Chicken pot pie, the ultimate comfort food, wouldn’t be the same without potatoes. Their creamy, starchy texture helps bind the gravy, chicken and vegetables into the perfect, hearty bite. But not all spuds are created equal when it comes to pot pie perfection. Choosing the right potato variety and preparing them properly is essential.
Through trial, error and many mediocre pies, I’ve nailed down the ideal potatoes for chicken pot pie greatness. Read on to discover my tips and tricks for tender, flavorful potatoes that elevate this homey classic.
Yukon Gold or Red Potatoes – The Cream of the Crop
After testing Russets russet-red blends white and more, I found Yukon Gold and red potatoes produce the best results in chicken pot pie. Their waxy, firm texture allows them to hold their shape beautifully without turning mushy or gummy.
Yukon Golds offer a smooth, creamy flavor that pairs perfectly with the rich gravy. Reds provide great texture and visual appeal. For the prettiest presentation, leave the red skins on.
No matter which you choose, dice the potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes This size ensures they cook through while retaining their shape
Pre-Cooking Prevents Pitfalls
Simply tossing raw potatoes into the pie filling can lead to crunchy, raw potatoes or disintegration into mush. That’s why parboiling is a must.
Bring diced potatoes to a boil in salted water until just tender but still quite firm, about 5-7 minutes Shock in ice water to stop the cooking Drain thoroughly and spread in a single layer on a sheet pan to evaporate excess moisture.
Once cool, they’re ready to mingle with the other filling ingredients. Pre-cooking them this way allows the potatoes to finish cooking gently and evenly along with the rest of the pie.
Elevate Flavor and Texture
Beyond choosing the right spud, you can take potatoes from bland to grand with extra flavor-building steps:
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Season well – Salt, pepper and spices like garlic powder added during parboiling pump up the flavor.
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Roast briefly – Tossing parboiled potatoes with oil and roasting until golden brown adds rich, caramelized flavor.
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Sauté first – Browning potatoes with the aromatics like onions and carrots adds depth.
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Layer thinly sliced – For a crispy potato topping, slice parboiled potatoes thin and layer over filling before baking.
FAQs – Your Potato Pot Pie Concerns Answered
Can I use sweet potatoes in chicken pot pie?
While unconventional, sweet potatoes can work nicely. Their natural sweetness balances the savory filling. Cut them smaller to account for their faster cooking time.
Do I need to peel the potatoes?
Peeling is optional and depends on the variety. Thin-skinned reds and fingerlings can be left unpeeled for visual appeal and nutrients. Heavily peel starchy russets to prevent a grainy texture.
How long should I parboil the potatoes?
Bring them to a boil until just fork tender but still quite firm, 5-7 minutes usually. You don’t want them fully cooked through.
Can I use frozen potatoes?
Not ideal – frozen spuds tend to lose structure and get mushy more easily. Thaw completely first if using.
How can I prevent mushy potatoes?
Stick to waxy varieties like Yukon Gold, dice small, parboil gently, don’t overfill the pie dish, and monitor baking time closely.
Can I use Russets if that’s all I have?
In a pinch, yes. Dice them larger, parboil briefly, and take extra care not to overbake. Adding firmer veggies can improve the texture too.
Should I season the potatoes separately?
Absolutely! Salt, pepper and spices layered into the parboiling water amps up their flavor.
How much potato should I add?
For a standard 9 inch pie, 1 to 1 1/2 lbs is a good starting point. Adjust to your preferences.
Can I use leftover cooked potatoes?
Yes, finely dice or slice them and stir into the filling gently towards the end of baking to prevent overcooking.
More Than a Side: Potatoes Make the Pie
While chicken and veggies hog the spotlight, humble potatoes play an undeniably important role in chicken pot pie success. With the right spud and preparation, they impart hearty texture and comforting flavor essential to this ultimate comfort food. Follow my tips for tender, fluffy potatoes that tie everything together in perfect spoonfuls.
Tips for Best Results
Cut the vegetables uniformly – Take the time to cut all the vegetables into pieces that are the same size. If you use a food processor, you can do this very easily, but you can also do it by hand. Kind of like a perfect Fried Rice, part of the magic is when all the different flavors come delivered in the proper proportions, so you don’t want any pieces too big or too small.
Keep the crust chilled – For the best flaky texture, you want to keep the crust as chilled as possible before it goes into the oven. Roll out your circles of dough, then keep them in the fridge until they’re needed.
Place the pie plate on a sheet pan – This is more of a tip for your oven, but I recommend placing the pie plate on a sheet pan before it goes into the oven, just in case any butter from the crust drips and burns. If you’re careful not to shape the crust too high up the sides, this won’t be an issue, but I like to do this as extra insurance, because I hate cleaning the oven.
I always like to make my pie crust from scratch with butter, and recommend you do the same. Here’s my step-by-step post with tips for Butter Pie Crust.
There’s no flavor comparison when it comes to homemade vs. storebought, the latter often made with vegetable oils or shortening. I get that pie crust can be kind of intimidating for some, but you only get better at it with practice.
At the very least, if you purchase a storebought crust, make sure it is made with butter. Anything other than that will have vastly inferior flavor.
How much crust do you need?
You will need one batch of double pie crust for this recipe, or two single crusts. This will ensure that we can cover the bottom and top, and completely enclose the filling into these layers.
Homemade crust is always best since you can make it with butter, and store-bought pie crust made with real butter is hard to find. My Perfect Pie Crust Recipe is a double batch and uses all butter (no shortening) for the fat, but you may use any prepared crust you like.
Roll a single crust out and press it into the pie plate:
I actually like to have the bottom pie crust chilled and waiting for me in the fridge before I add the filling. The colder the dough is going into the oven, the flakier your buttery crust will be.
Next, add all your homemade filling to the crust. It should be the perfect amount to fill a 9″ pie plate:
I used this Emile Henry Pie Plate (affiliate) that is 9″ in diameter and 2.25″ high.
Lay the other crust on top, and crimp as desired. You can use the tines of a fork, but I like to pinch it with my right thumb and pointer finger, and left thumb:
Next brush the top with egg wash. This is just for appearance, but it’s worth the minute it takes to do it. It makes the crust come out so shiny and golden brown.
And finally, cut a few slits into the top of the pie crust, to let the steam escape.
Bake for about an hour, until the crust is deeply golden and flaky. I recommend placing a sheet pan underneath the pan, just to make sure nothing drips out and makes a mess in your oven.
I’ve never had any issues with the crust browning too much, but if it does, simply place a piece of aluminum foil on top toward the end of cooking if it looks too brown.
Once your homemade chicken pot pie has finished baking, it is ready to serve right away. There’s no need to rest the dish. You can cut slices into the crust, but you will likely need a large spoon as well to gather up all the filling that was part of that slice. Fortunately, the filling should be thick enough that the sauce clings pretty well to the chicken and vegetables.
Since this is such a rich recipe, I recommend pairing lighter side dishes here, such as a Wild Rice Salad, Roasted Fennel, or Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus.
Lasagna, Buffalo Chicken Dip, and Chicken Noodle Soup are some of my other favorite big batch comfort recipes. Enjoy!