Chicken Pot Pie with Cheddar Crust. Deliciously seasoned chicken and vegetables topped with a perfect cheddar pastry crust!
Preparing for Babies
I did not have easy pregnancies with either of my kids. With my son, I was on bedrest for eight weeks. With my daughter, I was on bed rest for one week, then delivered her prematurely while having the flu. So, needless to say, I worried, a lot. With my son, I had so much time sitting on my booty trying to keep my mind from worrying, that I was constantly trying to come up with things to do. Since I couldn’t get up to cook, I read cookbooks and made lists of the meals I was going to make after he arrived.
By the time my son arrived, I had pages upon pages of word documents filled with recipes that I wanted to make. During my maternity leave, I went through the recipes and made about forty meals to freeze. Seriously. It was overkill for sure. After I returned to work it took us about six months to go through the meals.
Freezer Casseroles
During maternity leave, whenever I would make a casserole for dinner, I would triple it, and freeze the extra two to have for when I returned to work. I made a couple of different chicken pot pies during that time. One was from this Southern Living cookbook. It had a cheddar crust that took the pot pie to a whole new level of comfort. I liked it so much that well after my family went through the freezer meals, I still wanted to eat it. Each time I made it after that, I would switch up things here and there until I made it into my version of a perfect chicken pot pie.
Chicken Pot Pie with Cheddar Crust
This chicken pot pie with cheddar crust has deliciously seasoned chicken and fresh vegetables that are topped with a crispy, amazing cheddar pastry. It is my version of a perfect casserole. When I freeze this casserole, I prepare it up to the point of baking, and then freeze it unbaked. Whenever I’m ready to cook it, I thaw it completely before putting it in the oven.

Chicken Pot Pie with Cheddar Crust
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1.5 pounds chicken breast
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
- 1/4 teaspoon dried ground thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Filling
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 onion chopped finely
- 3 large carrots diced
- 3 large stalks of celery diced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon sage
- 1/4 teaspoon dried ground thyme
- 1/8 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon marjoram
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1/3 cup all purpose flour
Cheddar Crust
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup ice water
- 1 large egg
Instructions
Chicken
- Mix together broth and all of the spices for the chicken. To cook in oven: preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking pan with aluminum foil. Place chicken on foil and cover with broth mixture. Fold aluminum foil around chicken and baked until breasts are cooked through, about 40 minutes. To cook in slow cooker: place chicken with broth mixture in slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours. To cook in Instant Pot: place chicken with broth mixture in pot. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes (13 if chicken is frozen), and let natural release for 10 minutes.
- After chicken is cooked reserve broth from around the chicken. Shred chicken with two forks and set aside.
Filling
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, melt 2 tbsp butter. Add onion, carrot, celery, salt, and pepper. Saute until vegetables are softened, about 7 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add sage, thyme, paprika, and marjoram. Take whatever broth you set aside from cooking the chicken (you will have almost a cup if you used an Instant Pot, and less if you used a slow cooker or the oven), and add chicken broth to it so that you have 3 cups of chicken broth total. Add to vegetable mixture.
- Stir in shredded chicken.
- Very slowly sprinkle flour over chicken and vegetables while constantly stirring. Simmer for 15 minutes.
Topping
- In a small bowl, stir together flour, salt, and garlic powder. Cut butter into about 1/3 tbsp sized pieces. Use a pastry cutter to cut butter into flour.
- Stir in cheddar cheese. Then, stir in water, 1 tbsp at a time until a soft dough forms.
- Form dough into a ball. Wrap with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
Assembling and Cooking
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Transfer vegetable and chicken mixture to a 9x13 casserole dish.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll cheddar dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into large strips. Lay in a lattice fashion on top of chicken mixture.
- Whisk together egg and 1 tbsp of water. Lightly brush over top of dough.
- Bake for 35 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: All nutritional information provided on this website is an estimate only and is not guaranteed.
If you enjoyed this Chicken Pot Pie with Cheddar Crust, you will probably enjoy these other SugarSpicesLife recipes:
Chicken and Roasted Vegetable Enchilada Casserole
Sausage and Beef Lasagna
Spoon Cornbread with Skillet Roasted Corn
Tandoori Chicken with Peanut Sauce
This has been one of my favorite go-tos this winter! I’ve made it for just me and my husband, as well as a girls night and a mixed group, and it has been a hit every time! I must be honest, I have yet to venture into making the crust, but even with store bought crust on top or just as is (becomes sort of a stew), it’s amazing! I can also substitute whatever veggies I have, or add extra veggies and it is perfect. Straightforward, easy to make, and really delicious. Hmmm… maybe I’ll make this tonight…