If you love cozy, comforting meals that make the most of simple ingredients, this Chicken and Stuffing Pie is about to become a new favourite. Made to use up leftover cooked chicken, this easy casserole comes together “lickety split” and delivers all the flavours of a classic pot pie with none of the fuss of a pastry crust — because here, the stuffing is the crust . Tender chicken, savoury herbs, and buttery sautéed vegetables bake into a golden, satisfying dish that may “not look like much,” but is, as the author promises, purely and simply delicious.
Serve it as‑is or ladle over some creamy peas and carrots for the full nostalgic experience — a combination that is incredibly tasty. Whether you’re cooking for your family or simply craving a hearty, no‑waste supper, this recipe brings together everything you love about chicken, stuffing, and comfort food in one exceptionally good bake.
- 2 celery ribs, trimmed and chopped
- 1 small onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 TBS butter
- 8 ounces stuffing crumbs, or crushed croutons (2 cups)
- 1/2 tsp rubbed sage
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme
- 1/4 tsp dried marjoram
- pinch ground nutmeg
- 1 TBS dried parsley flakes
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 1/2 cups (375ml) of warm chicken broth
- 2 cups of chopped cooked chicken
- 2 TBS butter
- 2 TBS plain flour
- 1 pint of milk
- salt and pepper to taste
- cooked peas and carrots to taste (I like a larger ratio of sauce to veg, but some people like more veg than sauce)
Celery & Onion
These two aromatics form the savoury backbone of the pie. They’re sautéed “without colouring until soft” , which keeps their flavour gentle and sweet rather than browned or sharp. Soft vegetables also blend more easily into the stuffing mixture.
Butter
Used to sauté the vegetables and add richness. It’s the first flavour layer in the dish and helps soften the celery and onion evenly. I use salted butter as I don't keep any other kind in the house, with the exception of Ghee which I make myself.
Stuffing Crumbs / Crushed Croutons / Dry Bread Crumbs
The recipe is wonderfully flexible here — you can use “stuffing crumbs, dry bread crumbs, crushed croutons… whatever”. These crumbs act as both the base and the “crust,” absorbing broth and egg to create a tender, cohesive pie.
Herbs & Seasonings
Sage, thyme, marjoram, nutmeg, parsley flakes, plus salt and pepper. These classic poultry-friendly herbs give the pie its comforting, familiar flavour. Mixing them into the crumbs ensures even seasoning throughout the dish .
Egg
The beaten egg binds the mixture, helping the pie set into sliceable wedges. It works together with the broth to create a soft, stuffing-like texture.
Warm Chicken Broth
The broth moistens the crumbs and carries flavour through the dish. Using it warm helps everything blend smoothly. The recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups (375ml), which gives the pie its tender, spoonable consistency.
Cooked Chicken
This recipe is designed to use leftovers — it calls for 2 cups of chopped cooked chicken. Because the chicken is already cooked, it simply warms through in the oven, making this a quick, comforting bake. You can even use leftover rotisserie chicken.
Creamed Peas & Carrots (Optional, for Serving)
This simple topping is very good. I highly recommend you making it. It adds creaminess and colour, turning the dish into a full, nostalgically comforting meal.
- Melt the butter in a frying pan. Add the onion and celery. Sauté without colouring until soft, stirring frequently. Set aside to cool. (I add the veggies as soon as the butter starts to foam.)
- Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter a 9 inch pie dish. Set aside. (It need not be a deep pie dish.)
- Tip the bread crumbs into a bowl along with the sage, thyme, marjoram, nutmeg and parsley flakes. Mix together well. (If the stuffing crumbs or croutons are really large you can crush them a bit to make them smaller.)
- Stir in the broth, beaten egg and sauteed vegetables. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (You can use a fork to do this if you wish. Make sure the broth is not hot or you will scramble the egg.)
- Stir in the chicken. Mix well. Spread this mixture into the buttered pie dish. (I like to compact it lightly with a fork. You can make a criss cross pattern with the fork and it will look really pretty.)
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until set and lightly browned. (A knife inserted near the center should also come out clean.)
- While baking make the creamed peas and carrots. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour. Cook for about a minute without browning. (I use a small wire whisk to do this)
- Slowly whisk in the milk. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until thickened. (Whisking it continuously ensures that no lumps appear.)
- Reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer for about five minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the vegetables and heat through. (You can use a frozen peas and carrots mix thawed and lightly cooked, then drained, or you can cook your peas and carrots from scratch. Use as much or as little of these vegetables as makes you happy.)
- Serve the baked pie, cut into wedges along with some creamed peas and carrots spooned over top if desired. A tossed salad goes very well with this. (Trust me when I say this is incredibly delicious!)
Sauté the vegetables gently
The recipe asks you to sauté the celery and onion “without colouring until soft”. Keeping them pale ensures the flavour stays sweet and mellow rather than browned or bitter.
Let the vegetables cool before mixing
Warm vegetables can start to cook the egg prematurely. The recipe explicitly says to “set aside to cool” after sautéing .
Use any crumbs you have on hand
You can use “stuffing crumbs, dry bread crumbs, crushed croutons… whatever” . This makes the recipe flexible and perfect for using pantry odds and ends.
Mix the dry seasonings thoroughly
The herbs — sage, thyme, marjoram, nutmeg, parsley flakes — are meant to be mixed well into the crumbs before adding liquid .This ensures even flavour throughout the pie.
Add broth gradually if your mixture seems too wet
The recipe gives a fixed amount of broth, but different crumbs absorb differently. You want a moist mixture that holds together, not a soupy one.
Season to taste
The recipe reminds you to “season to taste with salt and pepper” after mixing everything together . Taste the mixture before baking — this is your chance to adjust.
Spread the mixture evenly in the dish
A level surface helps the pie bake uniformly and brown nicely until set and lightly browned.
Let it rest briefly after baking
A short rest (5–10 minutes) helps the pie firm up, making it easier to cut into neat wedges.
Serve with something creamy
I highly recommend making the creamed peas and carrots to spoon over top — the contrast of creamy sauce and savoury stuffing is part of the charm.
Don’t judge it by looks
It may not look like much… looks are very deceiving here. This is fabulous. Lean into the comfort‑food spirit — this dish is all about flavour.
Chicken & Stuffing Pie
This may not look like much, but it's delicious! Loaded with flavor and so tasty served cut into wedges with a ladle full of creamed peas and carrots spooned over top.
Ingredients
- 2 celery ribs, trimmed and chopped
- 1 small onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 TBS butter
- 8 ounces stuffing crumbs, or crushed croutons (2 cups)
- 1/2 tsp rubbed sage
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme
- 1/4 tsp dried marjoram
- pinch ground nutmeg
- 1 TBS dried parsley flakes
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 1/2 cups (375ml) of warm chicken broth
- 2 cups of chopped cooked chicken
- 2 TBS butter
- 2 TBS plain flour
- 1 pint of milk
- salt and pepper to taste
- cooked peas and carrots to taste (I like a larger ratio of sauce to veg, but some people like more veg than sauce)
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a frying pan. Add the onion and celery. Saute without colouring until soft, stirring frequently. Set aside to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter a 9 inch pie dish. Set aside.
- Tip the bread crumbs into a bowl along with the sage, thyme, marjoram, nutmeg and parsley flakes. Mix together well.
- Stir in the broth, beaten egg and sauteed vegetables. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Stir in the chicken. Mix well. Spread this mixture into the buttered pie dish.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until set and lightly browned.
- While baking make the creamed peas and carrots. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour. Cook for about a minute without browning.
- Slowly whisk in the milk. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until thickened.
- Reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer for about five minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the vegetables and heat through.
- Serve the baked pie, cut into wedges along with some creamed peas and carrots spooned over top if desired. A tossed salad goes very well with this.
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Thank you for sharing ! I will have to make this !
ReplyDeleteI think you will really like this Pam! xo
DeleteBoy Howdy, Marie- that is what my Texas boy is going to say when I make this dish for him! He even asks now if the recipe is one of yours as I depend on you for all the good stuff! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI hope he enjoys it Christine! It's a real favourite around here! The Toddster loves it! You're welcome! xo
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