list of ingredients worth adding to your chicken pot pie filling. Fresh herbs, like chopped parsley, cut through the richness and heaviness of the filling and balance the bite. If you're stirring your filling and noticing a lack of chicken, you might consider adding some of your own to it as well; add leftover rotisserie or shredded chicken to it, making sure to stir it well so all the added meat is coated in that thick, delicious gravy.

And if you're looking for more ways to doctor your store-bought chicken pot pie and take it from good to great, swipe some butter on the crust before baking, or add a sprinkle of parmesan cheese before serving.