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Our easy homemade Turkey Pot Pie Recipe is pure comfort food, done right!
Hide away some of your leftover holiday turkey and make this comforting Turkey Pot Pie recipe.
Bring on the delicious Thanksgiving leftovers. I can’t wait for turkey sandwiches piled high on homemade rolls slathered with mayo and plenty of fresh ground black pepper. Those little bites are worth every calorie and every single carb. When we get tired of those I’m moving on to Turkey Waldorf Wraps, Turkey Tetrazzini and this amazing savory homemade Turkey Pot Pie.
Homemade is so much better than store-bought.
Do you remember frozen boxed turkey pot pies that were so popular back in the day? I remember loving them as a kid and then buying them on sale 3 for $1.00 when I was on my own. When I was young and single, cheap eats was the way to go. I’ll never forget those little tin pies that came out of the oven hot as molten lava. They never seem to cool down enough to be eaten! But no worries. Our Turkey Pot Pie is way better than the store-bought version. You’re going to LOVE it!
Can you substitute chicken in this Turkey Pot Pie Recipe?
You don’t have to use turkey in this recipe, so feel free to substitute rotisserie or diced poached chicken. If you happen to have the Thanksgiving leftovers at your house, squirrel away 3 cups of diced turkey and hide it in the back of the fridge. You’ll thrill your pot pie loving family when you put this tasty pastry on the dinner table. They’ll forget all about the cornbread dressing, creamy mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie and jump in for seconds of this bad boy.
Our Turkey Pot Pie Recipe can be made with a single crust on the top, or a double crust pie as pictured above.
I’ve made this recipe both ways; with the top crust only, and with the classic double crust. Personally, I don’t have a preference either way. My husband however, adores the double crust pie and said not to change a thing, ever. Our Turkey Pot Pie recipe can be adapted to fit individual casserole pans or ramekins too. You can also make the entire thing in a cast iron skillet and float a single crust on top. Or, bake it in a pie pan as I’ve done here.
Can this Turkey Pot Pie be frozen?
Since the turkey is already cooked you can also freeze entire unbaked pot pies to cook later. Bonus! Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and bake the next day. The filling can also be made ahead and frozen without the crust until needed. We’re all about the options 🙂
How do you keep the bottom crust from getting soggy?
Soggy bottoms can be troublesome in double crust pies. However, I’ve picked up a few tricks over the years and found a fool-proof way to ensure the bottom crust browns and holds up well, even under all that creamy filling.
- When you’re ready to bake, place a foil lined, rimmed baking sheet or baking stone in the oven while it preheats.
- Make and assemble your pie in an aluminum pie plate like the one in the photo above.
- Place the pie on the preheated stone or pan and bake!
- Direct contact with the hot metal of the pan helps to brown and crisp the bottom crust under all that filling.
That’s it! It really works and makes a big difference. Give it a try 😉
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PRINT THE RECIPE!

Rich and savory double crust pot pie made with chicken or turkey
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (2-ounces or 57g)
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 celery rib, diced
- 1 large carrot, diced
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour (44g)
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (16-ounces or 488g)
- ½ cup whole milk (4 ½-ounces or 128g)
- ½ teaspoon salt (more or less to taste)
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- pinch of garlic powder
- pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 cup frozen green peas (5-ounces or 146g)
- 3 cups chopped or shredded turkey, or chicken (14.5-ounces or 418g)
- 2 unbaked pie pastries, homemade or store-bought (see link in notes for recipe)
- 1 large egg, mixed with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds for garnish
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the chopped onion, celery and carrots until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, about 3-4 minutes.
- Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and milk and bring to a simmer. Continue cooking and stirring occasionally until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- Add the salt, pepper, garlic powder, cayenne (if using), frozen peas and turkey. Gently fold together with a spatula. Check the seasoning and add more salt and/or pepper as desired. Set aside to cool for about 20-30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375° F. Place a foil lined, rimmed baking sheet or baking stone in the oven to preheat. *
- While the filling is cooling, roll out half the pastry and fit into the bottom of a 9-inch deep dish pie plate. Roll out the top crust and have it ready to use as soon as the filling is added.
- Pour the cooled turkey mixture into the prepared crust. Quickly top with the second pastry. Trim the excess crust and fold under sealing the pastry with the bottom crust. Crimp the edges in a decorative pattern. Cut 4 or 5 slits in the top crust to vent. Brush the entire top crust with the egg wash. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Place the pot pie on the preheated baking sheet. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until the filling is bubbly and the crust is golden.
Use our recipe for Perfect Pie Crust in 3 Easy Steps found HERE. Or, if desired, use pre-made refrigerated pie crust.
* Baking the pie on a preheated baking sheet or stone will encourage browning of the bottom crust and help avoid a soggy bottomed pie.
The pot pie filling can also be baked in individual ramekins topped with a single pie crust instead of a double crust. Place 4 to 6 ramekins on a foil lined baking sheet and cut pastries to fit on top. Brush the egg wash around the tops of the ramekins to help the crust adhere.
The perfect pan for making double crust pies:
Do away with soggy bottoms and bake your double crust pies in a heavy gauge steel pie pan. This 9-inch pan is made in the USA of commercial grade, heavy gauge aluminized steel. The unique corrugated surface design facilitates air circulation for evenly baked goods and quick release. Coated with Americoat a silicone that is PTFE, PFOA and BPA free. Made with 65% recycled steel and comes with a limited life-time warranty. Click on the photo for more information or to purchase from Amazon.
Saving Room for Dessert is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program ~ I earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you, which I use to pay for web hosting and services for this blog.
Here are a few more recipes you might also enjoy:
Perfect Pie Crust
Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Karen (Back Road Jounal) says
Love your turkey pot pie, we had one yesterday. I like your tip about keeping the bottom crust from getting soggy.
Tricia Buice says
Thanks Karen! Hope you and your family have a terrific Thanksgiving! And, I hope you get the chance to try this baking trick. Enjoy 😉
Laura says
Do I have to use the flour? Is there anything I can use for a substitution?
Tricia Buice says
Hi Laura. The crust is made with flour, unless you use a gluten free blend. For the filling you can substitute cornstarch in half the amount of the flour. Hope that helps
Chris Scheuer says
I loved those Swanson pot pies too as a kid but I know I would love this one a lot more! Wish I had some leftover turkey right now! It looks amazing!
Tricia Buice says
Thanks Chris – we did too! Have a very happy Thanksgiving 🙂
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers says
What a beautiful pie! I love the little turkey in the middle 🙂 I don’t have leftover turkey in my immediate future, but I’m tempted to go and buy some just to make this pie!
Tricia Buice says
Thanks Jennifer! You can substitute chicken for the turkey if you wish 🙂 Thanks so much!
Larry Doolittle says
Looks delicious Tricia and I’m impressed at how it stood up when cut. After dressing/mashed potatoes and gravy, this is my favorite part of Thanksgiving.
Tricia Buice says
We’re all about the leftovers Larry. Thanks so much! I hope you have Bev have a fantastic holiday season. Thanks so much for stopping by!