I’ve taken my mom’s traditional chicken pot pie recipe and kicked it up a notch – in both flavor and ease of preparation. There’s nothing better than creating a one-pan weeknight meal, making the cast iron skillet the star of the show. In sticking with the theme of convenient meals, I use pre-made refrigerated pie crusts, but you can certainly use your homemade pie crust recipe instead. I pick name-brand frozen mixed vegetables for ease of use, but this dish is excellent with fresh veggies and customizable to your family’s favorites. It typically includes diced carrots, peas, and chopped green beans, but you could also include sweet corn, broccoli florets, asparagus, or diced potatoes.
The first thing I do is salt and pepper the chicken breasts and let them cook on medium heat in the skillet with a dab of butter, until they get a nice charred brown on both sides and are cooked through. While I gather the rest of my ingredients, I let the chicken breasts rest, later shredding them and finishing with a squirt of fresh lemon juice. It sets the stage for the perfect pie.
Be sure your cast iron is well seasoned before starting out, and don’t be afraid to add a thin coat of oil before adding the pie crusts. This makes such a delicious, flaky baked crust to hold the savory cream sauce inside. If you have leftovers, store them in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. There’s a good chance you won’t need to: I know your whole family will be asking for seconds!
You can reach Loren Tucker through her freelance writing website at www.WrittenByTucker.com.
Chicken Pot Pie Recipe
Skillet Chicken Pot Pie
Equipment
- 10" Cast Iron Skillet
- A large bowl
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breasts
- ½ cup white onion, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1.5 cups frozen mixed vegetables
- 5 tbsp butter
- ⅓ cup flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp dried sage
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
- Refrigerated pie crust
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ﹾF.
- Melt 5 tbsp butter in a seasoned cast iron skillet over low heat. Increase heat to medium and cook the celery and onions, stirring until aromatic and translucent.
- Slowly mix in the flour, stirring continuously until all has melted together.
- Increase heat to medium-high and whisk in the chicken broth, bringing to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and add the heavy cream, stirring gently and maintaining a simmer.
- Add the sage, rosemary, garlic powder, and black pepper. Simmer for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Do a quick taste test – add a pinch of salt or more pepper to your liking.
- Add the 1.5 cups of mixed vegetables, stirring gently to coat completely.
- Remove the cast iron from the heat. Add the cooked chicken into the cast iron, stirring to coat.
- Transfer the mixture from the cast iron to a large bowl, scraping with a spatula to remove all the contents.
- Wipe the cast iron pan clean with a paper towel and cover the bottom with the first pie crust. Add the mixture from the large bowl back into the skillet (on top of the pie crust).
- Spread the second pie crust over the top, pressing the two crusts together to form a seal. Gently cut a few slits into the top of the pie.
- Mix the egg with a teaspoon of water to make an egg wash and brush it over the top of the pie.
- Bake for 40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Let rest on the counter before serving. Enjoy!