How to Thicken Chicken Pot Pie (Before & After Baking)

ByGina

Chicken pot pie needs to be thick to have the best flavor and texture, but reaching the right consistency can be difficult.

If your chicken pot pie looks too watery, you can thicken it with these easy hacks.

Here’s how to easily thicken chicken pot pie (before and after baking).

How to thicken chicken pot pie

How to Thicken Chicken Pot Pie (After Baking)

Turn your soupy chicken pot pie into a hearty meal in just a few steps.

Related: 100 American Pies (+Recipes)

1. Place It Back In The Oven

Easy as pie!

  • Use an oven thermometer to ensure the right oven temperature (if your dial isn’t accurate).
  • Remove the top crust, and add a thickener to the filling (see below options), cover the pie with aluminum foil, and place it back in the oven to bake at 425 to 450 F for about 10 minutes.
  • Wait until the pie cools before cutting into it. Or you’ll end up with a juicy, wet mess when you slice it.

Here are thickeners you can add to chicken pot pie filling:

  • Instant mashed potatoes
  • Gelatin or collagen
  • A flour, cornstarch, or rice starch slurry (requires cooking)
  • A beaurre manie (requires cooking)
  • Sprinkle in breadcrumbs 
  • Use flaxseed or chia seeds
  • Parmesan cheese

2. Scoop Out the Chicken Filling

A more time intensive strategy involves re-heating the filling.

Here’s how:

  1. Remove the top crust and scoop out the filling.
  2. Strain the excess liquid.
  3. Heat the filling on the stove (over a low simmer) until the juice reduces. Let cool.
  4. Place the crust back on the pie.
  5. Wait until it cools/sets before slice into it.

Can you blame your oven for runny chicken pot pie?

Some ovens don’t heat evenly and/or display the wrong temperature. Bad oven, bad! 

Hot Tip: Try a toaster oven if your gas oven has hot spots, fluctuating temperatures, or the dial isn’t accurate. Gas ovens also release moisture which can cause baking issues.

3. Make Chicken Pot Pie Soup

The best kind of mess.

Watery chicken pot pie fillings make great soup.

This is the one time you’ll want to make a baking mistake.

Here’s the clever chicken pot pie soup recipe:

Ingredients

  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
  • 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • Chicken pot pie, chopped

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients (except chopped chicken pot pie and parsley leaves) in a large pot over medium high heat
  2. Cook for 10-12 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally
  3. Add chopped chicken pot, reduce heat and simmer until flavors have blended, about 5 minutes
  4. Remove from heat. Serve garnished with parsley.

How to Prevent Watery Chicken Pot Pie

Making your first chicken pot pie? Want to impress everyone with your culinary skills?

Here’s how to make the ultimate chicken pot pie:

1. Measure Ingredients Accurately

Baking is more science than art.

Eyeballing ingredients isn’t good practice for baking!

Also, don’t make changes or substitutions to the recipe that may add moisture and cause runny chicken pot pie.

For example:

  • Chopping ingredients instead of grating them if the recipe calls for grated
  • Skipping steps like not draining excess liquid
  • Using the wrong baking dish

2. Thaw Frozen Vegetables

Thawing frozen veggies is crucial to how chicken pot pie turns out.

Thawing and draining it to get rid of excess water means you won’t end up with a watery chicken pot pie.

3. Drain Excess Liquid Before Baking

Make sure to drain any excess liquid before transferring the filling to the dough.

4. Use An Oven Thermometer

Pre-heat your oven and verify the baking temperature with an oven thermometer (don’t trust your dial).

5. Use A Glass Pie Dish To Bake

Bake in glass dish in order to monitor the amount of liquid in the casserole.

6. Do Not Overfill Your Baking Dish

Extra filling can cause runny chicken pie due to the extra juice.

Stick with the amount of filling that your recipe calls for.

7. Cool Before Slicing

Whenever you bake chicken pot pie you need to give it at least 20 minutes before cutting it.

If you don’t allow chicken pot pie to cool, it’s almost certain that you’ll end up with a juicy, wet mess when you cut into it.

8. Adjust Recipe In High Altitude

If you live in a high altitude, adjust the recipe (ingredients and oven temperature).

Easy Chicken Pot Pie Recipe

Did you know? The best way to thicken chicken pot pie is with a good recipe.

Yield 6 servings

Ingredients

The Filling:

  • Olive Oil (1 tsp)
  • Ground lamb (about 1.5 lbs)
  • 1 carrot (grated)
  • 1 yellow onion (grated)
  • 1 cup fresh peas
  • Fresh Rosemary
  • Fresh Thyme
  • Minced Garlic (2-4 cloves)
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Worcestershire Sauce (several splashes)
  • Tomato Puree or Paste (no more than a small can)
  • Red Wine (several glugs)
  • 1/4 cup chicken stock

The Mash Topping:

  • 1 1/2 lbs potatoes – about 2 large potatoes (peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes)
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 3 1/2 tsp butter
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Cooking the Potatoes:

  1. Boil some water, throw some salt and your potatoes in, and set a timer for 15 minutes.
  2. Take your potatoes out and strain excess water.
  3. Put potatoes into a medium mixing bowl. Mash the potatoes and mix with their ingredients from above.

Cooking the Filling:

  1. Pour into a large skillet and add meat.
  2. Stir continually until browned and crumbled.
  3. Add garlic and herbs and mix.
  4. Add vegetables and mix.
  5. Add Worcestershire sauce and mix. Add tomato puree and mix. Add red wine. Add chicken stock and cook until reduced (about 5 or more minutes).

Hot Tip: To thicken chicken pot pie filling, make sure to drain excess fat and liquid from the filling before scooping the mixture into your baking dish.

Assembly

  1. Pour the meat mixture into a 9×9 (or 7×11) inch baking dish. Spread it out into an even layer.
  2. Spread the mash over the top of the mix with the bottom of the spoon.
  3. Top with shredded or grated cheese to give a nice brown crust when it bakes.
  4. Poke the top with a fork several times to give it a peaked look and stick it in the oven at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes to brown the potatoes and set the pie. Serve it up and watch people melt!
  5. Place it on a rimmed baking sheet so that the filling doesn’t bubble over into your oven.
  6. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes.
  7. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Hot Tip #1: The secret to a mind-blowing chicken pot pie is to find a good recipe and follow it exactly.

Hot Tip #2: Read the whole recipe once or twice before getting started. You’ll be much more likely to get a thick chicken pot pie filling!

Frequently Asked Questions

Chicken pot pie baking FAQs you should know about.

How do I fix salty chicken pot pie?

Here’s how to fix salty chicken pot pie:

  1. Remove the top crust and scoop out the filling.
  2. Make a second batch of filling and combine with the salty batch to dilute the saltiness.
  3. Add a pinch of sugar (optional)
  4. Place the top crust back on the dish.
  5. Cover with foil and place it back in the oven for 5 minutes to reheat before serving.

How do you make sure your bottom crust doesn’t get soggy?

This all depends on not having a soupy chicken filling.

The filling should be thick when it comes off the stove; too much chicken broth and you’ll run the risk of it seeping through your crust before it’s baked.

Can you make chicken pot pie ahead of time?

Yes! You can make the filling up to a day in advance and you can freeze a whole unbaked chicken pot pie for up to two months.

How long does chicken pot pie last?

Freshly baked, chicken pot pie will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

Cover with aluminum foil or store in a resealable container.

What’s the difference between chicken pot pie and shepherd’s pie?

Chicken pot pie is an American dish.

It is a type of meat pie with a top pastry pie crust, and sometimes a bottom crust.

It’s a savory baked pie filled with chicken, peas, carrots, and onion in a creamy sauce.

Shepherd’s pie is Irish and contains lamb.

It is a meat pie with a crust or topping of mashed potato.

It’s a savory baked pie filled with ground lamb (mince), peas, carrots, and onion.

Both of these meat pies can be prepared in a variety of ways including in a skillet, over a stovetop, baked in an oven.

Chicken pot pie can also be prepared in a pie iron over a campfire. 

What is a slurry?

A slurry is a thickening mixture made of equal parts flour (or starch) and water.

Dishes containing a slurry should be cooked to eliminate the raw taste.

What is beurre manie?

Beurre manié (French “kneaded butter”) is a dough, consisting of equal parts of soft butter and flour, used as a thickener in recipes.

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