Chicken
$1.20per plate
Prep
20 min
Chicken · Chicken Pot Pie
Chicken Pot Pie Recipe
Chicken pot pie has a reputation for being fussy, but this budget version skips the double crust and the can of cream-of-something soup and still comes out rich and golden. A quick homemade gravy, a bag of frozen vegetables, and a can of biscuits on top turn a single pound of chicken into a dinner that feeds six for about $1.13 a serving. Here is the method, the biscuit-top shortcut, and the cost of everything in the dish.
$1.13per plate
Estimated recipe total
$6.76 · serves 6
Cook
30 min
Total
50 min
Serves
6
1 How to make it
1
Cook the chicken and onion
Melt the butter in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the diced chicken and onion with a pinch of salt and cook 6 to 8 minutes until the chicken is no longer pink and the onion is soft. Working in one pan keeps the browned bits, and the flavor, in the gravy.
2
Make the gravy
Sprinkle the flour over the chicken and stir for a minute so it coats everything and loses its raw taste. Pour in the broth and milk a little at a time, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens into a gravy. Lumps mean the liquid went in too fast, so go slow.
3
Add the vegetables
Stir in the frozen mixed vegetables, thyme, and a good grind of pepper. No need to thaw them first. Let the filling simmer 2 to 3 minutes until it is thick enough to coat a spoon. Taste and adjust the salt now, before the biscuits go on.
4
Top with biscuits
If your skillet is not oven-safe, pour the filling into a baking dish. Arrange the biscuits over the top in a single layer, leaving small gaps for steam to escape. Uncooked biscuits placed right on the hot filling will bake through from both sides.
5
Bake until golden
Bake at 375 F for 18 to 22 minutes, until the biscuits are puffed and deep golden brown and the filling bubbles at the edges. If the tops brown before the bottoms cook, tent loosely with foil for the last few minutes.
6
Rest before serving
Let the pot pie sit for 5 minutes before scooping. The filling is molten straight out of the oven and thickens as it cools, so a short rest gives you clean, scoopable servings instead of soup.
2 Cheaper ingredient swaps
- Rotisserie or leftover chicken. Skip the raw chicken and stir in 2 to 3 cups of shredded rotisserie or leftover cooked chicken with the vegetables. Cuts the cook time and uses up a bird you already bought.
- Frozen peas and carrots for mixed vegetables. Any bag of frozen vegetables works. Peas and carrots, or a broccoli blend, cost about the same and let you use whatever is already in the freezer.
- Pie crust or crescent rolls for biscuits. A single refrigerated pie crust or a tube of crescent rolls tops the filling just as well. Use whichever is cheapest that week.
- Water plus bouillon for broth. No broth on hand is no problem. Two cups of water and a teaspoon of chicken bouillon make the gravy for pennies.
3 Budget tips
- A bag of frozen mixed vegetables is the cheapest way to get carrots, peas, corn, and beans into one dish, and it never wilts in the crisper drawer waiting to be used.
- Buy chicken breast in family packs and freeze what you do not need. A pound goes a long way here because the gravy and biscuits do half the work of filling the plate.
- A can of biscuits costs a fraction of a homemade double crust and topping the pie is faster. Keep one in the fridge and a pot pie is always a possibility.
4 Storage, freezing & reheating
Fridge
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The biscuits soften in the fridge but crisp back up in the oven or air fryer.
Freezer
Freeze the cooled filling without biscuits for up to 2 months, then thaw, top with fresh biscuits, and bake. Freezing it fully assembled makes the biscuits gummy.
Reheating
Reheat portions in a 350 F oven for about 15 minutes so the biscuits crisp again, or microwave for a minute or two if you do not mind a softer top.
5 Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
390
Protein
23g
Fat
17g
Carbs
34g
Estimates per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not a substitute for medical advice.
6 Frequently asked questions
Can I use rotisserie chicken for pot pie?
Yes, and it is the fastest version. Skip cooking the raw chicken and stir 2 to 3 cups of shredded rotisserie or leftover chicken into the gravy with the vegetables. Everything else stays the same.
What are common chicken pot pie mistakes?
The two big ones are a runny filling and soggy biscuits. Cook the gravy until it coats a spoon before topping, leave gaps between the biscuits so steam escapes, and let the pie rest 5 minutes so the filling sets.
Do I need a pie crust?
No. A can of biscuits, a single pie crust, or crescent rolls all top the filling, and biscuits are the cheapest and easiest. A double crust looks traditional but costs more and adds work this recipe does not need.
How is the price per serving figured?
About $6.76 for the whole dish, divided across six servings, which is roughly $1.13 each. The chicken and biscuits are the biggest lines, so a sale on either brings it down further.
Helpful Tools for This Recipe
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- 9x13 baking dish. A 9x13 dish is the standard size for casseroles and baked pasta, so one dish feeds the whole table. Best for casseroles, baked pasta, stuffed peppers, and baked oatmeal.
- Mixing bowls set. A set of nesting bowls handles prep, mixing, and marinades without dirtying every dish in the house. Best for mixing meatball and patty mixtures, tossing ingredients, and holding prepped components.
- Measuring cups and spoons set. A basic set of measuring cups and spoons keeps amounts consistent, which keeps budget recipes reliable. Best for rice, liquids, and any recipe where the ratio matters.
- Instant-read meat thermometer. An instant-read thermometer takes the guesswork out of doneness, so lean or cheap cuts stay juicy instead of overcooking. Best for chicken, pork, and meatloaf, where a few degrees decides juicy or dry.
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