Chicken Pot Pie Hand Pies are everything you love about a classic, hearty, homemade chicken pot pie in an easy-to-make hand-held version! The flakey crust is filled with the traditional savory pot pie filling for undeniable comfort food that is loved by all.
1cupchicken broth (or 1 cup water + 1 ½ teaspoons chicken bouillon)
2ozcream cheesecut into pieces
1cupfrozen peas and carrots
2cupsdicedcooked chicken
2refrigerated rolled pie crusts (1 standard 14. Oz. 2-pack)
1egg yolk + 1 teaspoon waterbeaten
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add diced onions and saute until onion is translucent (3-4 minutes).
Add flour, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until flour mixture begins to brown (3-4 minutes).
Slowly stir or whisk chicken broth and whole milk into the flour mixture. Stir constantly while pouring just a bit at a time to make a smooth mixture.
Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring constantly to ensure milk does not burn on the bottom of the pan, Cook until mixture begins to bubble and thicken slightly (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat.
Stir in cream cheese, frozen vegetables, and diced chicken. Stir to mix evenly.
Prepare pie crusts by removing pie crust from packaging. Unroll one crust on a lightly floured surface. It is important to keep the crusts thick enough to hold the pie filling, so I did not roll the crusts out any thinner than they came in the package. Use a bowl, placed upside down, to cut out two circles from the dough. Gently gather together the scraps, roll out just enough to cut two additional circles (you may even need to do one at a time).
Place three crust circles onto a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
Place a scoop of filling into the center of the circle.
Use a fork to beat the egg yolk with water.
Brush a bit of the egg yolk wash around the edge of the circle to help the sides seal. Now, fold the pie crust in half to form a crescent shape. Press down (work from the outer edge in) and then crimp with your fingers or a fork to seal the edges. Brush the whole hand pie with the egg wash. Use a fork to poke a few holes in the top of the pies.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the pies are golden brown and the crust is crispy. (The filling is already cooked so we’re really just cooking the crust here.)
Notes
Storage:
To Store: While these are best when eaten right away, you can also keep the leftovers. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
To Freeze: I don’t recommend freezing your hand pies. The crust tends to get quite soggy as it thaws out.
To Reheat: Reheat your hand pies in the oven for the best results. It keeps the pastry from becoming soggy. If you’re in a hurry you could pop them in the microwave as well.
Tips:
Be sure you don’t roll the crust out too thin. If the crusts are too thin, the pie will split apart during baking.
The egg yolk wash will give the hand pies a nice golden sheen. It is also really helpful to seal the edges together. For best seal, be sure that the filling and/or any excess flour is away from the edge of the dough.
I found that pinching the crust edges provides a better seal than crimping with a fork; just make sure you squish the edges together well so that they seal.