This Curry Chicken Pot Pie is everything you want in a traditional pot pie, but lighter and with more spice in your life! When I tell you that we couldn’t stop eating it, I’m not exaggerating…the two of us polished off this whole pie in one sitting!
Maybe it’s because it was a familiar comforting flavor with a surprising twist, or maybe it’s because it’s so easy to eat! The lightness comes from the use of cauliflower instead of potato, and just one layer of buttery flaky pie crust. And trust me, one layer is all you need!
It was so satisfying and hearty that we didn’t eat it with anything else, but you can always add a nice bright green salad on the side. Actually I feel like it would go REALLY well with this Kale Salad with Garlic Croutons.
You start by sauteeing some onions and then blooming curry powder in oil to release its fragrance. Toasting spices in oil always wake them up to say hello! Then you add a whole bunch of chopped cauliflower. Cauliflower keeps things lighter and works MAGICALLY with curry!
Then you make a roux and add some chicken stock with a splash of cream. You’ll see that you don’t need a ton of cream to thicken this heavenly sauce! I also throw in some crushed red pepper flakes for a bit of a spicy kick. Fold in some shredded rotisserie chicken or even your leftover Thanksgiving turkey!
The best part of this recipe is that if you’re making this right after Thanksgiving where you’re making a lot of traditional tasting foods, the flavors in this dish will be a nice change of pace.
Transfer your mixture into a pie plate and throw it in the fridge to cool for just a bit before crowning it with a pie crust. The reason for this is that you don’t want your mixture to be bubbling hot and melt your pie crust before it goes into the oven.
I used thawed refrigerated pie crust to keep things easy and low fuss, but you can use homemade pie crust if you have some leftover dough from Thanksgiving!
And then you brush on some heavy cream to help things turn golden. Keep in mind that your crust won’t be super brown…if you want to achieve that look, you’re better off with an egg wash. Cream just keeps things tender and flaky.
Pop it into a 400ºF oven, but make sure your oven is calibrated! I say this because mine actually ended up being a little off when I was testing this recipe, so I followed an oven thermometer instead. If you don’t have one, this is one tool I highly recommend everyone to own. I had to crank up my heat to 425ºF in order to get it to the appropriate 400ºF.
I only mention this part because the first time I tested this pie, it took a long time to brown and then I realized why after I popped in my oven thermometer.
So if you run into the same problem, you might need to crank up your heat a little more or just bake it for longer.
As long as the filling starts to bubble and you have a golden flaky crust, you’re good to go, because everything on the inside has already been cooked on the stove.
The hardest part of this recipe is waiting for 10 minutes to allow the pie to cool a bit. This gives it a chance to “set” a little before slicing into it.
I’ll be honest though…I only ended up waiting a whopping 4 minutes before I cracked into this bad boy. You will need a large spoon to dig out all the goodness, because it essentially is more like a stew with a buttery flaky hat. But that first bite with all the spice and everything nice will have you going back for more.
Try this recipe the next time you have any leftover chicken, turkey, or veggies in the fridge. I know that you will be making this pot pie again and again!
Watch how I tackle this surprising and comforting Curry Chicken Pot Pie step-by-step in our VIDEO BELOW. I give you all my tips and tricks and walk you through every part so you end up with a success!
To make this Curry Chicken Pot Pie, I highly recommend using an oven thermometer like this one. It helps you to be sure of your temperature even if your oven is not calibrated. And for any of the tools I used in our video, you can check out our tool kit. By the way, even though this post is not sponsored, I did use affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you do end up purchasing any of these products mentioned at no extra cost to you. I’d be happy to answer any questions for you about these products.
Curry Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- ½-¾ teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 cups chopped cauliflower
- 1 cup frozen peas and carrots
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup heavy cream, divided
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups shredded cooked chicken or turkey
- 1 store-bought pie crust (thawed if frozen)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400ºF (if you find that your crust is not browning fast enough, you can turn your heat up to 425ºF).
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic, curry powder, and salt and cook for 1 minute. Stir in cauliflower and peas and carrots. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir to coat. Set aside 1 tablespoon cream (to brush the top of the pie with later), then stir in the remaining cream, along with broth, red pepper flakes, and chicken (or turkey)
- Cook, stirring often, until the mixture begins to thicken, 3 to 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Transfer to a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan. Refrigerate, stirring occasionally, until cooled, about 10 minutes.
- Once slightly cooled, spread the filling evenly. Lay the pie crust over it and crimp the edges with a fork. Use a sharp knife to make a few slits in the crust. Lightly and evenly brush with the reserved 1 tablespoon cream, avoiding the edges (they usually brown first). You don't have to use all the cream or the crust may get soggy.
- Bake until the crust is light golden brown and the filling is bubbling, 30 to 40 minutes. This is a big range, but it all depends on your oven. If your oven is set at 425ºF, it might take 25-30 minutes instead. In either case, start checking for doneness starting from the 25 minute mark. You're looking for a firm flaky crust that is slightly golden brown and for the filling to be bubbling. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.
