The transition period of early spring to what feels like actual spring is kind of a weird one. One day, it's warm and sunny, the next, windy and raining (or even snowing here in Ontario). And so the food can sometimes feel all over the place. One day, I want a spring salad, the next, a warming bowl of soup, or a hearty chicken pot pie. So I came up with this spring chicken pot pie. Filled with spring vegetables like asparagus, peas, sweet potato and leeks. But made into a warming cast iron chicken pot pie. You get the best of both worlds and I think it's a perfect seasonal, transitional type of meal. Using store bought puff pastry makes things a lot easier in my opinion, plus it tastes delicious and works great as the pie topping.

If you're looking for a vegetarian version, be sure to check out this mushroom and lentil pot pie. It also uses puff pastry and they're made in individual ramekins too.

Ingredients

Here's everything you'll need to make this cast iron spring chicken pot pie with puff pastry.

• unsalted butter
• leek
• sweet potato
• asparagus
• garlic cloves
• dijon mustard
• Herbs de Provence
• kosher salt & fresh black pepper (to taste)
• all purpose flour
• low sodium chicken broth (or homemade chicken stock)‍
• cream cheese (or crème fraîche)
• frozen peas
• cooked shredded chicken
• lemon zest
• parsley
• puff pastry
• egg‍
• flaky salt

How to Make a Spring Chicken Pot Pie

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

Heat a large cast iron over medium heat and melt the butter. Once the skillet is warm, add the leeks and sweet potato. Sauté for six to seven minutes, stirring occasionally, until the leeks have started to brown slightly.

Stir in the asparagus, garlic, mustard, Herbs de Provence, salt and pepper. Cook for one to two minutes, stirring to incorporate everything.

Pour in the flour and toss to coat, cooking for one minute.

Pour in the broth slowly while stirring to combine everything. Bring to a low boil and cook for one to two minutes.

Stir in the cream cheese, peas, chicken, lemon zest and parsley and mix well to combine. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Roll out the puff pastry on a clean and lightly floured surface. Cut the puff pastry into 3" squares.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg with the water.

Starting from the outside in, place the puff pastry squares all over the skillet, covering the pot pie and overlapping the squares.

Brush the puff pastry squares with the egg wash and transfer to the oven.

Bake for 24 to 26 minutes, until the top is golden brown. You can increase the heat to 425ºF for a few minutes at the end if needed to brown the top more.

Remove the cast iron and sprinkle the top with flaky salt. Let cool for a few minutes and then serve and enjoy!

Tips

• Cook ahead: if you want to save time, cook the filling ahead and then warm it slightly in the oven before topping with the puff pastry and baking.
• Use leftover chicken: this recipe will be even quicker if you're using leftover shredded chicken, like a rotisserie chicken.
• Thaw the puff pastry: be sure that the puff pastry had time to thaw from the freezer, so take it out the night before. I recommend letting it sit out of the fridge for about 20 minutes before using to easily roll it out.
• Don't skip the flaky salt: although it's optional, I love adding a pinch of flaky salt on top of the cast iron chicken pot pie before baking. It adds a nice savoury touch.
• Taste before baking: always be sure to taste a bit of the chicken pot pie filling before covering with puff pastry and baking it. Taste and adjust for salt as needed.

Substitutions

• Puff pastry: use a homemade or store bought pie crust instead. Opt for gluten free if needed.
• Sweet potato: use chopped carrot instead.
• Leeks: use shallots or yellow onion instead.
• Herbs de Provence: use a mix of dried herbs such as thyme, oregano, marjoram, sage and tarragon.

Ingredients & Products I Recommend:

Kosher salt:

I exclusively use Diamond Crystal kosher salt for all of my recipes. I prefer the texture, taste and consistency of this brand and highly recommend it for everyday cooking.

Flaky salt:

I always, always have Maldon flaky salt on hand and add it to almost all of my dishes as a finishing salt. I can't recommend this enough.

More Recipes to Try

Looking for more weeknight dinner ideas? Try these...

• Creamy Gochujang Pasta
• Greek Pork Tenderloin Sheet Pan Dinner
• Creamy Polenta with Meatballs
• Delicata Squash Pizza
• Creamy Ricotta Pasta with Sausage
• Spaghetti Squash with Ground Turkey & Brown Butter
• Slow Roasted Salmon with Citrus & Fennel
• Crispy Pan Fried Chicken Thighs with Easy Pan Sauce
• Moroccan Chicken Meatballs
• Pan Fried Gnocchi with Sage & Brown Butter
• Easy Gouda Mac & Cheese
• Honey Lime Chicken Thighs & Sweet Potatoes

Ready to make this? Let's go!

If you make this cast iron chicken pot pie, please let me know by tagging me on Instagram, or leave a comment and/or review below!