Wolfgang Puck’s Chicken Potpie Recipe • 5★

Recipe from Wolfgang Puck

Adapted by The New York Times

Updated March 15, 2026

David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Wolfgang Puck has perfected his potpie over decades, and its deliciousness hinges on technique as well as his deep understanding of what people want: “Everyone loves comfort food and chicken potpie is the ultimate comfort food,” he said. This recipe, adapted from “Wolfgang Puck Makes It Easy” (Rutledge Hill Press, 2004), starts with a creamy filling seasoned with bay leaf and thyme and lightened with white wine and sherry. Built for ease, these individual potpies are topped with jaunty rounds of puff pastry and can be fully assembled and refrigerated in advance. Simply slide them into the oven before serving. Mr. Puck adds truffle oil and freshly shaved truffles to the potpies he serves following the Oscars to match the glamour of the guests. You can watch Wolfgang Puck make a version of this recipe here. —The New York Times

Featured in: Inside the Kitchen That Feeds Hollywood on Oscars Night

SaveLog in or sign up to save this recipe.

GiveSubscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyoneAs a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.SubscribeLog In

Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

Share this recipeCopy linkEmailPinterestFacebookXWhatsAppReddit

Print this recipeInclude recipe photoPrint RecipeLog in or sign up to print this recipe.

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken (thighs or breasts), cut into 1-inch chunks

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided, plus more if needed

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

½ pound red potatoes, cut into ½-inch pieces

½ pound carrots, cut into ½-inch pieces

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

Pinch of crushed red pepper

1 fresh thyme sprig

1 cup white wine

2 cups chicken stock

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream

½ cup shelled or frozen peas

¼ cup dry sherry

1 (14- to 16-ounce) package frozen puff pastry, defrosted following package instructions

Step 1Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and toss in a large bowl with 2 tablespoons flour until evenly coated.

Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and toss in a large bowl with 2 tablespoons flour until evenly coated.

Step 2In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over high. Add the chicken, reduce the heat slightly, and sauté, stirring occasionally, until light golden and thoroughly cooked, 5 to 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over high. Add the chicken, reduce the heat slightly, and sauté, stirring occasionally, until light golden and thoroughly cooked, 5 to 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.

Step 3Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet, then add the potatoes, carrots and onions and sauté until they begin to look glossy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, stir in the garlic, crushed red pepper, thyme and bay leaf and sauté just until the vegetables begin to color slightly, 2 to 3 minutes more.

Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet, then add the potatoes, carrots and onions and sauté until they begin to look glossy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, stir in the garlic, crushed red pepper, thyme and bay leaf and sauté just until the vegetables begin to color slightly, 2 to 3 minutes more.

Step 4Add the wine, turn up the heat to medium-high, and deglaze, scraping the bottom of the pan. Simmer until the liquid reduces by about half, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the stock and 1 cup of the cream. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat slightly, and simmer briskly until the liquid reduces by half again and is thick and creamy, about 15 minutes. Discard the thyme sprig and the bay leaf.

Add the wine, turn up the heat to medium-high, and deglaze, scraping the bottom of the pan. Simmer until the liquid reduces by about half, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the stock and 1 cup of the cream. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat slightly, and simmer briskly until the liquid reduces by half again and is thick and creamy, about 15 minutes. Discard the thyme sprig and the bay leaf.

Step 5Stir in the chicken and any accumulated juices, plus the peas and sherry. In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon flour, add to the skillet then stir to combine; season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

Stir in the chicken and any accumulated juices, plus the peas and sherry. In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon flour, add to the skillet then stir to combine; season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

Step 6Transfer the chicken mixture to 4 large, ovenproof 2-cup soup bowls or 4 ramekins of the same size. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the filling is cool, at least 1 hour. (You can prepare the filling and refrigerate it up to 3 days in advance.)

Transfer the chicken mixture to 4 large, ovenproof 2-cup soup bowls or 4 ramekins of the same size. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the filling is cool, at least 1 hour. (You can prepare the filling and refrigerate it up to 3 days in advance.)

Step 7Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Make sure the puff pastry is no thicker than ¼ inch. (You can roll it out on a surface dusted with flour, if needed.) With the tip of a sharp knife, cut the pastry into 4 circles that are wide enough to overhang the rim of the serving bowls or ramekins by about ½ inch.

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Make sure the puff pastry is no thicker than ¼ inch. (You can roll it out on a surface dusted with flour, if needed.) With the tip of a sharp knife, cut the pastry into 4 circles that are wide enough to overhang the rim of the serving bowls or ramekins by about ½ inch.

Step 8Make an egg wash: In a small bowl, beat together the egg and the remaining 1 tablespoon cream. Brush the tops and outside rims of the bowls or ramekins with egg wash. Place them on a baking sheet and place the puff pastry circles on top, pressing them gently over the sides of the dishes. Pierce the tops with the tip of a paring knife. Brush the pastry with the egg wash.

Make an egg wash: In a small bowl, beat together the egg and the remaining 1 tablespoon cream. Brush the tops and outside rims of the bowls or ramekins with egg wash. Place them on a baking sheet and place the puff pastry circles on top, pressing them gently over the sides of the dishes. Pierce the tops with the tip of a paring knife. Brush the pastry with the egg wash.

Step 9Carefully transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake until the filling is bubbling hot and the pastry is a deep golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Carefully transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake until the filling is bubbling hot and the pastry is a deep golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Mushrooms and celery are good additions to the filing.

And I prefer using chicken thighs instead of breast meat because they have more flavor.

"Minimal sacrifice" here is subjective. Nothing beats fresh carrots in a recipe like this, but frozen peas are standard for my family. There is a huge difference between fresh and dried thyme.

Additional time-savings steps are 1) to use frozen carrots and peas and 2) to substitute dried thyme for fresh. Very little is sacrificed by choosing these options.

I was disappointed in the outcome as the recipe differed significantly from the video and I don’t understand why that is. The sauce was brown from deglazing the pan where Wolfgang created a sauce and took pains to keep it light. The sauce had a Marsala flavor, I expect due to the sherry, and this didn’t match the dish he demo’d in the video. Why is the recipe and the video out of sync?

Made it with turkey meat. Excellent for freezing. We had 2 individual meals then froze the other two with pastry tops and all. Came out great as a meal a month later.

There are several discrepancies between the video and written recipe. First Wolfgang uses poached chicken not sautéed chicken bits. He also puts the vegetables in without sautéing them. Finally, he doesn’t cut a vent in the puff pastry top. I suspect this is why his video shows a domed top and the written recipe to shows a flat top.

Adapted from “Wolfgang Puck Makes It Easy” by Wolfgang Puck (Rutledge Hill Press, 2004)

Source: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1027737-wolfgang-pucks-chicken-potpie