Fresh lemon juice and briny capers are stirred in after the sauce thickens, keeping the filling bright and balanced against the rich, buttery base.Rotisserie chicken and frozen puff pastry streamline prep while still yielding a deeply flavorful pie.Chilling and venting the puff pastry prevents sogginess and promotes even browning.
Chicken piccata is a simple dish that sings. With its bright lemony flavor and buttery finish, it’s easy to love. Here the Italian American classic is transformed into a cozy potpie, topped with a store-bought puff pastry lid that turns deeply golden and shatteringly crisp in the oven.The filling comes together quickly, starting with shredded rotisserie chicken instead of raw chicken. Aromatics like shallot and garlic soften in butter and a splash of dry white wine deglazes the skillet, pulling up all the savory bits and giving the sauce a little depth. Chicken broth goes in next, and a bit of flour thickens the mixture into a silky, spoon-coating gravy that’s rich without being heavy. Then come the two ingredients that make piccata unmistakable: plenty of fresh lemon juice for brightness and capers for that salty, briny punch.
Before it goes into the oven, a chilled puff pastry square is brushed with an egg wash and laid over the bubbling filling. Unlike a standard butter piecrust, store-bought puff pastry saves time and stays flaky and crisp, which is exactly what you want against a creamy sauce. The key to maintaining the pastry’s crackly texture over a wet filling is cutting a few slits so steam can escape. Brushing the undersides of the corners with an egg wash and pressing them to the skillet also helps prevent shrinkage. The result is the place where classic meets cozy, perfect for a chilly night in or an easy main at a dinner party.
The best way to shred chicken
A rotisserie chicken is easy to pull into shreds by hand while it’s still warm, using your fingers or two forks if you prefer finer pieces. For an even quicker method, add the warm chicken to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater and mix on low just until shredded, 15 to 30 seconds. Work in batches so you don’t overmix and turn the meat mushy. The key is doing this while the meat is still warm. Once the meat cools, it firms up and becomes harder to break apart.
What to serve with Chicken Piccata Potpie
Like many potpies, this one’s creamy filling and flaky pastry make it a hearty standalone meal. To complement the bright acidity of the lemon and capers, serve it with a lightly dressed arugula salad for freshness and a peppery bite. Vegetables with a natural hint of bitterness —like roasted brussels sprouts or sautéed broccoli rabe — also help balance the pie’s richness. The potpie comes with a puff pastry topping, but you could also sop up the lemony sauce with a slice of crusty bread.
Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen
Brush the undersides of the pastry corners with egg wash to encourage browning and adhesion. Use both light and dark chicken meat for the best flavor and texture. Stir in one to two cups of thawed peas, sautéed mushrooms, or spinach to bulk up the filling and add color.
This recipe was developed by Julia Levy; the text was written by Andee Gosnell.
Dining and Cooking