Quick Pennsylvania Dutch Chicken Pot Pie with Store-Bought Noodles

If you’re expecting a flaky crust, you’re in for a surprise. This is Pennsylvania Dutch pot pie, and it’s a whole different animal.

In Lancaster County and across PA Dutch country, “pot pie” means a thick, soul-warming stew of tender chicken, chunky potatoes, and wide square-cut noodles swimming in rich homemade broth.

The chicken gets boiled low and slow until it practically falls apart, and that cooking liquid becomes the base for everything.

It’s the kind of dish Amish grandmothers have been making for generations, and it’s meant to stick to your ribs on a cold winter night.

Stir in some diced hard-cooked eggs at the end if you’re feeling traditional.

Pro Tips

• Blanch the chicken first by covering with cold water, bringing to a boil, then draining. This removes impurities and gives you a cleaner, clearer broth.
• Use wide egg noodles or homemade pot pie squares. Traditional PA Dutch pot pie noodles are cut into 2-inch squares. Find them at local markets in Pennsylvania or make your own from egg noodle dough.
• Don’t overcook the noodles. Add them at the end and cook just until tender. Mushy noodles ruin the texture.
• The hard-cooked eggs are optional but traditional. Dice them and stir in just before serving for extra richness and protein.
• Make it a day ahead. Like most stews, this tastes even better reheated the next day after the flavors have melded together.