Garden Harvest Chicken Pie

This is chicken pot pie the honest way, no can of condensed soup in sight. The gravy is built from scratch: a butter-and-flour roux loosened with milk and seasoned with thyme, bouillon, and pepper, cooked until it thickens into a velvety sauce that coats every bite.

Using skim milk keeps the filling lighter than the usual cream-laden version, without losing that comforting, saucy heart.

Then it earns the ‘garden harvest’ name. Cooked chicken joins potatoes, sweet corn, peas, and carrots, with a handful of fresh parsley stirred through for color and brightness. It is a smart, satisfying way to put leftover roast or rotisserie chicken to work.

A double crust seals it all in. Cut a few slits in the top so steam can escape, then bake until the filling bubbles up through the vents and the pastry turns deep golden brown.

Pro Tips

• Cool the filling slightly before adding the top crust so it doesn’t melt and tear the pastry.
• Make sure those steam vents stay open, or the filling can bubble over and the crust goes soggy.
• Let the pie rest about ten minutes after baking so the gravy sets enough to slice cleanly.

Variations

• Use whatever vegetables you have: green beans, mushrooms, or diced celery all work.
• Swap chicken for leftover turkey, especially after the holidays.
• Top with biscuits or puff pastry instead of a bottom-and-top pie crust.