I never thought I’d become the person who makes individual pot pies. It seemed like too much work for something you could just make in one big dish. But after my sister brought these to a family dinner three years ago, I was hooked.
The thing about mini pot pies is they solve problems you didn’t know you had. No fighting over who gets the corner piece with extra crust. No soggy bottoms from sitting too long. And honestly, they just make people happy in a way that regular pot pie doesn’t.
Why These Work Better Than Most Recipes
Most pot pie recipes I’ve tried have issues. The filling is either too thin and runs everywhere, or too thick and gummy. The crust gets soggy on the bottom or burns on top before the inside heats through.
This recipe fixes those problems. The filling has the right consistency because we cook it completely before it goes in the crust. No raw flour taste, no watery mess.
The individual size means everything cooks evenly. You get crispy crust all around, and the filling heats through in the same time it takes the crust to brown.
What You Actually Need
For the filling:
- 2 cups cooked chicken, diced small (rotisserie works great)
- 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
- 1 small onion, chopped fine
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and black pepper to taste
For the crust:
- 2 refrigerated pie crusts (the kind that come rolled up)
- 1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Equipment:
- Standard 12-cup muffin tin
- Large bowl or 4-inch round cutter for circles
The Step-by-Step Process
Heat your oven to 425°F first. This recipe moves pretty fast once you start assembling.
In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Don’t let it brown. Add the chopped onion and cook until it’s translucent, about 4 minutes. You want it soft but not caramelized.
Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir constantly for about a minute. This cooks out the raw flour taste that ruins so many gravies.
Here’s the key part: add the chicken broth very slowly while whisking. Start with just a splash, whisk until smooth, then add a little more. This prevents lumps. Once all the broth is in, add the milk the same way.
Keep stirring over medium heat until the mixture thickens to gravy consistency. This takes about 5-7 minutes. It should coat the back of a spoon but still flow easily.
Remove from heat and stir in the chicken, frozen vegetables, and thyme. Season well with salt and pepper. Taste it – this is your chance to adjust the seasoning. The filling should be thick enough that it holds together on a spoon but not so thick it’s pasty.
Let this cool while you work on the crust. Hot filling will melt your pastry and make assembly messy.
Getting the Crust Right
Unroll your pie crusts on a clean counter. Using a large bowl (about 4.5 inches across) or a round cutter, cut circles from the dough. You need 12 circles for the bottoms – these should be big enough to come up the sides of your muffin cups with a little overhang.
Re-roll the scraps and cut 12 smaller circles for the tops, about 3 inches across.
Grease your muffin tin well. Press the larger circles into each cup, leaving about 1/2 inch of overhang. Don’t worry if they’re not perfect – rustic looks better anyway.
Fill each cup with about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture. Don’t pack it down or overfill. The filling will expand a bit as it heats.
Place the smaller circles on top and pinch the edges together with the bottom crust. Use a fork to crimp the edges and make sure they’re sealed. Cut a small X in the top of each pie so steam can escape.
Brush the tops with the beaten egg mixture. This gives you that golden, glossy finish.
The Baking Process
Bake for 18-22 minutes until the crusts are deep golden brown. Don’t underbake – pale crust means raw dough underneath.
The pies will puff up and might look a little lopsided. That’s normal. Let them cool in the pan for exactly 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and lift them out carefully.
If you try to remove them too soon, they’ll fall apart. Too late, and they stick to the pan.
What I’ve Learned Over Time
The first batch I made, I used leftover turkey instead of chicken. It worked fine, but chicken has better texture for this.
I tried making my own crust once. It tasted better but took twice as long and honestly wasn’t worth the extra effort for a weeknight dinner.
Frozen vegetables work better than fresh here. Fresh vegetables release too much water during baking and make the filling soggy.
You can prep these completely and freeze them before baking. Just add 5-8 minutes to the baking time. I usually make a double batch and freeze half for busy weeks.
Serving and Storage
These are best served warm but not burning hot. Give them 10 minutes to cool after baking. The filling stays hot for a long time.
They keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for about 8 minutes. Don’t use the microwave – it makes the crust chewy.
For sides, I usually serve them with a simple salad or roasted vegetables. They’re rich enough that you don’t need much else.
Why They’re Worth Making
These mini pot pies work for everything. Weeknight dinners when you want something comforting. Potlucks where you need individual servings. Meal prep for busy weeks.
Kids love them because they’re their own personal pie. Adults love them because the portions are reasonable and you get crust in every bite.
The recipe looks complicated written out, but once you make them once, it becomes routine. Most of my time is spent waiting for things to cook, not actively working.
And they freeze so well that making a batch means easy dinners for weeks. That’s the kind of cooking that actually makes life easier.
Adorable Mini Chicken Pot Pies You’ll Ever Make
Course: Main, DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy12
servings25
minutes20
minutes285
kcal45
minutesThese individual chicken pot pies are pure comfort food made simple. Flaky pastry shells hold a creamy filling of tender chicken, mixed vegetables, and rich gravy that’s cooked completely before assembly – no soggy bottoms here. Perfect for weeknight dinners, meal prep, or when you want something homey without the fuss of a full-size pie. Each person gets their own golden, crispy pie with the ideal crust-to-filling ratio. Ready in under an hour and freezer-friendly for busy weeks ahead.
Ingredients
For the Filling:
2 cups cooked chicken, diced small (rotisserie chicken works great)
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
1 small onion, chopped fine
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and black pepper to taste
- For the Crust:
2 refrigerated pie crusts (the rolled-up kind)
1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Directions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 425°F. Grease muffin tin well.
- Make the filling: In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until soft, about 4 minutes.
- Add flour: Sprinkle flour over onions and stir constantly for 1 minute to cook out raw flour taste.
- Make the gravy: Slowly add chicken broth while whisking to prevent lumps. Add milk gradually, whisking constantly. Cook, stirring, until mixture thickens to gravy consistency, 5-7 minutes.
- Combine: Remove from heat. Stir in chicken, frozen vegetables, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool while preparing crust.
- Prepare crust: Unroll pie crusts. Cut 12 large circles (about 4.5 inches) for bottoms and 12 smaller circles (about 3 inches) for tops. Re-roll scraps as needed.
- Assemble: Press large circles into muffin cups with slight overhang. Fill each with 1/4 cup chicken mixture. Top with smaller circles and pinch edges to seal. Cut small X in each top for steam vents.
- Bake: Brush tops with beaten egg mixture. Bake 18-22 minutes until golden brown.
- Cool: Let rest 5 minutes in pan before removing carefully.
Notes
- Make ahead: Can be assembled and frozen before baking. Add 5-8 minutes to baking time if frozen.
Storage: Keep refrigerated up to 4 days. Reheat in 350°F oven for 8 minutes.
Substitutions: Turkey works in place of chicken. Fresh vegetables release too much water – stick with frozen.
Serving: Let cool 10 minutes before serving – filling stays very hot.
