Vintage Chicken Pie

This fantastic vintage recipe for Chicken Pie contains no peas, no carrots, no vegetables of any kind. It’s just tender shredded chicken in a rich, delicious gravy topped with a batter crust and cooked until golden brown and irresistibly delicious!

This is one of those 1960s-70s recipes that I had almost forgotten about until I heard someone mention it recently. I would guess that I made this old recipe hundreds of times “back in the day.”

It’s so delicious and very easy. Especially if you take the fast route and use a purchased rotisserie chicken from the grocery store deli.

You probably noticed that there’s no “Pot” in the title. It’s just plain Chicken Pie, not Chicken Pot Pie.

That’s because there’s nothing but chicken and gravy in it. No veggies of any kind. No peas, no carrots, no onions. Perfect for your picky eaters!

The only real variation I’ve seen to this recipe is that some people include sliced hard-boiled eggs. I like it that way, too.

However, once you start adding veggies, well then you have a regular old chicken pot pie. Why don’t you try this good old vintage recipe without veggies and see what you think?

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• Whole Chicken (You’ll need one weighing about 3 1/2 to 4 pounds. Or take a shortcut and use a purchased rotisserie chicken and use purchased broth.)
• Bouquet Garni (A bouquet garni is simply a bundle of fresh herbs. For this recipe I’ve used fresh parsley, fresh thyme, and a bay leaf.)
• Buttermilk (This makes the crust rich with a slight tangy flavor. If you don’t have buttermilk you can make an acceptable substitute by stirring one tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar into one cup of whole milk.)

Cook the Chicken

If you plan to cook the chicken for the pie (instead of taking the rotisserie chicken shortcut), start by putting the chicken, onion, celery, and bouquet garni in a large pot.

Add enough water to cover the ingredients by about one inch. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through (about 35 minutes).

Remove the pot from the heat and let it stand until the chicken is cool enough to handle. Remove all the meat and discard the skin and bones. Shred or chop the meat and measure out three cups for the recipe. Also, save two cups of the broth for later use in the recipe.

TIP: A good alternative is to use a purchased rotisserie chicken and purchased broth. Remove the meat, discarding the skin and bones, and proceed from here with the recipe.

Assemble the Pie

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Put the shredded meat in the bottom of a 2-quart (8×8) casserole dish or baking pan.

In a medium saucepan, combine the broth and soup. Bring the mixture to a boil. Remove from the heat and pour over the shredded chicken.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, and pepper. Whisk in the melted butter and buttermilk. Pour this over the top of the casserole without stirring it into the chicken mixture.

Bake the Chicken Pie

Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until the crust is brown and the filling is bubbly.

Serve with a side of old fashioned green beans, or butter beans, and some hot water cornbread for a real feast!

• Some cooks add sliced hard-boiled eggs in with the shredded chicken. If you’d like to try that, use two or three eggs, slice them about 1/4-inch thick and fold them in before pouring over the broth and soup mixture.
• Turn this recipe into a Turkey Pie by using Thanksgiving leftovers in place of chicken.
• This is a great recipe to take to a potluck or to a neighbor who may be under the weather. If cooking for a neighbor, I’d cook the recipe, let it cool, and include instructions for how to reheat (350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.)
• Even though this is an heirloom recipe, you can certainly play around with it to make it your own. I’d recommend adding some poultry seasoning, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. Or even try making it a curry chicken pie with a teaspoon or so of curry powder stirred in. Or give it a Mexican flair with the addition of cumin. Just don’t add veggies then it becomes a pot pie.

• Keep leftovers well sealed in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave.
• To freeze, allow to cool completely. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap covered with aluminum foil. Freeze for up to three months. To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Bring to room temperature and warm in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until heated through.

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• Butter Roasted Chicken
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• White Chicken Chili
• Easy Chicken Pot Pie Casserole
• Chicken and Rice
• Real Simple Southern Fried Chicken

📖 Recipe

— This post was originally published on April 29, 2013. It has been updated with new photos and additional information.