Deep Fried Chicken Pot Pie [Recipe]
Sweet or savory, I really am a pie lover. The flaky, crispy crust is my favorite thing and the filling depends on mood. Still, chicken pot pie is a classic and pretty much a staple in my kitchen. This time, I wanted a twist on one of my favorite meals, so I deep-fried chicken pot pie, and they turned, well, AMAZING!
The pies made like this are perfect for a go-to lunch or a party, as you can eat them mess-free. The texture and the taste stay completely the same as the regular pie, the only difference is the looks. They look like pockets filled with scrumptious, rich, and tender filling. Yum!
What Makes this Chicken Pot Pie Special?
For the filling, I chose chicken and loads of veggies. I chopped everything in the same, pea-size pieces and made creamy sauce. My go-to veggie combo is peas, onion, carrots, and sweet corn. These just pair impeccably in taste, but also in color. I love to see a color on the plate!
The key for the crust is for it to be stretchy because there can’t be any rips in the dough. It needs to keep the filling secure, so if you aren’t an expert in making it at home, definitely go for a store-bought one. The filling is very well nutritionally balanced, thus if you want a healthier take on the meal, bake them. I prefer the pie pockets like that, anyway, to be honest.
How to Make Deep Fried Chicken Pot Pie?
Making of is super simple, as I used store-bought crust. You’ll complicate it a tad for yourself if you decide to make it completely from scratch, though. Here are the ingredients for a quick and tasty lunch!
- Chicken – I opted for chicken tenders.
- Vegetables – My go-to combo is: peas, sweet corn, carrots, and onion. This is a perfect flavor and color fusion!
- Pie crust – Go for any brand you love or make it from scratch, but it MUST be stretchy.
- Spices – I didn’t experiment with spices at all. I used salt, pepper, paprika for the color, dried thyme, and parsley.
- Chicken bouillon – The broth is the base of any sauce, so this one is not an exception either.
- Oil – I use olive oil and butter for the sauce, and frying oil for deep frying, of course.
- Flour – Flour is here as a thickening agent, nothing else.
Here are the steps!
Step 1: Making the Filling
Usually, when I make regular chicken pot pie, I go for the pulled chicken. For deep-fried chicken pockets, I cubed the chicken tenders, so they can look neater. You can go for anything you prefer. Now, we can get on cooking!
My trick here is to cube everything in pea-size pieces. Also, I chop everything as I go, because there is just enough time while the other thing is sautéing. I start with onion (my least favorite thing to chop), of course.
In a pan, melt some butter and a tad of oil and sauté onion until golden and glossy. In the meantime, cube the carrot and add it to the pan, as well. While you’re waiting for it to soften, cut the chicken tenders.
Combine everything and let the chicken cook for about 5 minutes. Now, add the peas and chicken broth. While it’s simmering, I like to add the spices: salt, pepper, paprika for the color, parsley, and dried thyme.
Let it simmer for about 15 minutes and let’s thicken the sauce. Here, I always use the shortcut – I dissolve some flour in water and strain it directly into the pan. This will prevent any lumps of flour from getting into the sauce.
Let it simmer some more until you’re satisfied with the consistency. I always let the liquid evaporate almost completely, so the pies are easier to handle. If there is too much liquid, it will be impossible to transfer them into the oil. Also, they won’t be dry at all, because frying lasts a minute or so.
Note: You really don’t have to use my thickening method, you can go with heavy cream, milk, or anything you prefer. I just don’t fancy milky taste in sauces, that’s all.
When the filling is ready, let it sit a bit to cool, 10 minutes is enough.
Step 2: Filling the Pies
I opted for the store-bought pie crust, but you can, indeed, go with a homemade one. It’s chief for it to be stretchy (repeating it all over again 😀), so the filling can stay put. Roll out the dough, and cut it into even pieces. I went for squares.
So, place the spoonful (or more) filling in the middle and cover it with another piece of crust. Thumb the edges with a fork to seal and you’re done!
Step 3: Frying
In a pot, pour frying oil and heat it well. Filling will soak the crust, so I place it in the pot along with baking paper to prevent tearing it. Simply remove it when it slides off. Just a little trick I learned the harder way. 😁
The pies don’t require long frying, they are done when the crust is golden, probably a minute per side. Remove them from the oil and arrange on the kitchen paper towel to absorb the residual grease. I’m not the greatest fan of fried food, though, so I always prefer baking them.
This time, I made both varieties, one for my family and one for me. 😀 I just arranged them on the baking paper and tossed them in the oven at 400 °F (200 °C) for 10-ish minutes. The crust is still super flaky and the filling is nice and creamy. You can fry them in the air fryer, too.
How to Store these Pot Pies?
Before storing, the pies must be completely chilled to room temperature, otherwise, they will be mushy. Pack them up in airtight containers or swathe them in foil, plastic, or aluminum. The maximal fridge life is about 4 days, but you can freeze them for 3 months.
Also, I like to wrap them in paper towels, so they don’t become soft. When stored properly, they will stay flaky and crispy all the time!
What to Serve with Deep Fried Chicken Pot Pies?
Here is the list of my favorite sides for these pockets of joy!
Greek Yogurt Dressing
Fried (or baked) pocketed chicken pot pies are definitely a bit drier than the original pie, so the dressing comes in handy. I mix up Greek yogurt, clotted, and sour cream into a sauce-like consistency. For the seasoning, I always go with salt, pepper, garlic, dill, and a splash of lemon juice.
The dressing smashes the flavor and makes the pies moister.
Green Salad
Greens are always a good idea! I love mixing some lettuce, arugula, baby spinach, micro greens, and pumpkin seeds for the crunch. I’m not a vinaigrette fan, so I drizzle some fresh lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil.
Creamy Vegetable Soup
Just like tomato soup and grilled cheese are the match made in heaven, the same stands for vegetable soup and fried chicken pot pies. I cook leek, carrots, garlic, onion, celery, and zucchini in chicken broth. For the creaminess, I add a potato, as well, so the consistency will be ideal after blending. Dip the pie in and enjoy!
Mushroom Sauce
If you want even more flavor, make the mushroom-only sauce. Sauté sliced mushrooms with salt and pepper and add some heavy cream. I cook it just a tad, so it stays on the runnier side, and that’s it. Pour it over a pie and dig in!
Deep Fried Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients
- 2 cups chicken tenders
- 1 cup onion
- 1 cup carrot
- 1 cup peas
- 1 cup sweet corn
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp parsley
- 1 tbsp butter (+1 tbsp oil)
- 2 cups frying oil
- 2 sheets pie crust
Instructions
Making the Filling
- Chop everything into pea-sized pieces: onion, carrot, and chicken tenders. In a pan, melt some butter and a tad of oil and sauté onion until golden and glossy.
- Add carrot, let it soften, than add chicken tenders.
- Let the chicken cook for about 5 minutes. Now, add the peas and chicken broth. While it’s simmering, add the spices: salt, pepper, paprika for the color, parsley, and dried thyme.
- Let it simmer for about 15 minutes. Dissolve some flour in water and strain it directly into the pan. This will thicken the sauce.
- Let it simmer some more until you’re satisfied with the consistency. If there is too much liquid, it will be impossible to transfer them into the oil. When the filling is ready, let it sit a bit to cool, 10 minutes is enough.
Filling the Pies
- Roll out the dough, and cut it into even pieces. place the spoonful (or more) filling in the middle and cover it with another piece of crust. Thumb the edges with a fork to seal.
Frying
- In a pot, pour frying oil and heat it well. Place the pies in the pot along with baking paper to prevent tearing the dough. Simply remove it when they slide off.
- They are done when the crust is golden, probably a minute per side. Remove them from the oil and arrange on the kitchen paper towel to absorb the residual grease.
Notes
- Greek Yogurt Dressing
- Green Salad
- Creamy Vegetable Soup
- Mushroom Sauce
Nutrition
Before diving into the nutritional details, please review our Nutritional Disclaimer page for important context and clarifications.
