Pot Pie Pasta (Printable)
Comforting pasta with tender chicken, vegetables, and creamy sauce—a cozy twist on pot pie flavors.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Proteins
01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, cubed (about 10 oz rotisserie chicken or leftovers)
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 cup carrots, peeled and diced
03 - 1 cup frozen peas
04 - 1 cup celery, diced
05 - 1 small yellow onion, diced
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Pasta
07 - 10 oz short-cut pasta (penne, fusilli, or rotini)
→ Sauce
08 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter
09 - 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
10 - 2 cups chicken broth
11 - 1 cup whole milk
12 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
13 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme
14 - 1/2 tsp dried parsley
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Optional Topping
16 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
17 - 1/2 cup buttery cracker crumbs (such as Ritz)
18 - 2 tbsp melted butter
# How To Make It:
01 - Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain in a colander and set aside.
02 - While the pasta cooks, melt 3 tbsp butter in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and the onions are translucent.
03 - Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to let it brown.
04 - Sprinkle the flour evenly over the sautéed vegetables. Stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste and form a light roux.
05 - Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, followed by the whole milk and heavy cream, stirring until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
06 - Season the sauce with dried thyme, dried parsley, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in the frozen peas and cubed cooked chicken. Simmer for 4 to 5 minutes until the chicken is heated through and the sauce has thickened slightly.
07 - Add the drained pasta to the skillet, folding gently until every piece is well coated in the creamy sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Preheat the broiler. Transfer the pasta mixture to an oven-safe baking dish. In a small bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, grated Parmesan, and melted butter. Sprinkle evenly over the pasta and broil for 2 to 3 minutes until the topping is golden brown and bubbly.
09 - Serve immediately while hot, garnished with additional chopped fresh parsley if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It delivers every cozy flavor of chicken pot pie without the stress of rolling dough or blind baking anything.
- The creamy sauce clings to every curve of the pasta, making each bite feel like a warm blanket on a cold day.
02 -
- Add the liquid slowly and whisk with purpose because once a flour lump forms it is nearly impossible to chase down and smooth out.
- The sauce will continue thickening as it sits, so pull it off the heat when it looks slightly thinner than you think it should be.
03 -
- Use a rotisserie chicken from the deli and your total active cooking time drops to about fifteen minutes of real effort.
- Always taste the finished sauce before adding the pasta because once the noodles are in, adjusting seasoning becomes a guessing game.