Dutch Oven Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken pot pie is one of my favorite cool weather meals, but the fat and calorie content make it an occasional treat rather than a winter staple. At least that was the case until I made this Dutch oven chicken pot pie.

With pulled rotisserie chicken or leftover grilled chicken, a few veggies, and a single refrigerated pie crust, you can make a kinda healthy pot pie with minimal effort. And don’t worry, you can definitely make this in a big skillet if your kitchen arsenal is missing a Dutch oven.

Ingredients for Dutch Oven Chicken Pot Pie

You’ll find a printable recipe card at the bottom of the post. Between here and there, I’ve included notes about the ingredients for this pot pie with notes for making substitutions and modifications.

Best Chicken for Pot Pie

The recipe calls for pulled rotisserie chicken or chopped grilled chicken breast. While you can cook raw chicken with the vegetables before adding the crust like in a classic pot pie, I think grilled or roasted chicken develops more flavor. It also saves a bit of time and cleanup.

As an aside, if you have uniquely flavored cooked chicken, you might want to play around with the rest of your pot pie ingredients. My Mexican chicken pot pie, for instance, combines Dutch oven Mexican chicken with corn, poblano peppers, Mexican crema, and cotija cheese for a Tex Mex spin.

Pot Pie Vegetables

This recipe keeps it pretty classic with its veggie selection, but you’re welcome to get creative with veggie selection. Potatoes (or a low carb substitute for potatoes) are never a bad idea for pot pie.

And for a little protein boost, you can add frozen shelled edamame like in my ground beef pot pie.

Dear Dairy

Instead of the classic chicken pot pie thickener all purpose flour, I opted for parmigiano reggiano. This adds a ton of flavor, some extra protein, and thickens the filling all the same. Regular grated parmesan works just fine, by the way.

Related: Is parmigiano reggiano worth the extra money?

The recipe also calls for a bit of milk. If you have the extra fat to spare, heavy cream or half and half definitely makes a creamier pot pie filling.

Secret Weapon: Refrigerated Pie Crust

While you’re welcome to put together a homemade pie crust, I feel the pre-made crusts stand up quite nicely here. If you’re wondering about using a healthy pie crust, I’ve never tried any to recommend. Be sure to let me know if you have a recommendation in the comments below!

As for pie crust alternatives, reduced fat crescent rolls are an option that can reduce the fat by roughly 2-3 grams per serving. You’ll also see biscuits commonly used for a single crust pot pie like this.

I’ve used my low fat Greek yogurt biscuits in recipes like chicken and dumplings, but I’ve not tried them for this recipe. I imagine adding them on top and baking for 25-30 minutes at 400ºF would work well.

I also have a low carb cottage pie that uses mashed cauliflower as the crust.

You get the point, there are tons of ways to make a crust for your Dutch oven pot pie. Have fun!

Final Tips for Making Chicken Pot Pie in a Dutch Oven

I used an enameled 5.5 quart Made In Dutch Oven. You’ll want to make sure you’re using a Dutch oven that’s close in size so the pie crust will fit on top of the pot pie filling.

If you don’t have a Dutch oven handy and are still reading, I’ve also tested this pot pie in an 11″ Staub enameled cast iron skillet. It works fine, but you’ll want to keep a close eye on the pie for leaks around the edges.

Whether you’re using a Dutch oven or skillet, you’ll want to make sure you’re creating a seal around the edges. I like to create a slight crimp in the crust by pressing clockwise to create a bit of twist around the edges.

Still, even with a perfectly sealed crust and vents, you might have some leaks during the bake. Keep an eye on the pot pie and use a paper towel to blot any juices that sneak through edges. You can also foil to partially cover one side of the crust if you have a leak and need to bake one side longer than the other.

Okay, that’s plenty of info to get you to the finish line. If you have a question I forgot to answer, leave it in the comments below. And if you love this guide to making chicken pot pie in a Dutch oven, I always appreciate recipe reviews!