Chicken Hand Pies

Chicken hand pies are stuff full of delicious pot pie filling and are a fun finger food for busy weeknights.

Table of Contents

Chicken Hand Pies Ingredients
Substitutions And Additions
How To Make This Chicken Hand Pies Recipe
How To Serve
Storing These Chicken Pot Pie Pockets
Why We Love This Recipe
Frequently Asked Questions
More Recipes You’ll Love
JUMP TO RECIPE
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Handheld pies make meals fun for big and little kids alike, and these chicken hand pies are the perfect savory pie in portable form. Stuffed full of tender chicken and veggies in a creamy sauce and wrapped in a flaky pastry crust, you’ll have a tasty meal on the go or at home.

close up shot of Chicken Hand Pies on a plate

Chicken Hand Pies Ingredients

Chicken Hand Pies raw ingredients that are labeled

This chicken hand pies recipe offers a delicious blend of savory and creamy flavors.

The melted butter, diced onions, and chicken broth create a rich and aromatic base, while cream cheese and whole milk contribute to a velvety texture.

Diced chicken, peas, and carrots add heartiness and freshness, all encased in a flaky pie crust with a golden finish from an egg yolk wash.

You’ll need:

4 tablespoons of salted butter, melted
½ cup of diced yellow onion
¼ cup of all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon of black pepper
1 cup of chicken broth (or 1 cup water + 1½ teaspoons of chicken bouillon)
1¼ cups of whole milk
2 ounces of cream cheese, cut into pieces
1 cup of frozen peas and carrots
2 cups of diced, cooked chicken
2 refrigerated rolled pie crusts (1 standard 14-ounce 2-pack)
1 egg yolk + 1 teaspoon of water, beaten

Substitutions And Additions

CHICKEN: You can either use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, or you can prepare a chicken breast and cut it up into small pieces.

CHEESE: You could add cheddar cheese or parmesan cheese to your filling for a melty addition to these yummy portable hand pies.

FROZEN PEAS AND CARROTS: Substitute frozen peas and carrots with a medley of your favorite vegetables, like corn, broccoli florets, or even diced bell peppers.

This allows you to personalize the filling to your taste and incorporate seasonal or leftover veggies.

CHICKEN BROTH: If you’re looking to make this recipe vegetarian, you can swap the chicken broth with vegetable broth without significantly altering the overall taste.

Vegetable broth provides a savory base while keeping the dish meat-free. For a lower-sodium option, opt for a low-sodium broth to control the saltiness.

How To Make This Chicken Hand Pies Recipe

Let’s start with making the creamy filling before assembling these convenient hand pies.

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 450°F. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray and line it with parchment paper.

STEP TWO: In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add the diced onions and saute until the onion is translucent, three to four minutes.

butter and diced onions sautéed in a pot

STEP THREE: Add the flour, salt, and pepper. Cook, constantly stirring, until the flour mixture begins to brown, three to four minutes.

flour, salt, and pepper added to the pot

STEP FOUR: Slowly stir or whisk chicken broth and whole milk into the flour mixture. Stir constantly while pouring just a bit at a time to make a smooth mixture.

chicken broth and whole milk added to the pot with a wooden spatula

STEP FIVE: Continue cooking over medium heat, constantly stirring to ensure the milk does not burn on the bottom of the pan.

Cook until the mixture begins to bubble and thicken slightly, about five minutes. Remove from heat.

STEP SIX: Stir in cream cheese, frozen vegetables, and diced chicken. Stir to mix evenly.

STEP SEVEN: Prepare pie crusts by removing pie dough from the packaging. Unroll one crust on a lightly floured surface.

It is important to keep the crusts thick enough to hold the pie filling, so I did not roll the crusts out any thinner than they came in the package.

Use an overturned bowl or round cookie cutter to cut out two circles from the piece of dough.

Gently gather together the dough scraps and roll out just enough to cut two additional circles (you may even need to do one at a time).

OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS

If the crusts are too thin, the pie will split apart during baking.

STEP EIGHT: Place three crust circles onto the prepared baking sheet.

STEP NINE: Place a scoop of chicken pot pie filling into the center of each circle.

PRO TIP:

Only a couple of tablespoons of the filling mixture will fit in the pie. Do not overfill.

dough being filled and brushed with egg yolk

STEP TEN: In a small bowl, use a fork to beat the egg yolk with cold water.

PRO TIP:

The egg yolk wash will give the hand pies a nice golden sheen. It is also really helpful to seal the edges together.

For the best seal, be sure that the filling and/or any excess flour is away from the edge of the dough.

STEP ELEVEN: Brush a bit of the egg yolk wash around the edge of the circle to help the sides seal. Now, fold the pie crust in half to form a crescent shape.

Press down, working from the outer edge in, and then crimp with your fingers or a fork to seal the edges.

Using a pastry brush, brush the whole hand pie with the egg wash. Use a fork to poke a few holes in the top of the pies.

PRO TIP:

I found that pinching the edges of the dough provides a better seal than crimping with the tines of a fork; just make sure you press edges together well so that they seal.

egg yolk being crushed on to chicken hand pies

STEP TWELVE: Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the pies are golden brown and the crust is crispy.

The filling is already cooked, so we’re really just cooking the crust here.

pies after being baked and placed on a wooden board

How To Serve

Enjoy these chicken pot pie hand pies as a quick and easy meal when you are busy running to various activities on school nights.

Serve them at home alongside a Caesar salad for a complete meal.

Check out two more of our tasty chicken recipes.

Our chicken pot pie is the ideal comfort food, and our chicken pot pie noodles take a traditional dish and put a different spin on it.

MORE CHICKEN POT PIE RECIPES

Casserole Ideas

Chicken Pot Pie Casserole

Chicken Dinner Ideas

Chicken Pot Pie Bake

Storing These Chicken Pot Pie Pockets

Whether you want to prepare them in advance or save leftovers for later, here’s what you need to know:

MAKE AHEAD: If you’re planning ahead, you can assemble the hand pies, but hold off on baking them.

Simply cover them tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

When you’re ready to bake, pop them in the oven as per the recipe instructions. This is a handy option for streamlining meal prep for busy days.

IN THE FRIDGE: These chicken and vegetable hand pies are best if eaten right away.

Leftover hand pies can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for two to three days. Reheat in the oven for best results.

IN THE FREEZER: These chicken pocket pies can be frozen before baking. Keep in an airtight container, with each pie separated by wax paper.

Thaw and pop in the oven as needed.

REHEATING: When you’re ready to enjoy your refrigerated or frozen hand pies, you have a few options for reheating:

OVEN: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the pies on a baking sheet and warm them for about 15-20 minutes or until heated through.
MICROWAVE: For a quick reheat, microwave individual pies on a microwave-safe plate. Use the microwave’s low or medium setting and heat them in 30-second intervals until they’re hot.

Why We Love This Recipe

SAVORY COMFORT: The combination of creamy, savory filling and flaky pastry crust creates a portable, pocket-sized comfort that’s perfect for both lunch and dinner.

MAKE-AHEAD: You can prepare them a day ahead, refrigerate them, and then bake them when needed, making meal planning a breeze for busy days.

FREEZER-FRIENDLY: With the option to freeze these hand pies, you can make a batch and have them on hand for quick, satisfying meals whenever you want.

close up shot of Chicken Hand Pies stack on top of each other

These savory chicken hand pies are stuffed full of goodies. They taste just like a traditional pot pie but in a much more convenient form. They are perfect for taking with you to work, school, or eating at home, and the whole family will love the finger food factor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make these pies ahead of time?

This easy recipe could be made ahead of time in a larger batch and then frozen until you are ready to bake them. Let them thaw and bake as needed.

Can I use my own pie crust?

You could substitute your own pie crust if you have a preferred recipe. Or, check out our simple pie crust recipe.

Can I customize the fillings based on my family’s preferences?

You can add or remove any of the filling ingredients for a custom filling inside your hand pies.

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Chicken Hand Pies

5 from 1 vote

Chicken hand pies are stuff full of delicious pot pie filling and are a fun finger food for busy weeknights.

Prep Time 35

Cook Time 10

Total Time 45

Servings

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Ingredients

4 tablespoons salted butter, melted
½ cup yellow onion, diced
¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup chicken broth, or 1 cup water plus 1 ½ teaspoons chicken bouillon
1¼ cups whole milk
2 ounces cream cheese, cut into pieces
1 cup frozen peas and carrots
2 cups chicken, cooked and diced
2 refrigerated rolled pie crusts, 1 standard 14-ounce 2-pack
1 egg yolk, beaten (plus 1 teaspoon water)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450°F.
In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add diced onions and saute until onion is translucent (3 to 4 minutes).
Add flour, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until the flour mixture begins to brown (3 to 4 minutes).
Slowly stir or whisk chicken broth and whole milk into the flour mixture. Stir constantly while pouring just a bit at a time to make a smooth mixture.
Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring constantly to ensure milk does not burn on the bottom of the pan. Cook until mixture begins to bubble and thicken slightly (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat.
Stir in cream cheese, frozen vegetables, and diced chicken. Stir to mix evenly.
Prepare pie crusts by removing pie crust from packaging. Unroll one crust on a lightly floured surface. It is important to keep the crusts thick enough to hold the pie filling, so I did not roll the crusts out any thinner than they came in the package. Use a bowl, placed upside down, to cut out two circles from the dough. Gently gather together the scraps, roll out just enough to cut two additional circles (you may even need to do one at a time).
Place three crust circles onto a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
Place a scoop of filling into the center of the circle.
Use a fork to beat the egg yolk with water.
Brush a bit of the egg yolk wash around the edge of the circle to help the sides seal. Now, fold the pie crust in half to form a crescent shape. Press down (work from the outer edge in) and then crimp with your fingers or a fork to seal the edges. Brush the whole hand pie with the egg wash. Use a fork to poke a few holes in the top of the pies.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the pies are golden brown and the crust is crispy. The filling is already cooked so we’re really just cooking the crust here.

Notes

If the crusts are too thin, the pie will split apart during baking.
Only a couple of tablespoons of the filling mixture will fit in the pie. Do not overfill.
The egg yolk wash will give the hand pies a nice golden sheen. It is also really helpful to seal the edges together. For the best seal, be sure that the filling and/or any excess flour is away from the edge of the dough.
I found that pinching the edges of the dough provides a better seal than crimping with the tines of a fork; just make sure you press edges together well so that they seal.

Nutrition

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Proudly Prepared by the Spaceships Kitchen

This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!