The best chicken pot pie comes from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania! This brothy PA Dutch chicken pot pie recipe is a uniquely Lancaster County recipe that consists of square homemade pot pie noodles, chicken, and vegetables. (Add or subtract vegetables as desired.)
It is a hearty, comforting, and filling dish, perfect for cold winter nights. A traditional favorite in the Pennsylvania Dutch region that is sure to satisfy your cravings for a hearty, comforting, home-cooked meal.
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Ingredients
- Water and Chicken Broth: Provide the liquid base for the dish. Chicken broth adds depth and richness to the flavor.
- Butter: Adds richness and a slight buttery flavor to the base, enhancing the overall mouthfeel of the dish.
- Garlic and Onion (optional): Bring flavor and warmth. Garlic adds depth, while onion gives a hint of sweetness.
- Carrots (optional): Add a pop of color, natural sweetness, and extra heartiness. (I like adding them for more veggies - feel free to skip if you prefer.)
- Potatoes: Add bulk to the dish. They absorb the flavors of the broth and provide a satisfying texture.
- Green Peas (optional): Add sweetness, a pop of color, and some additional texture contrast to the dish.
Seasonings:
- Salt and Seasoning Salt: Essential for balancing flavors. Seasoning salt includes a blend of spices, which adds extra flavor dimension.
- Black Pepper: Adds a mild heat and earthiness that complements the other savory elements of the dish.
Chicken and Thickener:
- Cooked Chicken: Provides the protein and main substance of the dish. The tender chicken soaks up the flavorful broth, adding to the comfort food appeal.
- Flour and Water Paste: Thickens the broth, creating a creamy, hearty consistency.
Noodle Dough:
- Eggs: Bind the dough and add richness. They give the noodles structure while keeping them tender.
- Water: Hydrates the dough, allowing the flour and eggs to combine smoothly.
- Salt: Enhances the flavor of the noodles.
- All-Purpose Flour: Forms the structure of the noodles, giving them body and substance.
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How to Make PA Dutch Pot Pie Noodles
Making Amish pot pie noodles is really very easy.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, water, and salt.
- Add Flour: Gradually add the flour and mix until the dough forms a ball.
- Prepare the Surface: Lightly sprinkle flour onto a clean countertop.
- Flatten Dough by Hand: Place the dough on the floured surface and press it out slightly with your hands.
- Add More Flour: Lift the dough, sprinkle more flour underneath, and sprinkle flour on top of the dough as well.
- Roll the Dough: Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out until it's about ⅛ inch thick.
- If the dough sticks, lift the edges and sprinkle more flour underneath as needed.
- Adjust Thickness: Aim for a thickness that's not too thin or too thick-around ⅛ inch is a good guideline.
Now you're ready to cut the noodles for your pot pie!
I hadn't made this dish in a while and remembered that I left it too thick the last time. So I rolled it about as thin as I could get it. But sadly, this time it was too thin for my taste. Next time I'll get it just right! 🙂
How to Make Homemade Pot Pie With Noodles
- Cook Chicken and Broth (If you don't already have cooked chicken): If you're using raw chicken, add chicken pieces and enough water to cover them in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer until fully cooked (about 20-25 minutes). Remove the chicken, shred or chop, and set aside. Reserve the cooking water to use as broth.
- Mix the Noodle Dough: Prepare the dough for the noodles, then cover and set it aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: In a large pot, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, onion (if using), and carrots. Sauté for a couple of minutes. (All of these veggies are optional.)
- Add Liquid: Pour in the water and chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Roll and Cut Dough: While waiting for the broth to boil, roll out the noodle dough to about ⅛ inch thick and cut it into squares.
- Add Noodles to the Boiling Broth: Once the broth reaches a full boil, gently add the noodle squares to the pot.
- Use a pastry scraper to transfer the noodles, adding them slowly one by one to avoid clumping.
- Separate Noodles as Needed: If necessary, use a spoon to gently push the noodles aside to prevent sticking as you add new ones.
- Boil Noodles: Let the broth gently boil with the noodles for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add Vegetables and Chicken: Add peas, potatoes, cooked chicken, and seasonings. (The vegetables are optional, so feel free to add or leave out anything you want.)
- Cook an Additional 10 Minutes: Continue boiling for another 10 minutes. If the noodles are thicker, you may need to cook them a few minutes longer until they're tender.
Make a Flour and Water Paste
While the noodles are cooking, prepare the flour slurry to thicken the broth.
- Measure the Flour: Place the flour into a cup or small bowl.
- Add a Little Warm Water: Slowly add a small amount of warm water to the flour, stirring vigorously with a fork or whisk.
- Tip: Start with a small amount of water to form a paste before adding more. This helps prevent lumps.
- Stir into a Paste: As you stir, make sure the mixture becomes a smooth paste. Gradually add more water while stirring to reach a liquid consistency.
- Check for Lumps: Continue stirring until the mixture is smooth and lump-free. If it starts to get lumpy, stir more vigorously.
- Optional - Use a Gravy Shaker: If you're not comfortable mixing by hand, you can use a gravy shaker. Add the flour and water to the shaker, secure the lid, and shake well until smooth. (Tupperware has a well-loved one. I'm adding an affiliate link, in case you're interested.)
- Thicken the Broth: Once the noodles are finished cooking, slowly add the prepared flour and water paste to the boiling pot pie, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.
- Final Boil: Let the mixture boil for one more minute to thicken.
- Serve: Your PA Dutch-style chicken pot pie is now done and ready to eat!
Enjoy your hearty, homemade Pennsylvania chicken pot pie!
Pennsylvania Dutch Pot Pie
I grew up eating Amish-style chicken pot pie quite frequently, and I always associated it with a brothy noodle dish. It equals the perfect comfort food!
But one day, I was hanging out with an Amish friend from Holmes County, Ohio. And she said she was going to make chicken pot pie for our dinner.
I was surprised when she proceeded to make pie crust and discovered she was making what we called chicken pie. It was not crustless chicken pot pie.
What is the Difference Between Chicken Pot Pie and Chicken Pie?
Well, the answer to that question is in its name. Chicken pot pie is made in a pot instead of a pie pan.
This question can cause a stir among some because when talking about chicken pot pie, people from different regions envision a different dish.
But coming from Lancaster County, we had chicken pies and chicken pot pie - two completely different dishes. I grew up with both. And they contain a lot of the same ingredients: chicken, broth, vegetables, flour, etc. However, chicken pie has a thicker broth filling (gravy) inside a pie crust. So it makes sense to call it a chicken pie.
Chicken pot pie has more of a soup consistency with lots of delicious homemade pot pie noodles and is cooked in a pot. Hence the name "Pot Pie".
When discussing chicken pot pie with someone from the Pennsylvania Dutch culture, they typically envision a brothy pot pie featuring square-shaped noodles. Chicken pie is made with a crust.
What to Serve With Chicken Pot Pie
Chicken pot pie can be served as a one-dish meal, or you could add a side salad such as layered lettuce salad, broccoli salad, or pepper cabbage. Homemade biscuits are also yummy served with chicken pot pie - if you're not too worried about eating lots of carbs. 🙂
Lancaster County Amish
Lancaster County is a beautiful place to visit. It has lots of open farmland and is home to many Amish and Mennonites. Many of the farms and homesteads are neatly manicured and well taken care of.
Most of the Amish and Mennonites in that area pride themselves in keeping their farms in top-notch attractive condition, with beautiful flower gardens and landscaping all around them.
The ladies also pride themselves on serving top-quality delicious homemade food. Most of them spend a lot of time in the kitchen and are amazing cooks.
Lancaster County is well known for some unique recipes such as Shoo-fly pie. They serve some foods that you won't find in too many other places.
The PA Dutch have their own style of chicken and waffles, and Pennsylvania chicken pot pie is a dish that you won't find in too many other areas.
In my opinion, this is the best Pennsylvania Dutch chicken pot pie recipe, and I hope you enjoy it! Homemade pot pie noodles are so yummy!!
If you get to try it, I'd love it if you left a comment and star rating below. Thank you!
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📖 Recipe Card
Pennsylvania Dutch Chicken Pot Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- 7 c. water
- 3 - 4 c. chicken broth
- 1 Tbs. butter
- 1 garlic clove, minced (optional)
- 2 Tbs. onion, chopped (optional)
- 1 c. carrots, cut into small bite-sized pieces (optional)
- 1 ½ - 2 c. potatoes, cut into bite sized chunks
- 1 c. green peas (optional)
- ¼ tsp. salt, or to taste
- ¾ tsp. seasoning salt
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- 1 - 2 c. chopped, cooked chicken
- 1 ½ - 2 Tbs. flour and enough water to make a paste
For the noodle dough:
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- ½ c. water
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 c. flour
Instructions
- If you don't already have some cooked chicken, you will need to cook chicken.
Making the noodle dough:
- Beat eggs in a small bowl. Add water and salt. Mix.2 large eggs, beaten, ½ c. water, 1 tsp. salt
- Add flour and mix until it comes together in a ball. If it seems too sticky just add a bit more flour.2 c. flour
- Cover and set aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Making the chicken pot pie:
- Put butter in a large cooking pot. Add minced garlic, onion (if desired) and carrots. Saute over medium high heat for a minute or two.1 Tbs. butter, 1 garlic clove, minced (optional), 2 Tbs. onion, chopped (optional), 1 c. carrots, cut into small bite-sized pieces (optional)
- Add water and broth to pot, and bring to a boil.7 c. water, 3 - 4 c. chicken broth
- As you're waiting for this to come to a boil, flour your surface and roll out your dough to about ⅛" thick. Using a pizza cutter, cut your dough into about 1 to 1 ½" squares.
- Drop your dough into the boiling water/broth, making sure each piece hits the boiling liquid. If you pile to many in at once they will stick together. Stir.
- Boil the noodles for 15 - 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add potatoes, peas, chicken, and seasonings. Boil for another 12 - 15 minutes.1 ½ - 2 c. potatoes, cut into bite sized chunks, 1 c. green peas (optional), ¼ tsp. salt, or to taste, ¾ tsp. seasoning salt, 1 - 2 c. chopped, cooked chicken, ½ tsp. black pepper
- Make a paste with flour and water to slightly thicken the broth.1 ½ - 2 Tbs. flour and enough water to make a paste
- When your chicken pot pie is finished cooking, slowly add your flour paste, stirring to get it incorporated. Boil for about 1 more minute.
- Serve. Cool, refrigerate, and reheat any leftovers.
William J Dager
My mother came from Germany and she used to make Spaetzle to go with either German goulash (no sour cream, equal weights beef cubes and onions seasoned with paprika and salt in gravy) or Sauerbraten. She would add some grated nutmeg to the batter. Spaetzle had more of a batter rather than a dough, passed through a Spaetzle Hotel into slowly simmering water. When she made Sauerbraten, though, she would most often make Kartoffel Knodeln (Potato dumplings).
Anna
Interesting.
Patricia
My grandmother made this all the time but she added baking powder and a little crisco to make the dough.
Jackie C
We call these dumplings. Something new for me to try.
thank you
Anna
I guess this is similar to what some call dumplings. We also made dumplings, but they were usually dropped in by spoonfuls and not rolled out.
Mike
I made this last night for supper. It is the best I have ever tasted , followed the recipe and it was great. I live in Canada and the snow is starting to fly, nothing better than this to warm you up on a cold Canadian winter. Thanks so much.
Anna
Thank you for the feedback! So glad you enjoyed it!
Patricia
This is nearly the exact same dish I grew up eating ,but my father and his family called it chicken and dumplings, He was originally from Salisbury, Md, my mother and her family where from Philadelphia,Pa . He taught her how to make his families version.
Robert Wagner
A friend recently said he could eat some Pot Pie, but said whenever he goes to a diner, it's always like a baked like a pie, he wants the square dough. Your recipe is just like my family always uses. My grams recipe for the dough I still use was her rival recipe, she just added more water to make the rivals stick together enough to roll. Then she'd spread the squares out on the table and chase us kids as we'd steal the raw dough to eat. Question, has another made the dough using Gluten Free flour? I'm going to try it soon.
Anna
🙂 I have not tried it with gluten free flour. Sorry. You could try it, just not sure if it will work the same. I tried to make gluten-free pie crust with a regular recipe once, and it just didn't want to hang together. So not sure?
Anna
So yummy!
Deborah Small
Can’t wait to try this next time I have leftover Costco chicken. It’s similar to the slippery ham pot pie my mother taught me to make.
Susan
I’m from Lancaster and grew up on chicken pot pie. I read your recipe and it was nearly the same as I make it. I mistakenly read to add a clove instead of clove of garlic. So I put a clove in. It was so delicious! My husband said that it was the best I’d ever made. Life is funny sometimes.
Anna
Interesting! I would've never thought to put a clove in. Sometimes we invent something delightful through our mistakes. lol
Jerry
Growing up, the version of chicken pot pie at our family was very similar to this recipe, except my mother always made biscuit dough, cut into biscuit rounds and cooked on top of the pot. So the biscuit top was dry and biscuity, and the bottom was soft and absorbed the chicken broth. It wasn't until I went to school that I learned that most people think of the pasrty crust variety as chicken pot pie. My mother was an excellent pie baker, but she never made chicken pot pie in a crust. We were not Amish but she was born in York, PA and I'm sure learned it there.
Anna
Hmmm... I've had a similar dish topped with biscuits before, but it was called "Chicken Ala King".
linda nye
So I am an old lady, 74, who grew up in a food family with the Pa Dutch origins, Harrisburg, Palmyra, Hershey and while I was making my pot pie today decided to see if the computer had recommendations for making the noodles Pleased to find your video.
Surprised to find no mention of what I was taught that we Pa Dutch love vinegar. I always drizzle my pot pie with apple cider vinegar when serving.
And being the old lady the best flavor comes from the quality of the broth you use. Whole chickens are inexpensive and make the best rich broth.
I am not good with computers but if you want to communicate I am Lindanyepsu@gmail
Anna
I must say, I never had vinegar with chicken pot pie. Interesting!
Joanne Ferro
We make hot bacon dressing to eat with pot pie. Gives a nice little tang. Never tried vinegar, but I could entertain that.
Anna
Interesting!
Lisa
My son & I went on a school trip to Lancaster and we tried this dish. It was awesome. Unfortunately it seems like this is above my cooking skills!
Anna
You should try it, you may be surprised what you can accomplish.
Kelly
I make pot pie often. It was a staple in our home growing up and I still carry on my family recipe. I come from a Mennonite and Amish family in Lititz and Lancaster PA. We never used peas in ours but we do add hard boiled eggs chopped up. I came here today to look around while my noodles are cooking, to see how others make theirs. I boil my chicken the night before then pick it in the morning. The only thing I do differently than my father did, was use my instant pot. It's time consuming because I use to let it sit on the stove in my Dutch oven for hours. I find it interesting that others use things like vinegar, however I don't ever veer from my heritage recipe. It really isn't that hard to make, especially when using an instant pot.
Lisa
We always used red beet juice 😋
Anna
Used red beet juice for what??
Katerina
My Mom always served a cabbage slaw with vinegar, sugar and a little water… similar to pepper slaw. My siblings fuss if it’s not on the table with the pot pie. This was my favorite dish growing up… my Mom is 82 and stil makes me pot pie once in a while for my birthday! We always ate PA Dutch recipes! Yum!!
Anna
Definitely is comfort food!
Sue Yellets
Can I freeze Pennsylvania Dutch pot pie after its cooked?
Anna
I have never tried freezing PA pot pie. So I can't give you an answer based on experience. But I googled it to see what others say, and I found two PA Dutch pot pie posts that say it freezes well. I would recommend thawing it in the fridge though.
~Chrissie O.
Hi!! In my experience, the noodles become complete mush/glue if you freeze them! HOWEVER, I'VE had really good luck making the basic recipe (chicken/broth/vegetables) and freezing it. Then, after thawing and heating to a strong simmer, making/adding the "noodles." The raw flour in the noodles, themselves, will thicken the broth slightly, and the consistency will be thin, not quite like gravy, but not "soup." PS I've also done this where I've cooked the noodles in chicken broth and added to individual bowls as I've served it; then drained and put into ziploc bags to add to "leftover" servings. The consistency stays more broth-like, but if you add all the noodles and then put into the fridge overnight, the noodles will swell, absorbing all moisture, and becoming really mushy and unpleasant in texture... The recipe is absolutely delicious!!! I've grown up with similar. We called it chicken-n-noodles, cutting into strips, not squares - and NOT the thick, gravy-laden chicken and noodles I've seen in the midwest, but thicker than chicken noodle soup... until the following day when there was no liquid left and the noodles had disintegrated! lol Blessings!!
Anna
I've never actually tried freezing this dish. But, in my experience, it can be refrigerated for several days and the noodles have pretty much kept their same firm texture.
Jose
Nice Content! Thanks for sharing.
Cathie Morrison
My husband is from Harrisburg and he grew up eating this. I'm from Pgh and had never heard of it but learned how to make it after we got married. We both love it and I'm so happy I found your recipe that includes how to make the pot pie squares because we live in the southwest and you can't buy decent noodles out here. I'm going to make them myself today using your recipe!!
Anna
I hope you enjoy it!
Walter Green
Says this is Amish... I grew up in Baltimore Maryland never knew of the existence of Amish until we moved to Carroll County MD and visited Lancaster in Middle School, yet we used to have Slippery Pot Pie all the time. Just Like they say Scrapple is a Delaware thing, and Smearcase Cheese Cake.
Anna
Interesting...I call it more of a PA Dutch food, because it's not a common dish with a lot of Amish in other areas.
sandra mays
hi i love home amish cooking i like to join your news letter if i may thank you sandie
Anna
You can subscribe by adding your email into the subscribe box on my site.
Joy
Miss when my grandma made this growing up it was awesome, I like using beef, can’t eat it without vinegar
Anna
I've had others comment about eating it with vinegar. Never tried it like that.
Connie Wolfe
We always ate our pot pie with vinegar sprinkled over top too. Makes something that’s already delicious, even more delicious!
Anna
Interesting!
Bette J Dahl
I want to make this for a church meal for 120 people. Can I make it ahead and rewarm it in a large electric roaster or will the noodles get mushy? I attend a Mennonite church and I'm sure this would be enjoyed by all!
Anna
I'm a little hesitant to answer this question, because I would really hate for you to be disappointed with a dish that's supposed to serve 120 people. However, at the little deli kitchen where I worked as an Amish girl, we made this and sold it to be reheated. And I have always enjoyed it as leftovers as well as freshly made. So, I think it should be fine. If you want to be sure that you'll like it after reheated, you could make some for yourself and eat it as leftover, before making the huge batch. Good luck.
linda nye
One of the ways to reheat pot pie is to give it a gentle fry as it tends to absorb the broth when cooling.
Troy Slabaugh
I live in Holmes County - grew up eating this, and still do to this day (in fact we just made it last week). It's a regular in our home. Interestingly, this is the only chicken pot pie I know. Mentioning someone making chicken pie and being from here is news to me. This recipe is the only one I've ever known. I highly recommend it. The longer it cooks the more taste, and leftovers are just as good if not better. A couple of notes from my opinion, the amounts do not need followed exactly. It's kind of a "clean out the refrigerator" type recipe. More, or less of the chicken, noodles, veggies , and even broth amount won't hurt a thing. Tailor it to what you have available and what consistency you want. It will be good every time no matter what.
Anna
Hmm...interesting. I always thought it was just a Pennsylvania thing.
Anna
And yes, I tailor my recipes all the time. But most people like an exact recipe to follow.