Broccoli Cheddar Pot Pie is loaded with cheesy broccoli, seasoned chicken, and tender carrots. We top this unforgettable mixture with a buttery, flaky puff pastry crust and bake it to perfection!
Try some of our other favorite pot pie recipes like this Corn Chowder Pot Pie, Ham Pot Pie, or Chicken Pot Pie Pasta (made in one pot!)
Broccoli Cheddar Pot Pie
Broccoli Cheddar Pot Pie channels two comfort food favorites — Chicken Pot Pie and Broccoli Cheddar Soup — into a delicious and hearty meal the whole family will love.
This pot pie is such a fun flavor variation and a must-make when you’re craving a hearty and comforting meal.
Shortcuts
Shortcut Ideas
While pot pie recipes can be fairly time-intensive to make, the goal of this Cheddar Broccoli Pot Pie is to be relatively quick and easy. We don’t need to make a homemade crust and there are a few other short-cuts to ensure prep is as quick as possible.
- Pre-diced onions. Most grocery stores sell diced yellow onions in the produce section of the store. Alternatively, frozen diced onions are often found by the other frozen veggies and can be used in this recipe. Or, use a food processor to quickly chop an onion.
- Already minced garlic. We love Dorot® crushed garlic cubes which you can keep handy in the freezer and pop into this (and other) recipes when needed. (Check if your local store carries them; they’re typically found with frozen veggies in the grocery store.) Another option is to use refrigerated minced garlic.
- Rotisserie chicken. Pre-cooked and seasoned chicken is a total time saver on its own, but to save even more time on the chicken, you can purchase rotisserie chicken meat already pulled from the bones and shredded or diced — a lot of grocery stores sell this conveniently prepared chicken. It’s a total lifesaver and game changer for busy cooks!
- Frozen broccoli. Frozen broccoli is already washed and chopped which takes out quite a bit of prep work. It’s also blanched (partially cooked) before being frozen which makes the cooking time so much faster. We don’t need to steam or roast raw broccoli for this recipe.
Other Broccoli Cheddar Pot Pie Ingredients
Other Broccoli Cheddar Pot Pie Ingredients- Carrots. The carrots add a nice complementary texture, balance to the sweetness, and a bit more veggies into this pot pie.
- Whole milk. We tried this pot pie with different kinds of milk and didn’t find the consistency to work as nicely with lower fat percentages. The texture wasn’t as thick and creamy with lower fat percentages. While you can use 1 or 2% with slightly less creamy/thick results, we don’t recommend plant-based alternatives or skim milk in this recipe. On the other end, we also don’t recommend heavy cream which will likely curdle in this recipe. If you are lactose-intolerant, we recommend Lactaid® whole milk (not sponsored) and lactose-free cheese for this recipe.
- Seasonings. The seasoning blend really pulls all the flavors together in this recipe — paprika, ground mustard, dried thyme, chicken bouillon powder, and of course salt and pepper. Salt the filling slowly and to taste — depending on how salty the Parmesan cheese is you may want to add less overall salt. Taste test the filling before adding it to the pie pan, if you don’t find the flavors “sing” add a pinch more salt or even more chicken bouillon.
- Flour and butter. These two ingredients are responsible for thickening the filling.
- Cheeses. We recommend sharp or extra-sharp Cheddar which has a richer and more pungent flavor. The Parmesan cheese adds such a nice savoriness and complementary flavor to the Cheddar.
- Puff pastry dough. More on this ingredient below.
Puff Pastry Dough
- The puff pastry I recommend in this recipe can be found in the freezer section of your grocery store near the breads or desserts. It’s a little tricky to find sometimes, so use a store app if your grocery store has one. We love and recommend Pepperidge Farm puff pastry sheets (not sponsored).
- There are 2 sheets per package and we only use one for this recipe. Set out one to thaw and then tightly wrap up the other one and promptly return it to the freezer.
- Brush with an egg wash. Whisk an egg with a fork and brush it generously over the puff pastry to get a deeply golden-brown crust. The egg also ensures the puff pastry is even that much more flavorful.
- Don’t forget to vent the pie. Cut a few slits in the top of the puff pastry to allow steam to release as the Broccoli Cheddar Pot Pie bakes.
Quick Tip
If you prefer, top this pie with a traditional crust instead — either store-bought or try this homemade pie crust. If you opt for a pie crust instead of puff pastry, bake the pot pie at 400 degrees F for 45-50 minutes or until the crust is a nice golden brown.
Broccoli Cheddar Pot Pie Recipe Tips
- Finely dice the veggies and take your time to sufficiently sauté them. The onions and carrots won’t soften much more after the initial sautéing, so be sure they are all fork tender at this point. To ensure tender veggies that don’t take too long to get tender, be sure to finely dice these veggies into small, even-sized pieces.
- The broccoli is added near the end of the cooking process to quickly warm it through — we want the broccoli to be very finely chopped so it can integrate evenly into the pot pie and fully cook through in this amount of time.
- Before adding the filling to the pie dish, make sure it is thickened to your desired consistency. The sauce doesn’t thicken much (if at all) once the puff pastry is added on, so keep cooking the filling until you have a nice and creamy consistency you are happy with — it should not be watery or the pot pie will end up watery! On the other end, if it ends up overly thickened, you may want to add a splash more of milk to thin it out a touch.
- If using fresh broccoli, steam it first. Using fresh broccoli in place of frozen isn’t a perfect substitution since frozen broccoli is blanched (partially cooked).
Storage
Broccoli Cheddar Pot Pie Storage
Once baked, this Broccoli Cheddar Pot Pie is best enjoyed promptly. Leftovers store okay, but the puff pastry will lose texture and soften. Cover leftovers and keep them in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the oven at 350 degrees F, covered with foil for about 20-25 minutes.
To prepare ahead of time, make the filling right up to the point of adding the puff pastry on top; instead, let it cool completely to room temperature. Cover the cooled filling in the pie pan and refrigerate. When ready to assemble, top with thawed puff pastry dough and bake. You may need to add an additional 10-15 minutes added to bake time since the filling is chilled. Cover pot pie with foil if the pastry dough is browning too quickly.
Quick Tip
This recipe is aimed at being simple, but the one thing we highly recommend is grating your own cheese. Not only will you get the most accurate measurement (which is especially important with the Parmesan cheese so your pot pie doesn’t end up too salty or overpowering), but you’ll also ensure a nice and even melt. Pre-grated cheese contains preservatives that keep the shreds from clumping together in the bag, but they also keep the cheese from melting smoothly in this recipe.
More comfort foods
- Baked Ravioli Lasagna one skillet!
- Chicken Gnocchi Soup with veggies and rotisserie chicken
- Butter Chicken Meatballs in a rich and creamy curry sauce
- Chicken Melts topped with sharp Cheddar cheese
- Beef and Barley Soup in the slow cooker
Broccoli Cheddar Pot Pie
Equipment
- Pie pan 10-inch, glass
Ingredients
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry dough see note 3
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1-1/4 cups diced yellow onion see note 1
- 1-1/4 cups diced carrots
- 2 garlic cloves minced, optional
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1-3/4 cup whole milk
- 3/4 teaspoon paprika
- 3/4 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
- 2 cups finely diced frozen broccoli
- 1-1/2 cups chopped rotisserie chicken
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese see note 2
- 1 cup freshly shredded sharp Cheddar cheese divided
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Follow package directions to thaw 1 sheet of puff pastry dough. Preheat the oven to 350℉. Generously grease a glass 10-inch pie pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. A 9-inch pan will also work
- Add 2 tablespoons butter to a large pot over medium-high heat. Once melted, add the diced onion and carrots. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until veggies are tender, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, sauté for another minute or until fragrant.
- Press veggies to the edges of the pot and add remaining 2 tablespoons butter into the center of the pot. Once melted, add in the flour. Cook, stirring constantly for 30-60 seconds. Gradually pour in the milk while stirring constantly. Cook until slightly thickened and add in paprika, ground mustard, thyme, chicken bouillon powder, salt, and pepper. Mix in seasonings. Sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.
- Stir in finely diced broccoli and chopped rotisserie chicken. Mix until heated through, about 1-2 minutes (see note 4). Remove pot from heat. Add in Parmesan cheese and 1/2 cup of the sharp Cheddar cheese. Gently stir until melted. Transfer contents of the pot into prepared pie pan. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese on top.
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg with a fork until smooth. Using a pastry brush, brush egg wash around the edges of the pie tin. Place thawed puff pastry on top of the pie and gently press down around edges. Generously brush the entire puff pastry with egg wash. Use a knife to cut several vents in the top. Place pot pie on a baking sheet and bake for 35-45 minutes or until deeply golden and bubbling at the edges. Remove and let stand for 5 minutes. Serve with fresh thyme if desired. Enjoy!
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
