Hey Sunshines,
It is Sunshine in the Kitchen, and today we are making the pot pie the internet cannot stop talking about, my way. This is the Trader Joe’s Costco Rotisserie Chicken Pot Pie, creamy Trader Joe’s Unexpected Broccoli Cheddar Soup, tender Costco rotisserie chicken, sweet vegetables tucked inside, and a golden, flaky puff pastry top that cracks when your spoon goes in.
Eat good, feel good, look good. That is the motto in this kitchen, and this dinner checks every box. It tastes like Sunday at grandma’s house, and it comes together on a busy Monday with store bought shortcuts and about five minutes of prep.
Short answer, for every busy mom searching this tonight: Yes, you can make the viral Trader Joe’s chicken pot pie with Costco rotisserie chicken and puff pastry instead of biscuits. Stir two containers of Trader Joe’s Unexpected Broccoli Cheddar Soup together with about three cups of shredded Costco rotisserie chicken and your vegetables, top it with cold puff pastry squares and an egg wash, and bake it at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes, until the pastry is deep golden and the filling is bubbling. That is the whole dinner.
This dinner at a glance: Prep time about 5 minutes, plus thawing the puff pastry in the fridge ahead of time. Cook time about 25 to 30 minutes. Total time about 35 minutes. Serves 5 to 6. One skillet or one baking dish. Kid friendly, family approved, and perfect for leftover chicken or leftover turkey.
What is the viral Trader Joe’s chicken pot pie?
The viral Trader Joe’s chicken pot pie is a shortcut pot pie made with Trader Joe’s Unexpected Broccoli Cheddar Soup, shredded rotisserie chicken, and a topping baked right over the filling, all in one dish. The soup does the work of the creamy sauce, the broccoli and cheddar are already in it, and the chicken is already cooked, so there is no roux to make, no raw chicken to cook, and no pie crust to roll out.
The food site I’m Hungry For That, which published the viral three ingredient version, explains how it spread in their own words:
“I kept seeing this 3-ingredient Trader Joe’s chicken pot pie all over TikTok and Instagram Reels, and the idea was too good not to try.”
Source: I’m Hungry For That, Trader Joe’s Chicken Pot Pie (Viral 3-Ingredient Recipe)
The puff pastry version I am making comes from Our Best Bites, who took that same viral idea and finished it with puff pastry. In their words:
“This easy Chicken Pot Pie with Puff pastry is the ultimate shortcut comfort food!”
And here is the part that makes this recipe ours, Sunshines. When Our Best Bites made their version, they wrote about the chicken:
“I used Costco rotisserie chicken.”
Source: Our Best Bites, Easy Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry (Trader Joe’s Shortcut)
Two stores, one skillet, one very happy family. Trader Joe’s brings the soup, Costco brings the chicken, and puff pastry brings the pretty.
Why busy moms love this rotisserie chicken pot pie
- Three main ingredients, soup, chicken, and puff pastry, and dinner is basically done
- No sauce to make from scratch, the broccoli cheddar soup is the creamy filling
- Rotisserie chicken is already cooked and seasoned, so there is no raw chicken step
- Puff pastry looks like you worked all afternoon, and all you did was cut it into squares
- One skillet, straight from the stove to the oven to the table
- It feeds a family of five or six, and the leftovers reheat beautifully
- The same recipe turns into a vegetable pot pie, and later this month, a leftover turkey pot pie
Ingredients for the Trader Joe’s Costco rotisserie chicken pot pie
- 2 containers Trader Joe’s Unexpected Broccoli Cheddar Soup, 20 ounces each
- About 3 cups diced or shredded Costco rotisserie chicken, skin removed, which is most of one chicken. One 16 ounce package of Trader Joe’s Seasoned and Shredded Rotisserie Chicken works the exact same way.
- 1 box puff pastry, thawed in the fridge, you will use 1 to 2 sheets depending on the size of your pan
- 1 and a half cups assorted frozen vegetables, optional but I love them in here. Peas and thin cut green beans are lovely, and the soup already brings broccoli and carrots.
- 1 egg plus 1 tablespoon water, for the egg wash
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- A small drizzle of olive oil or a pat of butter, for warming the vegetables
How to make chicken pot pie with puff pastry, step by step
- Thaw the puff pastry and preheat the oven. Move the puff pastry to the fridge to thaw ahead of time, and keep it cold until the moment you use it, because cold pastry puffs the highest. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
- Warm the vegetables. Heat a 12 inch cast iron skillet, or any oven safe skillet, over medium heat with a drizzle of oil or a pat of butter. Give the frozen vegetables a quick saute to warm them and cook off their water, just a few minutes. You can stir them in frozen if you are in a hurry, the saute just keeps the filling thick.
- Stir in the soup and the chicken. Add both containers of broccoli cheddar soup and all of the shredded rotisserie chicken, and stir until everything is creamy and combined. Add a small sprinkle of salt and a few cracks of black pepper, and taste before you add more, because the soup and the rotisserie chicken are both already seasoned. Let the filling warm through a little, then take the skillet off the heat and let it sit for a few minutes so it is warm, not steaming hot, when the pastry goes on. Warm filling and cold pastry is the secret to a tall, flaky top.
- Cut and layer the puff pastry. Unroll the thawed pastry sheets and cut them into squares, about one and a half inches each. Layer the squares over the top of the filling, overlapping them slightly, until the whole surface is covered. Poke two or three small vent holes in the top with a sharp knife so the steam can escape.
- Brush with egg wash. Whisk the egg with the tablespoon of water and a pinch of salt until smooth, and brush a light coat over the pastry. You will not use all of it, a light coat is what gives you that deep golden shine.
- Bake until golden and bubbling. Bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes, just shy of 30, until the puff pastry is deep golden brown, puffed, and crisp, and the filling is bubbling around the edges.
- Rest, then serve. Let the pot pie rest for about five minutes before you scoop it. The filling settles, the pastry stays crisp, and nobody burns their tongue on the first bite. Serve it right out of the skillet in the middle of the table.
Watch it come together
Watch it come together in the video above, and follow along with me on Instagram and TikTok.
My little tips from my kitchen to yours, for puff pastry that actually puffs
- Keep the puff pastry cold. Cold pastry in a hot oven is what makes those flaky layers. If the pastry gets warm and soft while you are cutting it, pop it back in the fridge for ten minutes.
- Do not put pastry on boiling hot filling. Let the filling cool for a few minutes first. If the filling is steaming hard, it melts the butter in the pastry before the pastry ever gets to puff.
- Cut squares instead of fighting with one big sheet. The squares overlap, they look beautiful, they puff in layers, and nobody has to measure a circle to fit a skillet.
- Taste before you salt. Rotisserie chicken and prepared soup are both seasoned, so this dinner rarely needs much salt at all.
- Use a deep dish. This filling bubbles as it bakes. A 12 inch cast iron skillet, a deep 9 inch pie dish, or a 9 by 13 baking dish all work. Avoid a shallow pan, or dinner will bubble over in your oven.
- Check the center. The edges brown first. The pot pie is done when the pastry in the very center is golden and crisp and the filling is bubbling there too.
The easy vegetable pot pie version, same night, same puff pastry
Sunshines, I am making a vegetable one too, because every table has somebody who wants the cozy pot pie without the chicken, and because a vegetable pot pie is one of the most searched for comfort dinners of the season. It is the same skillet, the same golden top, and all the vegetables.
Chowhound, writing about this same viral Trader Joe’s pot pie, put the vegetable idea this way:
“You can also make a vegetarian version of the pot pie and eliminate the meat altogether, and that’s where you can get creative by adding in your favorite veggies — peas, carrots, onions, mushrooms, broccoli, spinach, and so on.”
Source: Chowhound, The 3-Ingredient Trader Joe’s Chicken Pot Pie
Vegetable pot pie ingredients
- 2 containers Trader Joe’s Unexpected Broccoli Cheddar Soup, 20 ounces each, the same creamy base
- 3 and a half cups mixed vegetables, a bag of frozen mixed vegetables works, or combine frozen peas, corn, green beans, and extra broccoli, plus a diced onion and sliced mushrooms if your family loves them
- 1 cup diced potato, cut small, from a Yukon gold or russet potato. Microwave the diced potato in a covered bowl with a spoonful of water for about 4 minutes first, so it finishes tender in the bake.
- 1 can white beans, drained and rinsed, optional, they make the vegetable version hearty and filling where the chicken would be
- 1 box puff pastry, thawed in the fridge
- 1 egg plus 1 tablespoon water, for the egg wash, or brush the top with a little milk or cream if you want to skip the egg
- Kosher salt, black pepper, and a pinch of garlic powder or Italian seasoning, to taste
- A drizzle of olive oil or a pat of butter
How to make the vegetable pot pie
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and keep the puff pastry cold in the fridge.
- Warm the oil or butter in your skillet. Saute the onion and mushrooms until they soften and their water cooks off, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the rest of the mixed vegetables and the microwaved diced potato, and warm everything through.
- Stir in both containers of soup and the white beans, if you are using them. Season, taste, and take the skillet off the heat to cool for a few minutes.
- Cut the cold puff pastry into squares, layer them over the vegetable filling with a little overlap, and poke two or three vent holes in the top.
- Brush with egg wash and bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes, until the pastry is deep golden and the filling is bubbling in the center.
- Rest for five minutes, then serve. Same crack of the spoon, same cozy table, no chicken required.
A note on the word vegetarian: if you are serving a strict vegetarian, check the label on your soup and your puff pastry before you shop, because prepared soups and pastries vary by brand. The vegetable version above is built to be meat free in the filling, and the label check makes sure the whole pie is right for your guest.
What to serve with chicken pot pie
Honestly, Sunshines, this pot pie is the whole meal in one skillet, chicken, vegetables, creamy sauce, and that flaky top. If your family wants a little something next to it, a simple green salad with a bright dressing cuts the richness in the best way, and warm rolls are never wrong at a pot pie table. At my house, the skillet goes in the middle of the table and everybody serves themselves, family style.
How to store, freeze, and reheat pot pie
- In the fridge: Cool the leftovers, cover the dish or move them to an airtight container, and refrigerate for 2 to 3 days.
- To reheat: Warm it in a 350 degree oven until hot all the way through. The oven brings the puff pastry crunch back, the microwave will soften it, so the oven is worth the few extra minutes.
- To make ahead: Mix the soup, chicken, and vegetables, cover, and refrigerate the filling for up to a day. When you are ready for dinner, warm the filling gently, top it with fresh cold puff pastry, and bake. Fresh pastry on the day is what keeps the top crisp.
- To freeze: Freezing the baked pot pie works for up to about 2 months, and the pastry will be a little softer after thawing. Cool it completely, wrap it well, thaw it overnight in the fridge, and reheat it in the oven.
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Questions Sunshines ask about this pot pie
What is the viral Trader Joe’s chicken pot pie?
It is a three ingredient shortcut pot pie made with Trader Joe’s Unexpected Broccoli Cheddar Soup, shredded rotisserie chicken, and a baked topping. The original version uses refrigerated biscuits, and this version uses puff pastry, which bakes up flakier and prettier, like a traditional pot pie crust.
Can I use Costco rotisserie chicken in Trader Joe’s chicken pot pie?
Yes, and that is exactly what this recipe does. Use about three cups of shredded Costco rotisserie chicken, skin removed. Rotisserie chicken is already cooked and seasoned, which is why this whole dinner takes about five minutes of prep. Taste the filling before you add salt.
Can I use puff pastry instead of biscuits on chicken pot pie?
Yes. Puff pastry gives you a flaky, traditional pot pie top instead of a soft biscuit topping. Thaw it in the fridge, keep it cold, cut it into squares or lay it on as one sheet trimmed to your dish, cut a few vents in the top, brush it with egg wash, and bake it at 400 degrees until it is deep golden, about 25 minutes.
How long do you bake a chicken pot pie with puff pastry, and at what temperature?
Bake it at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes, just shy of 30 in my skillet, until the pastry is deep golden brown and puffed and the filling is bubbling, including in the center.
Do I need to cook the puff pastry before putting it on the pot pie?
No. The raw pastry goes right on top of the filling and bakes in the oven. The trick is keeping the pastry cold and letting the hot filling cool for a few minutes first, so the pastry puffs instead of melting into the sauce.
Why did my puff pastry turn out soggy?
Usually the filling was too hot or too watery, or the pastry sat out and got warm. Saute frozen vegetables first to cook off their water, let the filling cool a bit before the pastry goes on, keep the pastry cold, and bake in a hot oven until the center is golden, not just the edges.
Can I make this chicken pot pie without Trader Joe’s ingredients?
Yes. Any thick, creamy broccoli cheddar soup will work, and the refrigerated soups in the deli section are the closest match. Cream of chicken soup also works, the flavor will be more traditional and you will lose the broccoli cheddar taste. Any grocery store rotisserie chicken and any frozen puff pastry, like Pepperidge Farm, work the same way.
Can I use leftover turkey instead of chicken?
Yes, and please do. Leftover Thanksgiving turkey makes a wonderful pot pie in this exact recipe, about three cups, shredded or diced. It is the coziest way to give those leftovers a second life, and it is exactly what I will be doing after Thanksgiving.
Can I add more vegetables to chicken pot pie?
Absolutely. Frozen peas, carrots, corn, green beans, or a mixed vegetable blend all stir right in. Saute them quickly or warm them first so they do not water down the filling, and do not overload the skillet or the filling will bubble over.
What pan should I use for skillet chicken pot pie?
A 12 inch cast iron skillet is my favorite, and a deep 9 inch pie dish, an 8 by 8 baking dish for a half batch, or a 9 by 13 baking dish all work. Pick a deep dish, because the creamy filling bubbles as it bakes.
How many people does this pot pie serve?
This full recipe serves 5 to 6, which is dinner for my family of five with a serving left for somebody’s lunch tomorrow. For a smaller household, cut it in half, one container of soup and a big handful of chicken in a standard pie plate.
Can I make a vegetable pot pie with puff pastry?
Yes, the full vegetable version is right above in this post. Keep the same broccoli cheddar soup base, swap the chicken for about three and a half cups of mixed vegetables, a cup of diced potato cooked a few minutes in the microwave first, and a can of white beans if you want it extra hearty. Top and bake it the exact same way, 400 degrees for about 25 minutes.
Sunshines, this is what I mean when I say dinner does not have to be complicated to be full of love. Two stores, one skillet, a golden top your spoon gets to crack, and everybody around the table. That is raising greatness at dinnertime.
Much Love and Sunshine,
Karen
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you shop through them, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting Raising Greatness. Trader Joe’s and Costco are mentioned because they are where I shop for this recipe, this post is not sponsored by either store.
Sources, and the cooks I quoted
All outside sources are quoted in their own words in the post above, linked beside each quote, and collected here. At publishing, every outside link in this post is set to open in a new tab, so you stay here on Raising Greatness while the sources support the story.
- I’m Hungry For That, Trader Joe’s Chicken Pot Pie (Viral 3-Ingredient Recipe) — https://imhungryforthat.com/trader-joes-chicken-pot-pie-recipe/
- Our Best Bites, Easy Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry (Trader Joe’s Shortcut) — https://ourbestbites.com/chicken-pot-pie-with-puff-pastry/
- Chowhound, The 3-Ingredient Trader Joe’s Chicken Pot Pie That May Have You Forget Your Grandma’s Recipe — https://www.chowhound.com/2304529/trader-joes-chicken-pot-pie-three-ingredient-broccoli-cheddar-soup/
