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Cast Iron Skillet Chicken Pot Pie

Cast Iron Skillet Pot Pie with toasted potato bread squares instead of crust.

This Cast Iron Skillet Chicken Pot Pie is a classic comfort food that gets a kid-friendly update. I’ve swapped out the less popular pie crust from some buttery toasted potato bread topping. The end result is not only a crowd pleaser but it also speeds up the preparation time significantly. Instead of needing to bake the pot pie long enough for the pastry to cook, this recipe only bakes long enough to toast the bread on top – roughly 10 minutes.

Besides being loaded with veggies and lean protein, Cast Iron Skillet Chicken Pot Pie also ditches the often utilized condensed canned soup in favor of a simple flour and milk roux, making it lower in sodium and a little lighter on bellies too.

This one dish dinner recipe really has it all. And if you’re still not convinced that you need to save this one… it can be made ahead of time on those nights where every minute counts in the race to fit everything into the schedule.

*For the vegetarian instructions jump down to the recipe substitutions and variations section.

About the Ingredients

Shredded chicken – I like to use chicken thighs for this recipe because the extra flavor from the dark meat compliments the sauce. You can certainly use breasts too though. I bake my chicken on a sheet pan sprayed with cooking spray and seasoned well with salt and pepper for about 25 minutes. Then I shred it in my stand mixer.

Carrots, onion and celery – chopped

Mushrooms – sliced

Soy sauce – low sodium is the best because the full sodium can be VERY salty. By using low sodium soy sauce you can always add more salt if you want to adjust.

All-purpose flour and milk– to create the sauce. Any fat % of milk will work fine. The more fat the creamier the sauce will be but not by much. I use 1% milk and the texture was great.

Frozen peas – they can be thawed but don’t have to be. When added to the hot skillet they will quickly thaw and warm even if they’re frozen.

Potato bread – brushed with butter the bread will turn a beautiful golden brown in the oven. The potato bread has that extra sweetness but feel free to use any bread you have on hand.

A serving of Cast Iron Skillet Pot Pie

How to Make Cast Iron Skillet Chicken Pot Pie

Start by chopping the onion, carrots, and celery and sautéing them in half a stick of butter in a large oven proof skillet. Once they are soft, add the mushrooms and pour in a little soy sauce. Give everything a good star and cover the skillet with a lid. This will help the mushrooms cook down in just a few minutes. 

Remove the lid and whisk in 3 tablespoons of flour. Everything should get nice and thick here. Now pour in the milk and water and let everything simmer for a few minutes while the sauce thickens. 

After the sauce has thickened, stir in the frozen peas and shredded chicken. While the peas thaw you can slice your bread into quarters. Top the skillet with the bread squares and brush the bread with melted butter. 

Move the skillet to a preheated oven and bake just long enough for the bread to toast and turn golden brown.

Cast Iron Skillet Pot Pie topped with toasted potato bread squares.

Recipe Substitutions & Variations

Cast iron skillet pot pie can easily be made as a vegetarian dish. Simply substitute a 14 oz package of extra-firm tofu, drained, patted dry uncut into small cubes for the shredded chicken. No need to do anything else differently in the recipe.

FAQ’s and Recipe Tips

What can I do if I don’t have a cast iron skillet?

The cast iron skillet is what makes this dish a one dish meal. It also looks pretty and keeps the food warm while it is being served. But it’s not a deal breaker for making this recipe. Simply cook the pot filling in the largest skillet you have and then transfer the filling to an oven safe dish before topping it with the bread and butter and baking. Need more info on the cast iron skillet pan and what makes it so awesome? You can check out my post The Perfect Cast Iron Skillet Pan

Can I make Chicken Pot Pie vegetarian?

Definitely. Substitute a 14 oz package of extra-firm tofu, drained, patted dry uncut into small cubes for the shredded chicken.

Does chicken pot pie have to bake for a long time?

Classic recipes do. This cast iron skillet chicken pot pie ditches the pastry crust and uses potato bread toast instead which speeds up the baking time to just 10 minutes.

What fat content should the milk be?

As a general rule in cooking, the greater the fat content is, the creamier your roux will be. That being said, you can use any type of milk you like and you will be just fine. I use 1% milk for just about every recipe because that is what we drink in our house and the texture for this pot pie filling was perfect.

Cast Iron Skillet Pot Pie close up and able to see the chicken, vegetable and sauce filling.

The Recipe for Cast Iron Skillet Chicken Pot Pie

The recipe is attached below for easy downloading and printing.  If you test it out be sure to leave a note in the comments below. I’d love to hear what you thought of the toast topping. Enjoy!

Cast Iron Skillet Pot Pie with toasted potato bread squares instead of crust.

Cast Iron Skillet Chicken Pot Pie

A classic comfort dish that everyone loves turned one dish dinner. Updated with a potato bread toast square topping instead of pie crust.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • 1 12 inch cast iron skillet If you don't have one, cook the dish in the largest skillet you have then transfer the pot pie filling to an oven safe baking dish before topping with the bread and baking.
  • 1 pastry brush If you don't have one, you can pour the butter over the bread rather than brushing it on.

Ingredients
  

  • 1½ lbs shredded chicken cooked
  • 5 tbsp butter divided
  • 3 carrots diced
  • 3 stalks celery diced
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 8 oz sliced mushrooms
  • 1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • salt & pepper
  • 5 slices potato bread

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 425°.
  • Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a large cast iron pan over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery and onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
    5 tbsp butter, 3 carrots, 3 stalks celery, 1 small onion
  • Add the mushrooms and soy sauce and stir to combine. Place a lid over the pan and cook for another 5 minutes. The steam will help the mushrooms cook down and release some of their liquid.
    8 oz sliced mushrooms, 1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
  • Remove the lid and whisk in the flour. Let the vegetables get nice and thick and cook for 1-2 minutes.
    3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • Pour in the milk while slowly stirring. Let simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent burning, for about 10 minutes while the milk thickens and forms a sauce.
    2 cups milk
  • Stir in the shredded chicken and peas. Continue cooking while everything heats through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Meanwhile, slice the bread into quarters.
    1½ lbs shredded chicken, 1 cup frozen peas, salt & pepper
  • Remove the skillet from the heat. Top with bread pieces, arranging to cover as much of the pan as possible. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a glass bowl in the microwave. Brush the butter onto the bread squares using a pastry brush (*see equipment note if you don't have one.)
    5 tbsp butter, 5 slices potato bread
  • Bake the skillet for 10 minutes or until the bread is toasted.

Notes

To make ahead: prepare the pot pie filling and refrigerate until ready to use. When ready, remove from the refrigerator and return to the stovetop to warm the filling. Once warm, continue with topping with bread, butter and baking as instructed in the recipe. 
Keyword one dish

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4 Comments

  1. Sheenia says:

    Love a good pot pie recipe. Looks amazing!

    1. It tastes as good as it looks!

  2. This looks like a slam dunk recipe for my kids! Thank you for sharing an *easy* way to do pot pies!

    1. My kids LOVE it… everyone always asks for seconds (pretty soon I’ll need more than one skillet to feed them ?)

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