Chef notes

Chicken pot pie is one of those dishes that is always guaranteed to be comforting and substantial. This recipe is a hearty one-pot dinner that combines flaky pie crust with a rich, creamy chicken mixture. This slightly grown-up version of the classic chicken pot pie embraces some of our favorite spring flavors including fennel, green peas and lacinato kale.

Fennel is so sweet during the spring months, adding a delicate anise flavor to the dish. Green peas burst with flavor when they’re in season, and add a pop of bright green color to the dish. And while kale may seem like a winter green, it’s still around and kicking in the early months of spring, adding body to this dish. You can use any variety of kale, but we love the lacinato leaves because they are so tender — they practically melt into the saucy mixture.

We take a few shortcuts with this recipe so that you can get it onto the dinner table in no time. Instead of cooking the chicken yourself, buy a rotisserie chicken at the store. Pre-cooked proteins are a great thing to keep on hand to make meal prep easier. If you have some leftover roasted chicken from another dinner, you can use it here as well. We also substitute the traditional pie dough for puff pastry. It creates an equally flaky crust on top of the pot pie without the hassle of making your own pastry dough.

Get Ingredients: If you don’t have everything you need on hand, you can easily purchase all of the ingredients (just click the orange button below that says ‘Get Ingredients’). You can pick and choose exactly what ingredients you need based on what’s in your pantry and they’ll be on your doorstep before you know it.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 bulb fennel, cored and finely chopped, fronds reserved
3 ribs celery, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 sprigs fresh thyme
kosher salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3½ cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 bunch lacinato kale, stems removed and thinly sliced
2 cups leftover rotisserie chicken, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 cup green peas, fresh or frozen
1 (12- to 14-ounce) sheet thawed puff pastry sheet
1 large egg, beaten
flaky salt, for garnish (optional)

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Preparation

Preheat the oven to 400 F and prepare a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.

Melt butter and oil in a large cast-iron skillet (10 to 12 inches) over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion, fennel, celery, garlic and thyme sprigs. Season with kosher salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until veggies are softened and slightly caramelized, about 7 to 8 minutes.

Remove thyme sprigs from the pan and set aside. Dust the vegetables with flour and stir to coat. Continue cooking and stirring for 2 to 3 minutes more, or until the flour starts to look golden.

Add the chicken stock, 1 cup at a time, stirring in between each addition to make sure there are no clumps of flour remaining. Stir in the kale, and bring to a simmer. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes to thicken.

Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cooked chicken and peas. Add in minced fennel fronds. Season with salt and pepper to taste. It's important to season the mixture at this stage before covering with the puff pastry and baking.

Unroll the thawed puff pastry dough and dust with flour. Use a rolling pin to flatten any seams. Working quickly, place the rolled-out dough over the skillet, leaving a 1-inch overhang and press to seal the dough to the skillet. Use kitchen shears to cut away any excess dough.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon of water. Brush the top of the pastry with egg wash to add shine.

Using a sharp knife, cut 3 to 4 slits in the top of the dough (about 1-inch long each) to vent. Sprinkle the top of the dough with flaky salt.

Bake the chicken pot pie on a rimmed baking sheet in the oven on the middle rack for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and the filling is bubbling. Check halfway through cooking and if the top is browning too quickly, tent with foil for the remainder of the cooking time.

10.

When the chicken pot pie is done, allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.