Favourite Cheddary Chicken Potpie

Cheddar chicken potpie is the no-fuss potpie that swaps a fussy rolled crust for a quick batter you mix in one bowl. The biscuit-style topping uses buttermilk pancake mix bound with egg, milk, and oil, then loaded with sharp cheddar so it bakes into something between a savory cobbler and a Bisquick biscuit. Underneath, the filling leans on the classic shortcut combo of cream of chicken soup and cream cheese for body, with cooked chicken, shredded carrots, and mixed veggies stirred in. The sliced almonds on top are an old-school touch that pays off, they toast in the oven into something genuinely crunchy and nutty that contrasts the creamy filling. Make sure the filling is hot before you spoon the batter over, that hot-hits-cold rule is what helps the topping bake through to the center instead of staying gummy underneath.

Pro Tips

• Heat the filling through on the stovetop until bubbling, dropping cold batter on lukewarm filling leaves a raw center every time.
• Use the sharpest aged cheddar you can find, the sharper it is the more cheese flavor stands up to the cream cheese richness.
• Spoon, don’t spread, the batter over the filling, leaving small gaps lets steam escape and prevents a soggy underside.
• Toast the almonds for the last 5 minutes only if they’re browning too fast, tent loosely with foil to slow them down.

Variations

• Stir in a handful of frozen peas and a tablespoon of chopped fresh thyme for a more classic potpie flavor profile.
• Swap the almonds for crispy fried onions for a tangier, more savory topping.
• Use cooked turkey instead of chicken to turn this into a post-holiday leftover-buster.