Cracker Barrel Homestyle Chicken Pot Pie
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The Cracker Barrel Chicken Pot Pie is oh-so-cozy, creamy, hearty, and rich — and now you can make it in the comfort of your home! My easy copycat recipe uses simple ingredients and has dinner on the kitchen table in half an hour or less.
Why You’ll Love This Cracker Barrel Pot Pie!
We all know Cracker Barrel is the southern haven for families looking for classic comforting dishes — who can resist their chicken and dumplings recipe or corn muffins?!
Who knew it was so easy to make this delicious Cracker Barrel dish at home? Dive right in and see for yourself!
Ingredient Notes
- Butter | Use melted unsalted butter to cook the veggies. If preferred, you may use oil. However, the creamy butter compliments the other rich flavors far better.
- Veggies | The chicken pot pie filling includes several veggies, like diced onion, celery, carrots, and frozen green peas.
- Flour | All-purpose flour helps to thicken the creamy sauce.
- Salt and pepper | A little salt and pepper to season the pie filling.
- Herbes de Provence | This herb blend has everything you need! From basil and thyme to marjoram and mint, the flavors genuinely come together when adding this unique mixture.
- Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base | Bring a robust meaty flavor to the pot pie filling by adding Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base. You may use a chicken bouillon if preferred, but the taste will be far less rich.
- Milk | Add milk to the saucy filling for a creamy touch. Whole milk is best, but you may use any kind you prefer.
- Chicken broth | Pour in some chicken broth or water to give the filling more fluidity and flavor.
- Chicken | Have chicken breasts or tenderloins cooked, cubed, and ready to go! Roast them in the oven, or slow-simmer them on the stovetop—whichever you prefer. You may also use rotisserie chicken for this recipe.
- Parsley | Chop fresh Italian parsley for a crisp herby taste.
- Pie dough | While you could make your own pie dough, the refrigerated pre-made dough is much easier and just as tasty! You can even substitute puff pastry dough if you like.
- Egg | If desired, brush the top of the pie dough with an egg yolk and water for a glossy finish.
How to make Cracker Barrel Chicken Pot Pie Recipe
BONUS: It’s easy to double the recipe when you need to feed a crowd of 10 to 12 people. Chicken pot pie is also perfect for meal prep!
Double all the ingredients to make two pies, then store the second in the freezer. That way, you have an easy dinner ready to pop into the oven for those cold winter nights.
STEP 1 | Preheat and prep
First, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and prepare the chicken pot pie dish so it’s ready when you need it. Grab a 10-inch deep-dish pie dish or an 11 x 7-inch baking dish and set it on a baking sheet.
STEP 2 | Melt the butter and sauté the veggies
Set a large skillet over medium heat and add the butter to melt. Once the butter is almost entirely melted, add the chopped onion, celery, and carrots.
Then, cook the veggies for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Move forward with the recipe when the vegetables are softened.
STEP 3 | Add the peas, flour, and seasonings
Next, pour the frozen peas into the skillet and cook for another minute. Then sprinkle the top with flour, salt, pepper, and Herbes de Provence. Cook and stir until the veggies are thoroughly coated.
STEP 4 | Cook the creamy sauce
To complete the rich sauce, pour the bouillon, milk, and chicken broth all at once into the skillet — no canned cream of chicken soup here!
Stir all the ingredients and cook for about two minutes until the sauce and veggies are warmed and bubbly.
STEP 5 | Add the final ingredients and pour into the pie dish
Remove the skillet from the burner. Next, stir in the cooked chicken and chopped Italian parsley. Then, quickly pour the creamy chicken mixture into the prepared deep-dish pie pan.
STEP 6 | Seal with the pie dough
Now, carefully unroll the pie crust and place it on top of the chicken and sauce mixture. Gently flute and seal the edges to the plate. Then, use a sharp knife to cut several slits in the dough to release the steam as it bakes.
For a glossy finish, whisk together the egg yolk and water, then brush the egg wash on top of the crust.
STEP 7 | Bake and serve!
Finally, slip the baking sheet with the pie dish into the oven and bake the chicken pot pie for about 12 to 15 minutes. If the edges seem to brown too quickly, cover them with a pie shield or aluminum foil.
Remove the sheet from the oven when the crust is golden and the creamy filling is bubbly. Then, let it cool for just a few minutes on the countertop, slice, and serve!
Tips from the Home Chef’s Kitchen
If you’re searching for more food to soothe your southern soul, you must try my Slow Cooker Pork Roast, Tomato Pie, and Southern Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole!
Variations and Substitutions
- No Herbes de Provence? You can mix the herbs instead of buying the blend. You’ll need the basics—fennel seeds, dried rosemary, thyme, tarragon, marjoram, basil, and mint. Or, you may use poultry seasoning instead.
- Add diced potatoes to make the pot pie more identical to the Cracker Barrel dish.
Storage and Reheating Tips
- You may complete the entire recipe and freeze or refrigerate it for later use.
- When you’re ready to serve it, let the chicken pot pie come to room temperature, then heat it in the oven. You want the crust to be golden and the inside to be nice and bubbly.
Frequently Asked Questions
For this recipe, there is no bottom crust. I like to make a simpler chicken pot pie by only adding a top pie crust. That way, you don’t have to pre-bake the crust before adding the filling.
However, if you’d like to include a second pie crust, press it into the bottom of the pie dish before adding the creamy filling. Next, line it with parchment paper and add a layer of dried beans. Bake the bottom crust. Then, take the pie shell out of the oven and discard the parchment paper and beans.
While the shell is hot, brush the bottom and sides with egg wash. This will prevent the bottom crust from becoming soggy when adding the filling and baking the pie.
If you prefer your pot pie filling to be extra thick, there’s an easy way to make it happen before pouring it into the pie dish. Add a little cornstarch or flour mixed with water and bring the ingredients to a simmer. Once fully incorporated, pour the filling into the dish and continue with the recipe.
One of the best things about this classic dish is how you can make it in a few different ways ahead of time. First, you can prepare the chicken a few days before continuing with the recipe. Just cook and chop it into cubes, then store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Or prepare all of the filling ahead of time. Once completed, store it in the fridge for three to four days or freeze it for over a month! Then, let it come to room temperature before adding it to the pie dish to bake.
What to Serve with Chicken Pot Pie
Serve your delicious Cracker Barrel copycat chicken pot pie with classic Southern Biscuits smeared with butter or jam. For a more filling side, try my buttery Mashed Sweet Potatoes, or keep it light with a crisp salad and creamy Basil Buttermilk Dressing.
For a truly southern feel, check out my easy Crunchy Oven-Fried Okra — YUM! Oh, and don’t forget to finish the meal with a slice of homemade Apple Pie or Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie!
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Cracker Barrel Homestyle Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup onion diced
- ½ cup celery diced
- ½ cup carrots diced
- 1 cup frozen green peas
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon Herbes de Provence
- 1 tablespoon Better Than Buillion Roasted Chicken Base
- 2 cups milk
- ¾ cup chicken broth or water
- 3 cups chicken cooked and cubed
- ¼ cup Italian parsley chopped
- ½ pkg. refrigerated pie dough
- 1 large egg yolk + 1 teaspoon water optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place a 10-inch pie dish or an 11 x 7-inch baking dish on a baking sheet.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, celery, and carrots and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened.
- Add the frozen peas and cook 1 more minute, then sprinkle the top with the flour, salt, pepper, Herbes de Provence. Cook and stir until the veggies are coated.
- Pour in the bouillon, milk, and chicken broth all at once. Stir to combine and cook for 2 minutes, until warmed through and bubbly.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the chicken and parsley. Immediately transfer the mixture to the pie dish.
- Carefully unroll the pie dough and place on top of the chicken mixture. Flute and seal the edges to the plate. Use a sharp knife to cut several slits in the dough to release steam. If desired, whisk together the egg yolk and water and brush on top of the crust before baking for a glossy finish.
- Bake the pot pie for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbly.
Notes
- Add diced potatoes to make it more identical to the Cracker Barrel dish.
- Make your creamy white sauce lump-free by mixing it with a whisk.
- This pot pie is also delicious made with leftover turkey.
- When you allow the pie to sit after baking, the filling thickens, and the flavors meld together.
Nutrition
Life Love and Good Food does not claim to be a registered dietician or nutritionist. Nutritional information shared on this site is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
Beyond the recipe
This tasty Homestyle Chicken Pot Pie was added to the Cracker Barrel menu sometime in 2020. Like many restaurants during the pandemic, the dining rooms remained closed.
However, Cracker Barrel still offered top-of-the-line curbside pick-up and delivery. They knew we were all missing the signature taste of Grandma’s cooking because this comforting pot pie surely helped to soothe the craving!
Cracker Barrel has always been the go-to spot for classic comfort food, especially for southern folks. You can’t go wrong with a menu full of crispy fried chicken, pork chops, buttermilk biscuits, hashbrown casserole, and savory meatloaf.
Plus, it’s always a treat to walk through the nostalgic old country store.
The Homestyle Chicken Pot Pie was introduced just in time, blending in so nicely with the rest of their southern-style menu and bringing warmth to their loyal fans during one of the most challenging times in recent history.
About Sheila Thigpen
Recipe Developer, Food Photographer, Food Writer
Sheila Thigpen is the publisher of Life, Love, and Good Food — a Southern food blog — and the author of Easy Chicken Cookbook and The 5-Ingredient Fresh and Easy Cookbook. After 20+ years in the publishing industry, she retired in 2018 to focus on her own creative endeavors full time. She and her husband live near the beautiful Smoky Mountains and have a precious little granddaughter who has stolen their hearts. As an influencer, Sheila has collaborated with brands like Creamette, Kroger, HERSHEY’S, Hamilton Beach, Garafalo Pasta, OXO, Smithfield, Valley Fig Growers, and more.
This was excellent! I made a double batch and so glad I did. My husband said it was the best chicken pot pie he’s ever tasted. I cooked my chicken breast in a little olive oil with salt, pepper, and garlic powder and then cooked the veggies in the browned bits after removing the chicken. So good!
Where does the Better Than Buillion base come in?
Aime, add the bouillon with the milk and chicken broth in step 4 of the recipe instructions.
The Cracker Barrel chicken pot pie was my FAVORITE as a kid, and I am so happy to have found this recipe. It’s the real deal, and we barely have any leftovers!
OMG this was amazing. So creamy and flavorful. I had second helpings because it was that good! This is definitely going into our dinner rotations.
Coming back to let you know that it turned out fabulous! My husband and I now empty nesters, enjoyed it for several days, easy and full of flavor!
Making this tonight, cannot wait, CB pot pie is my fave!