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This easy chicken shepherd’s pie is a cozy dinner made with tender chicken and mixed vegetables in a creamy sauce, all covered with a thick layer of homemade mashed potatoes. It’s warm, filling, and made with simple ingredients.
Using cooked chicken and frozen vegetables keeps the filling pretty easy, while the mashed potatoes cook at the same time you’re making the sauce.
Once everything is layered in the baking dish, it goes into the oven until the filling is bubbling and the potatoes are lightly golden.
For more easy family dinner ideas, try these turkey sloppy joes, chicken burgers, and Southwest chicken bowls.
Why You’ll Love Chicken Shepherd’s Pie
- Hearty and filling: Chicken, vegetables, gravy, and creamy mashed potatoes make this a complete meal in one dish.
- Uses cooked chicken: It’s a great recipe for using leftover chicken or a rotisserie chicken. Use my Instant Pot roast chicken or easy roast chicken recipe to cook the chicken for even more convenience.
- Easy frozen vegetables: A bag of mixed vegetables saves time without requiring any chopping.
Ingredients
Find the full list of ingredients, amounts, and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Russet potatoes – These make light, fluffy mashed potatoes for the top of the shepherd’s pie.
- Cooked chicken breast – Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Leftover or rotisserie chicken can make this step especially easy.
- Frozen mixed vegetables – A 10-ounce bag gives you a mixture of vegetables without any extra prep.
- Chicken broth – Forms the base of the creamy sauce for the chicken and vegetables. You can use store-bought chicken broth, or use my homemade Instant Pot bone broth recipe.
- Butter, milk, and sour cream – Used throughout the recipe to make both the filling and mashed potato topping rich and creamy.
How to Make Chicken Shepherd’s Pie
Here are the step-by-step instructions for making this Chicken Shepherd’s Pie recipe:
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Peel potatoes and cut them into large chunks. Put the potatoes in a large pot and add enough water to just cover them.
Bring the potatoes to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook for 10–15 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
Step 2: While the potatoes are cooking, melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and minced garlic and sauté for about 3 minutes.
Step 3: Sprinkle flour over the onions and garlic and stir until combined. Add chicken broth, milk, salt, pepper, and dried thyme. Whisk until the sauce is smooth and has thickened.
Step 4: Stir in frozen mixed vegetables and cooked chicken. Reduce the heat to low and let the filling gently simmer while you finish the potatoes.
Step 5: Drain the cooked potatoes. Add the remaining butter, milk, and sour cream.
Step 6: Mash until fluffy, then season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
Step 7: Pour the chicken and vegetable mixture into a 9×13-inch baking dish and spread it evenly.
Step 8: Spoon the mashed potatoes over the chicken mixture and gently spread them into an even layer.
Step 9: Bake for 30 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling around the edges and the mashed potatoes are lightly golden. Sprinkle with additional thyme if desired.
Step 10: Let the shepherd’s pie cool for a few minutes before serving.
Variations
You can easily make a few changes depending on what you have available.
Use leftover turkey instead of chicken, especially after a holiday meal. You can also substitute your favorite frozen vegetables for the mixed vegetable blend.
For a little extra flavor on top, sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese over the mashed potatoes during the last several minutes of baking.
Tips for Success
- Cut the potatoes into similar-sized pieces so they cook evenly.
- Don’t overcook the potatoes. Cook them just until they’re easily pierced with a fork.
- Use leftover chicken to save time. Rotisserie chicken is another easy option.
- Let the sauce thicken before adding the chicken and vegetables. You want a creamy gravy rather than a thin filling.
- Spread the potatoes all the way to the edges of the baking dish to completely cover the filling.
How to Store
Store leftover chicken shepherd’s pie covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat individual portions in the microwave or warm the casserole covered in the oven until heated through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Rotisserie chicken is an easy shortcut. Remove the skin and bones and cut or shred the meat before measuring out 3 cups.
Yes. If you already have enough mashed potatoes on hand, you can use them instead of making the potato topping from scratch. You’ll want enough to generously cover a 9×13-inch baking dish.
No. The frozen vegetables can go directly into the hot sauce.
Make sure the flour is thoroughly incorporated and give the sauce time to thicken before adding the chicken and vegetables.
Yes. Assemble the casserole, cover it, and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake. If baking it straight from the refrigerator, it may need additional time in the oven to heat completely through.
More Easy Dinner Recipes
- Jerk Chicken and Rice
- Easy Taco Salad
- Easy Cashew Chicken
- Greek Chicken Bowls With Tzatziki
- Marry Me Chicken Sliders
- Rotisserie Chicken Tacos
If you make this chicken shepherd’s pie recipe and enjoy it, please leave a comment with a 5-star recipe rating and let me know! Thank you!
Easy Chicken Shepherd’s Pie
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 pounds russet potatoes
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup milk, + 3 tbsp for potato topping
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus extra to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus extra to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, plus extra for topping, optional
- 1 10 ounce bag frozen mixed vegetables
- 3 cups cooked chicken breast, cut into pieces
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into large chunks. Add them to a large pot and cover them with enough water until they are just submerged.
- Bring the potatoes to a boil on the stovetop over medium/high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot with a lid, and boil the potatoes for 10-15 minutes or until they are fork-tender.
- While the potatoes are boiling, melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet on the stovetop over medium/high heat. Add the onions and garlic to the skillet and sauté for about 3 minutes.
- Add the flour to the skillet, and stir to combine,
- Add the chicken broth, 1 cup milk, salt, pepper, and thyme to the skillet and whisk briskly until the mixture is smooth and thickened.
- Add the frozen vegetables and cooked chicken to the sauce and stir to combine. Allow the mixture to simmer on LOW heat while you prepare the mashed potatoes.
- Drain the water from the pot of potatoes and add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter, remaining milk, and sour cream to the pot and mash the potatoes with a potato masher until fluffy. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir to combine.
- Pour the chicken mixture into a 9×13-inch casserole dish.
- Spread the mashed potatoes evenly over the top of the chicken mixture.
- Bake the shepherd’s pie in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the edges are bubbling and the top is lightly golden brown.
Notes
- Cut the potatoes into similar-sized pieces so they cook evenly.
- Don’t overcook the potatoes. Cook them just until they’re easily pierced with a fork.
- Use leftover chicken to save time. Rotisserie chicken is another easy option.
- Let the sauce thicken before adding the chicken and vegetables. You want a creamy gravy rather than a thin filling.
- Spread the potatoes all the way to the edges of the baking dish to completely cover the filling.
- Store leftover chicken shepherd’s pie covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat individual portions in the microwave or warm the casserole covered in the oven until heated through.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
