Spring Chicken Pot Pie
Delight in this light and flavorful spring chicken pot pie, made with green herbs, tangy Dijon, spring vegetables, and a flaky phyllo crust.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
• Butter: All in, this recipe uses one stick of unsalted butter (which I think is pretty light). I did attempt to go all olive oil but I didn’t love it. Sometimes you just need the magic of butter.
• Leeks: A mild, sweet member of the onion family with a lovely, subtle flavor. Feel free to swap in substitutions or omit altogether.
Substitutions for leeks
- Scallions → Swap in one bunch of scallions.
- Onion → One or two (depending on size), diced. Any kind.
- Shallot → Two or three, diced.
- Celery → Not an onion. But a couple stalks make a decent stand-in.
• Scallions: This contributes a dose of fresh, mild onion flavor. Feel free to swap in substitutions (you can eyeball it) or omit altogether.
Substitutions for scallions
- Chives
- Shallot
- Onion → Any kind.
• Herbs: Parsley, tarragon, chives, thyme, rosemary—any assortment will do. Or you can keep it simple and stick to all parsley.
• Spinach: Fresh spinach be more vibrant in color and more fresh tasting.
Substitutions for fresh spinach
- Frozen spinach → Swap in a 10-oz block of frozen spinach (thawed and water squeezed out).
- Kale → Fresh curly or lacinato kale will work. If using frozen, be sure to thaw and squeeze out excess moisture.
- Swiss chard
• English peas: Tender, vibrant, and spotted often in grocery stores during the spring season. I buy them already shelled.
Substitutions for English peas
- Frozen peas → 10 to 16 oz. No need to thaw.
- Frozen green beans → 10 to 16 oz. No need to thaw.
- Frozen shelled edamame → 10 to 16 oz. No need to thaw.
- Chopped broccoli → Swap in 1 cup of finely chopped broccoli (sauté separately in a little olive oil first).
• Dijon mustard: This adds a bright tangy note. You can use smooth, stone ground, or whole grain. Regular mustard will work fine, too.
• Chicken: You can use a rotisserie chicken or cook chicken from scratch.
Substitutions for chicken
- Mushrooms → Swap in a 2 lbs of sautéed sliced or quartered mushrooms for a vegetarian version.
- Turkey
• Chicken broth: I use Better Than Bouillon (reduced sodium) to make my chicken broth. But you can use powdered cubes, boxed stock, or homemade.
Substitutions for chicken broth
- Vegetable broth
- Mushroom broth
• Chicken bouillon: For a flavor boost, I add an extra 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of Better Than Bouillon to my broth mixture. But feel free to skip it.
• Heavy cream: Just 1/2 cup adds a little lush.
Substitutions for heavy cream
- Half and half
- More broth
- Canned coconut milk
- Evaporated milk
- Sour cream
- Cream cheese → Swap in 4 oz.
- Greek yogurt
• Phyllo: Well-known for its appearance in baklava, this paper-thin pastry creates a light and airy, crisp topping for this pot pie.
Substitutions for phyllo
- Puff pastry → Place the pastry over the filling, cut a few slits, and brush with egg wash.
- Pie dough → Place the crust over the filling, cut a few slits, and brush with egg wash.
Can I Make Spring Chicken Pot Pie Ahead of Time?
Definitely! Well, sort of. You can absolutely make the filling in advance and refrigerate it. But I’d wait to add the phyllo topping until you’re ready to bake and serve.
How Should I Store Spring Chicken Pot Pie?
Leftovers can be stored, in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
What Vessel Should I Make Spring Chicken Pot Pie In?
I make this in my 3.5-qt Le Creuset braiser. I have it in the color cream with the gold knob and I’m obsessed with it and use it all the time. At one point, I owned a similar one by Lodge and used it for many years.
Another one-dish option is a standard stainless steel sauté pan. Or you can cook the filling in whatever large pan/pot you have and transfer it to a 9×13 inch baking dish.
What to Serve with Spring Chicken Pot Pie?
You can serve this with a fresh salad or simple roasted vegetables.
Ingredients
Method
- In a 3.5-qt cast iron braiser, heat the butter over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and scallions and cook until softened, 8 to 10 minutes (no color on this).
- Meanwhile, in a large liquid measuring cup, whisk together the chicken broth, extra bouillon paste (if using), and the Dijon mustard.
- Add the garlic to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute.
- Stir in the chicken broth mixture, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Add the spinach bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer until the spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream and herbs. Then, stir in the English peas and chicken. Remove from heat and let cool while the oven preheats.
- Preheat the oven to 400 F (205 C).
- Working with one sheet at a time, scrunch and arrange the phyllo pastry over the filling.
- Combine the 2 tablespoons (28g) melted butter and olive oil. Brush this onto the pastry.
- Bake until the pastry is golden and the filling is bubbling, 30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.
