Description
This recipe makes just about 7 1/2 to 8 cups of total filling, which is enough for two 9 x 1 ½-inch (23 x 4 cm) turkey pot pies, or one 10-inch (25.4cm) pot pie + one 6 ½ x 1 (16.5 x 2.5 cm) petit oval gratin pot pie.
Ingredients
Don’t be put off by what seems like a long list of ingredients, most (or all) of these are pantry staples you probably have on hand, especially around the holidays.
- 2 ready-made or homemade double pie crusts or equivalent frozen puff pastry sheets
- 2 cups homemade chicken or turkey broth (473g) (sub low sodium store-bought)
- roasted turkey (11 ounces dark meat + 5 ounces white meat), cubed
- 3 tablespoons dry white wine (45g)
- 1 small onion, diced (1 cup) (113g)
- 2 ounces (3-inch piece) leek, diced finely (white part only) (50g)
- 1 scallion, finely diced
- 1 cup carrot, finely diced (128g)
- 1 cup frozen baby peas (135g)
- 1 rib of celery, finely diced (55g)
- 1/4 cup milk (60g)
- 3/4 cup heavy cream (175g)
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter (70g)
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose or 00 flour (50g)
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning (or Italian Arrosti seasoning), or to taste
- 1 dried porcini mushroom
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard (1.5 to 2g)
- 1/8 teaspoon sugar (0.5g)
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 pinches white pepper (optional but recommended)
Instructions
If you’re using leftover roasted turkey and store-bought broth, skip to step #3 below to get started.
- Roast the turkey legs & pan-sear the turkey breast cutlets (Skip to step. #2 & #3 below if using cooked leftover turkey from the holidays). Butterfly two medium turkey legs leaving the bone attached. Score the meat vertically and horizontally without cutting into the skin (the goal here is to cut through the fibrous material which will help make it more tender and easier to dice into cubes later on). Drizzle a small amount of extra virgin olive oil over the turkey and rub it into both sides. Season with salt and black pepper to taste, and sprinkle with your choice of fresh herbs (like rosemary, sage, and thyme), or with poultry seasoning (or Italian Arrosti seasoning blend). Roast the turkey legs in a preheated 375°F/190°C oven until cooked through, or about 35-45 minutes. Remove them from the oven and allow to cool. When cool enough to handle, remove the skin and debone the turkey and chop the meat into small bite-sized cubes, set aside reserving the turkey bones for making homemade stock. Next, season two turkey breast cutlets with salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. When the pan is sizzling, add the turkey breast cutlets and pan-sear on the first side until golden brown, flip them over and cook a few minutes more until the turkey is just cooked through and the juices run clear. Do not overcook the cutlets or they will be dry. Remove them to a plate, allow to cool completely, and dice the meat into bite-sized cubes and set aside.
- Make the turkey (or chicken) stock. (Skip to step #3 if you’re using store-bought broth). Heat a 5 to 6-quart pressure cooker (or Instapot, or large stock pot) over medium-high heat, and add leftover roasted turkey (or chicken) bones, a whole piece or two of raw chicken (like the wings, back, or drumsticks), and 2 to 3 cups of leftover vegetable ends and peels (like carrots, onions, celery, and leeks) and a 1-inch piece of cinnamon stick (trust me on this one). *I save all of my leftover vegetable peels and pieces in a bag in the freezer for making homemade stock, but you may sub 1/2 carrot, 3/4 onion, and 1/2 celery rib. Cover the turkey bones, chicken, and vegetables with 4 quarts of water and add 1 teaspoon of salt, bring to high pressure, cook for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to 45 minutes and allow it to release naturally. When the pressure cooker has released, remove the chicken to a bowl to cool and strain the stock through a fine mesh sieve to remove the bones and vegetables. Skim the desired amount of fat from the stock and set aside. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, debone the meat and chop or shred into bite-sized pieces to be used in another recipe. Set aside 2 cups of stock for this recipe and freeze any remaining stock or use it to make chicken noodle soup or leftover turkey and rice soup.
- Preheat the oven & prepare the pie plate (or casserole dish). Line pie plates or casserole dish with the bottom crust and pop them into the freezer while you prepare the cream sauce. Preheat the oven to 400°F/204°C.
- Sauté the vegetables & deglaze the pan. Melt the butter in a large skillet or 4-quart pot, add the onions, leeks, scallion, carrots, and poultry seasoning (or Italian Arrosti seasoning), season with salt and pepper to taste, and sauté on medium-high heat for 5 minutes, or until the onions are translucent and tender. Add the wine and stir well scraping the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits (the fond). Cook for 3 minutes to allow the alcohol to evaporate.
- Make the roux. Add the flour and the porcini mushroom and stir well to combine. Sauté for 3 minutes to cook the flour.
- Build the cream sauce. Add the chicken stock, heavy cream, and milk to the vegetables and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the mustard and sugar and stir to combine. Add two pinches of white pepper and more poultry seasoning (or Italian Arrosti seasoning) if desired and continue cooking for about 4 more minutes or until the mixture is creamy and has thickened up slightly, but isn’t gloopy or gummy. Add the turkey meat and peas and stir to combine. Taste everything one last time and adjust seasonings if needed. The flavors will continue melding together while baking and any mustard flavor you may detect will disappear as it bakes.
- Assemble & bake the pot pie. Divide the filling evenly between the prepared baking dishes, add the top crust, and seal and crimp the edges. Using a sharp knife, cut 3 to 4 slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape while baking. Place the pot pies onto a baking sheet and pop them into the oven to bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until bubbling and golden brown. Cover loosely with a sheet of aluminum foil if you notice the top browning too quickly (I added a sheet after about 15 to 20 minutes of cooking time). Remove from the oven and let stand for 15 to 20 minutes before serving, Enjoy!
Notes
- Looking for the best chicken pot pie recipe? Simply substitute chicken for turkey in this recipe (or even roast beef) for a super delicious chicken pot pie recipe.
- Make and freeze the pot pie filling to use later on. Allow it completely cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container in the freezer for several months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and gently reheat before adding to a prepared baking dish. You may add a small amount of chicken stock or water to help loosen up the mixture if needed.
- Substitute half and half for the milk and heavy cream combination, or substitute all whole milk instead (It won’t have the same flavor, but if it’s all you’ve got in a pinch, it’ll still taste great).
- Substitute fresh or dried herbs of your choice using a mix of sage, rosemary, and thyme. Also, if you’re curious to know the difference between McCormick’s Poultry Seasoning and the Italian Arrosti Spice blend, they’re very similar with McCormick’s containing more sage and the Arrosti blend containing more thyme.
- Substitute ready-made traditional double pie crusts, or make your own instead of using puff pastry.
- If you like more filling-to-crust ratio, make it a single-crust turkey or chicken pot pie.
- If you’re short on time, use a bag of frozen veggies.
- Substitute store-bought chicken or turkey stock for homemade.
- Add a single diced yukon gold potato if you enjoy potatoes in your pot pie.
- Don’t ever throw out your roasted turkey bones because they make the best-tasting homemade turkey stock. Instead, freeze them, or use them right away to make homemade stock.
How to Make Turkey Pot Pie & Chicken Pot Pie Ahead and Freeze It
To freeze an unbaked turkey or chicken pot pie: Once you’ve assembled the pie (but do not cut slits in the top), cover it with a piece of foil and then wrap it securely with plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
To bake turkey or chicken pot pies from frozen: Unwrap the pie and place it on a sheet pan, cut 3 to 4 slits in the top, and bake in a preheated 375°F/190°C oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes and up to 1 hour and 30 minutes. If you notice the top crust browning too quickly, tent it loosely with aluminum foil.
To freeze fully baked turkey or chicken pot pies: Allow the turkey or chicken pot pie to cool completely to room temperature, wrap the top securely with foil, then cover well with sustainable plastic wrap. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Make sure the pie plate or casserole dish you’re using can withstand fluctuations in temperatures (like aluminum, or tempered glass). If you don’t have a pie plate or casserole dish that can withstand the shock of going from the freezer to a hot oven, place the pot pie onto a baking sheet and add it to the oven as soon as you’ve turned it on to start preheating it. This will ensure a more gentle heating up of the pie plate or ceramic dish. Just be sure to adjust the baking time as needed starting a timer only once the oven has reached 375°F/190°C and keeping an eye on it.
How to Reheat Fully Baked Frozen Turkey Pot Pie and Chicken Pot Pie and Keep it Crispy
To reheat frozen, fully baked chicken or turkey pot pie: Thaw the baked pot pie overnight in the fridge. Keep the foil on the pie and add it to a preheated 350°F/176°C oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes covered. Remove the foil and increase the heat to 375°F/190°C and continue baking until the middle is warmed through. The important thing is to first allow the middle to get fully warmed through and piping hot before trying to crisp up the top crust.
Should I Cover My Pot Pie With Foil?
Yes, covering chicken pot pie or turkey pot pie loosely with aluminum foil as it bakes helps to keep the top from browning too quickly. I typically start baking the pie without the foil and add it after about 20 minutes of baking. Depending on your oven, you may not need to cover it or you may only need to cover the edges of the pie. Just keep an eye on it.
How Do You Thicken a Pot Pie Filling?
There are a couple of different ways to thicken a pot pie filling that work well. For this recipe, I’ve chosen the roux method using equal parts fat (in this case butter) and flour. The butter used to sauté the vegetables is then combined with the flour and cooked for 4 minutes to remove any raw flour taste. Then the chicken stock, milk, and heavy cream is added and the mixture is brought to a boil, the heat is reduced, and as the mixture cooks it thickens. Just remember that as the pot pie bakes, the mixture will continue to slightly thicken, so don’t over-thicken it in this step. You may also use a combination of flour and cornstarch plus fat to create the second kind of thickener for pot pies. When using cornstarch to thicken a liquid it needs to be first be mixed with a cool or cold liquid and then added to the hot and almost boiling mixture, or you will get lumps.
How Do You Know When a Pot Pie is Done?
You know that turkey pot pie and chicken pot pie is finished cooking when you can insert a thermometer into the middle of the pie and it registers 165°F/74°C and the top crust is golden brown and flaky. But not everyone has a thermometer at home, and in this case, the best way to tell if your pot pie is finished cooking is when you see the filling bubbling out of the steam hole slits you created and the top is beautifully golden brown and flaky.
How to Store Turkey Pot Pie or Chicken Pot Pie
Allow the baked turkey pot pie or chicken pot pie to cool completely, then either store it in an airtight container (or wrap it with sustainable plastic wrap) and refrigerate it for 3 to 4 days. Alternatively, you may freeze bake or unbaked chicken pot pie and turkey pot pie (see instructions above or in the recipe notes for instructions).
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Meat + Chicken
- Method: Oven Bake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
