This KFC chicken pot pie copycat recipe has a golden flaky pie crust topping, creamy seasoned filling, and tons of veggies, including potatoes, and it’s great for using leftover chicken. One bite, and you’ll know why they say it’s finger-lickin’ good!
You don’t need to leave your house to bring KFC to your table, and I’m not talking about having it delivered! I’m talking about making your very own homemade KFC Chicken Pot Pie copycat that tastes just the same as the in-store version, but with much simpler ingredients!
There is no getting around the fact that the classic and timeless easy chicken pot pie will always stand at number one. Seriously, if you haven’t made mine yet, I’d say start there first, then meet me back here because everyone needs a really good recipe for the original homemade chicken pot pie.
However! There is always room for creativity, and being able to recreate a KFC pot pie recipe will not only save you money (and possibly your health), but it’s an incredibly delicious version at that!
Serve with an easy chopped veggie salad, oven baked green beans, or slow cooker corn on the cob on the side for an unforgettable meal.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- There’s nothing better than serving your loved ones homemade comfort food.
- It’s made with both milk and cream for an incredibly creamy filling without canned soup.
- Using store-bought crust, frozen veggies, and leftover chicken are shortcuts that make this even easier.
- It’s delicious and tastes just like actual KFC!
Helpful Tools
- Mini Pie Plates – you’ll need four 6″ pie plates. I picked mine up from Meijer, and also used my grandma’s vintage Pyrex for one 🥰
- Pastry Brush – this silicone one is easy to clean
- Whisk
Ingredients
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe, why you need them, and possible substitutions. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card with measurements.
Jump
- Puff pastry – Thaw it completely first before trying to work with it. You’ll need enough for 4 6″ pie crusts, since we’re only using the pastry on top.
- For the roux/sauce – Salted butter, all purpose flour, milk, and heavy cream.
- Seasoning – Salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, celery seed, poultry seasoning, and granulated white sugar.
- Chicken – Cooked and cubed. I usually use shredded cooked chicken for this recipe. Store-bought rotisserie chicken is also a good option.
- Veggies – Frozen peas and carrots, peeled and diced potatoes, boiled.
- Egg wash – A large egg and water mixed and brushed over the crust will give it a golden sheen.
How to make KFC Chicken Pot Pie
This section shows you how to make this recipe, with process photos showing the steps to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
Jump- Step 1: Roll out the thawed puff pastry, flip a 6” pie plate over, and cut out 4 crusts. Place the crusts on a prepared, lipped baking sheet lined with parchment paper and refrigerate them while you make the filling.
- Step 2: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Then, whisk in the flour until it starts to bubble and turn into a paste. While continuously whisking, slowly add the milk. Then, the heavy cream. Continue to whisk until it starts to bubble again.
- Step 3: Sprinkle in all of the seasoning and then remove it from the heat to add the cooked chicken, carrots, peas, and boiled potatoes. Gently stir to combined and divide the mixture evenly between 4 pie plates.
- Step 4: Grab your pastry from the fridge and add one circle on top of each filled pie plate, gently tucking the edges into the plate.
- Step 5: Brush with the egg wash and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 35-30 minutes until the tops are golden and the filling is bubbly. Enjoy!
- Get ahead. If using fresh veggies, dice everything ahead of time so that it’s all ready to go.
- Boil the potatoes in salted water until fork-tender.
- Swap the veggies for your favorites. Mushrooms, corn, broccoli, etc.
- Use frozen vegetables to make life a little easier. Or, canned carrots or canned potatoes are also options.
- I don’t recommend skipping the egg wash as it gives the pastry color to make it look even more appealing, but you can use butter instead.
- If you prefer to add a bottom crust, you certainly can. You just need more pastry dough! You’ll find tips for this in my original easy chicken pot pie recipe.
- I love the flakiness of puff pastry, but if you happen to use a homemade pie crust or a pie crust not made from puff pastry, cut slits in the top for the steam to escape.
Storage & Reheating
How to store leftovers
Keep any leftover KFC chicken pot pie in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freezing Instructions
You can freeze this pot pie with or without the crust on top. If you want to prepare the filling ahead of time and freeze it for later on you can! Thaw it in the fridge and then assemble the pie as directed before baking.
Or you can bake the pie, cool it, and then freeze it for up to 3 months. The crust may not be what it once was, but it’ll still taste great.
Reheating Instructions
Heat leftover KFC pot pie in the oven to keep the crust as flaky as you can. The microwave won’t have the same results.
FAQs
Is KFC chicken pot pie healthy?
In a word, no, but I don’t know anyone who goes to KFC looking for quinoa and kale salads. There is something to be said about making your own version at home, just to cut back on the high amount of sodium and fat they add to theirs. You get to make yours as healthy as you want.
What is the difference between my classic chicken pot pie and KFC pot pie recipe?
They’re both easy to make and incredibly delicious; however, the first noticeable difference is that the KFC pot pie doesn’t have a bottom crust and uses puff pastry for the top. It also contains potatoes, heavy cream, and a few more seasonings. You may also notice that the original contains onions, whereas this one does not.
The great thing about making recipes from scratch is that you can take and leave what you want!
Need more copycat recipes? Try these:
Chicken Tortilla Soup (On the Border)
Chick-Fil-A Nuggets (Chick-Fil-A)
Homemade Crunchwrap Supremes (Taco Bell)
Click here to view my entire collection of copycat recipes.
Did You Make This?
If you made this recipe, I’d love to know how it went in the comments section below.
You can also tag me on Instagram – @melissa_ppplates or share a pic in the Persnickety Plates Community Facebook group. I love seeing what you’ve tried!
Copycat KFC Chicken Pot Pie
Video
Equipment
- Four 6" Pie Plates
Ingredients
- 17.3 ounce puff pastry thawed
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon celery seed
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon granulated white sugar
- 2 cups cooked cubed chicken
- 1 bag frozen peas & carrots
- 1 large large potato cubed and boiled
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Lay out a lipped baking sheet and line it with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Set it aside.
- Unroll the thawed puff pastry and lightly roll out.17.3 ounce puff pastry
- Flip a 6" pie plate onto the puff pastry and cut around, slightly bigger, to make the crusts. Repeat 3 more times making 4 crusts total. Place in the crusts onto the prepared baking sheet and place it in the fridge while the rest is prepped.
- In a large skillet melt the butter over medium heat.3 tablespoons salted butter
- Once melted, whisk in the flour and continue whisking until it starts to bubble.3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- Slowly pour in the milk while whisking.1 cup milk
- Slowly pour in the heavy cream and continue whisking until the mixture combes back to a bubble.1 cup heavy cream
- Whisk in the salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, celery seed, poultry seasoning, and sugar.1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon celery seed, 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning, 1 teaspoon granulated white sugar, 1 teaspoon salt
- Remove the pan from the heat and add in the cooked chicken, carrots, peas and boiled potatoes. Gently stir to combine.2 cups cooked cubed chicken, 1 bag frozen peas & carrots, 1 large large potato
- Divide the mixture evenly between four 6" pie plates.
- Place one of the prepared puff pastry circles onto each pie, gently tucking the edges into the pie plate.
- Place the pies onto the prepared baking sheet to catch any drips.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water.1 large egg, 1 teaspoon water
- Brush the egg wash over the top of the pot pies.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
Notes
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Wash, peel, cube, and boil the potato in salted water until fork tender.
- You can use any cooked chicken you have, rotisserie chicken is perfect for this recipe.
- You can switch out the veggies to any ones you prefer (a bag of mixed frozen vegetables would work well).
- You can use a butter wash instead of the egg wash if you like.
- Canned carrots can be used in place of frozen.
- Canned potatoes can be used in place of fresh.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Is that 11 cups of milk?
Oops, fixed! It’s 1 🙂
Could you use a larger pan to make this in, instead of 4 smaller?
Sure. It’s probably going to be a bit more than a 9″ pie though. I haven’t tested to say for sure. Might be better in a square or rectangular baking dish.