The Bluster and the Burrow
Mini Chicken Pot Pies
These mini chicken pot pies deliver everything you love about classic comfort food: a deeply savory, creamy filling and extra-flaky crust in every bite. Built with cold dough, cooled filling, and real stock, they’re cozy, forgiving, and perfect for both weeknights and make-ahead freezer meals.
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Equipment
- Food Processor optional
- Flour Dusting Wand optional
- 6 Ramekins
- Muffin Tin
Ingredients
All Butter Pie Dough
- 4 sticks butter
- 4 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar + 1 teaspoon
- 1 egg
- ½ cup ice water
Chicken Pot Pie Filling
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 cup carrots sliced
- 1 cup celery chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 ½ cup chicken stock
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup peas
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons parsley
Instructions
All Butter Pie Crust
- Cut 4 sticks butter into rough 1-tablespoon chunks.
- Add butter to a food processor and pulse to break into smaller pieces.
- Add 4 cups flour, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Pulse until butter is pea-sized.
- Add the lightly beaten egg, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar + 1 teaspoon, and 3 tablespoons of ice water. Pulse until the dough begins to clump.
- Add additional ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing between additions, just until the dough comes together (usually 11–12 tablespoons total).
- Turn dough into a bowl, cover, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes to hydrate the flour and relax the gluten.
Chicken Pot Pie Filling
- Sauté the vegetables: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Melt the butter, then add 1 small onion , 1 cup carrots, and 1 cup celery with ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne. Add about ½ cup chicken stock to help the vegetables soften without browning too aggressively. Cook for 20–25 minutes, until the celery is fully tender. Taste—this step matters. Raw vegetables stay crunchy if rushed.
- Add the chicken: Stir in 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs and season lightly again. Add 1 teaspoon fish sauce for depth (it won’t taste fishy—it just makes everything taste more like itself). Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring once, until the chicken is fully cooked.
- Build the roux: Sprinkle ¼ cup flour over the mixture and stir until everything is evenly coated. Cook 1–2 minutes to eliminate the raw flour taste.
- Add stock and cream: Slowly add the remaining stock, stirring constantly, until thick and creamy. Add ½ cup heavy cream, then fold in 1 cup peas. Simmer gently for 10–20 minutes so the flavors meld and the sauce thickens.
- Finish the filling: Remove from heat. Stir in 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 2 tablespoons parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning. Let the filling cool at least 30 minutes before assembling—warm filling will sabotage your crust.
Assemble and Bake
- Divide chilled dough into portions and roll each into a disc, turning ¼ turn between rolls for even thickness.
- Line muffin tins or ramekins with dough, leaving a slight overhang.
- Fill with cooled filling. Add top crusts, pinch together, cut the excess dough off and vent well with a knife.
- Bake at 375°F for 10 minutes, then reduce to 350°F and bake another 15 minutes.
- (Larger pies may take up to 35 minutes total.)
Notes
- Muffin tin trick: cupcake liners can help ensure your dough rounds are large enough. Open one flat and lay on the rolled dough to see if it’s slightly larger than the paper.
- Temperature is everything: cold dough + cooled filling = flaky crust.
- Everything in the filling is already cooked—the oven is just setting the crust and marrying flavors.
- Freeze fully assembled pies for the ultimate from-scratch freezer meal. Bake from frozen, adding 15–20 minutes.
- Rest pies 10–15 minutes before serving so the filling thickens instead of spilling out.
Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days. Reheat at 350°F for 15–20 minutes until the crust is warm and the filling bubbles through the vent.
Nutrition
Calories: 566kcal | Carbohydrates: 81g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 123mg | Sodium: 1642mg | Potassium: 595mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 4327IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 6mg
