Classic Chicken Pie with Crunchy Topping

So, I know I say this all the time, and it’s probably getting irritating, but our Chicken Pies were pretty popular at the catering shop. We always tried to have Chicken Pie of some sort in the coolers, and we had several versions–Broccoli and Cheddar Chicken Pie, Cordon Bleu Chicken Pie, Mushroom and Swiss Chicken Pie, etc.–but as many chicken pies as we sent out, Classic Chicken Pie was the one requested most. (Broccoli Cheddar was the runner up, BTW. I’ll get that one up soon.)

Classic Chicken Pie is a close cousin of chicken pot pie. The primary differences are that Classic Chicken Pie is made in a regular pie crust and doesn’t have an upper pastry crust.  Instead it has a crunchy breadcrumb topping, and plenty of it. In my house, it’s considered comfort food extraordinaire.

It’s also simple to make. I use a pre-made pie crust, either the refrigerated kind or a frozen one. I sauté onions, carrots, and celery in butter, and make a quick sauce. Then I fold in cooked chicken and frozen peas, and pour all of it into the pie crust. I add a crunchy topping and bake it. That’s it!

Note that this Classic Chicken Pie recipe calls for Pepperidge Farm Herb Stuffing mix. It’s already perfectly seasoned and the larger crumbs make for the best crunchy topping ever. You won’t need the whole bag, but close the bag well and the rest will keep beautifully in your pantry for ages. If you don’t want to use the stuffing mix, fresh breadcrumbs or cracker crumbs tossed with butter are a good substitute. Regular dried breadcrumbs in the cardboard can are not.

Finally, I often make two Classic Chicken Pies at a time. I bake the second one about ¾ of the way done, cool it, and wrap it well for the freezer. I love knowing it’s there for dinner on an extra busy day, and Classic Chicken Pie is my favorite thing to take to a new mom. It’s like a hug in a pie pan.

LOVE!

Print Recipe

Classic Chicken Pie

Ingredients

• 4 T. butter, divided
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 2 T. flour
• ⅓ cup white wine
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 2-3 cups cooked chicken, in bite-sized pieces, seasoned with salt and pepper
• 1 cup frozen peas
• salt and pepper to taste if needed
• 1 commercial pie crust
• 1 cup dry herb stuffing

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°. Melt 2 T. butter in a deep skillet over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery. If adding potato, peel it and cut into ½" dice. Add to the skillet and cook until all vegetables are soft.
• Sprinkle the flour over the cooked vegetables and stir for one minute. Add the wine and stir a minute more, scraping any bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken broth a little at a time, stirring as the sauce thickens. when the sauce is smooth, stir in half and half. Fold chicken and peas into the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary
• If using a refrigerated crust, follow the directions on the box, unroll and fit into a pie pan. Crimp the edge. If using a frozen crust, no need to thaw or crimp. Pour the chicken and sauce into the prepared crust.
• Melt the remaining 2 T. of butter. Toss well with the stuffing crumbs. Sprinkle over the top of the pie. Bake for 20 -to 30 minutes until the crust and crumbs are browned and the filling is bubbly.