30-Minute Chicken Pot Pie
A 30 minute chicken pot pie is a weeknight version that runs two jobs in parallel: puff pastry squares bake on a tray while the filling of cooked chicken and frozen vegetables simmers on the hob. Assembling at the table means nothing waits on anything else.
By the chickenpie.net test kitchen · Published 21 July 2026
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
Ingredients
- 320g ready rolled puff pastry
- 1 egg, beaten, for glazing
- 350g cooked chicken, shredded
- 30g butter
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 30g plain flour
- 300ml hot chicken stock
- 100ml whole milk
- 200g frozen peas and carrots
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
Method
Heat the oven to 200C (400F), cut the puff pastry into four squares on a lined tray, score a border on each, brush with beaten egg, and bake for 18 to 20 minutes until puffed and golden.
While the pastry bakes, melt the butter in a wide pan and cook the onion for 4 minutes.
Stir in the flour, cook for 1 minute, then whisk in the hot stock in stages, followed by the milk, until smooth.
Add the frozen vegetables, chicken, and mustard, and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the filling is piping hot. Season to taste.
Divide the filling between four bowls and top each with a hot pastry square straight from the oven.
Worth knowing
- Use hot stock from a just boiled kettle, cold stock adds minutes to the sauce and the clock.
- Get the pastry into the oven before anything else, it is the long pole in the 30 minutes.
Common questions
Is this really achievable in 30 minutes?
Yes, if the pastry goes into a preheated oven first and the filling uses cooked chicken. The pastry takes about 20 minutes, the filling about 15, and they run at the same time.
Can I use raw chicken?
Yes, but it adds time. Dice 400g of thighs small and fry them for 6 to 7 minutes after the onion, before the flour goes in. Expect closer to 40 minutes in total.
Why not bake the pastry on top of the filling?
A lid baked on the filling needs 25 to 30 minutes plus assembly, which breaks the 30 minute budget. Baking the squares separately is faster and the pastry comes out crisper underneath.