Having my mom’s delicious Chicken Pot Pie Filling on your pantry shelf makes speedy, wholesome meal prep simple. I created this recipe over 20 years ago, and my family still can’t get enough of it. It’s the ultimate comfort food in a jar—perfect for busy nights, unexpected guests, or anytime you crave the flavor of homemade chicken pot pie without the fuss.

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By Diane Devereaux | The Canning Diva® 
Last updated: October 8, 2025

Key Takeaways

• Classic comfort food made shelf-stable through pressure canning.
• Easily substitute vegetables or poultry while maintaining total ratios.
• Quick meal solution—just add half-and-half and bake into a flaky pie crust.

The Heart Behind This Family Favorite

Homemade chicken pot pie has always been one of my family’s most-requested meals. Years ago, I adapted my mom’s recipe into a canning version to make mealtime easier without sacrificing flavor or tradition. Over 20 years later, this filling still earns its spot as one of the most loved recipes in my kitchen.

This recipe offers flexibility for every home canner. You can substitute vegetables based on preference or season—just maintain the total quantity of 13 cups for balanced consistency and safe canning ratios. The same rule applies to your meat selection: use 10 cups total of cooked chicken or substitute turkey, pheasant, or any combination of poultry cuts you prefer.

Canning your chicken pot pie filling not only saves time but ensures you always have a homemade meal ready to go. Pair it with your favorite crust and a splash of half-and-half, and you’ll have a golden, bubbling pie on the table in no time.

Chicken Pot Pie Filling Canning Recipe

Makes approx. 7 quarts or 14 pints

This hearty chicken pot pie filling canning recipe is a family favorite and one of the best meals in a jar you can make. Packed with tender chicken, flavorful vegetables, and a creamy, savory sauce, it’s the perfect make-ahead comfort food to keep on your pantry shelf all year long.

Ingredients

• 4 quarts of water
• 10 chicken breasts (10 cups chopped)
• 2 cups onions, chopped
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 5 cups carrots, chopped
• 4 cups frozen peas
• 2 cups celery, chopped
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoon celery seeds
• 2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 1/3 cups Canning Gel aka ClearJel®
• 8 cups of chicken broth

Instructions

1. Boil chicken in water until cooked through, about 20 minutes. Remove cooked chicken from boiled water and place on a cutting board to cool. Reserve 6 to 8 cups of boiled chicken broth to be used later. Once chicken has cooled, chop or tear into bite sized pieces.
2. In a large stainless steel stock pot combine celery, onions and butter. Sauté on medium heat until onions are translucent, about 8 minutes. Add carrots, peas, chicken, salt, pepper and broth to the onion mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring often to avoid scorching the filling.
3. Take 3 cups of the reserved water from boiling the chicken, and using a whisk, whisk in Canning Gel. Add mixture to stock pot and mix well. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring often. If mixture becomes too thick, in 1 cup increments, use the reserved liquid to give the filling a thinner consistency. After filling has boiled for 5 minutes, remove from heat.
4. Ladle hot pie filling into hot jars being sure to leave a generous 1” headspace. Use a warm washcloth dipped in vinegar to wipe each jar rim and screw bands. Place lids and rings atop each jar and hand tighten.
5. Process jars in a pressure canner at 10 PSI, or according to your elevation, or according to your elevation; 75 minutes for pints and 90 minutes for quarts.

Ready to make a Chicken Pot Pie?

Grab a quart or two from your pantry shelf.  Before filling the pie crust, be sure to heat your pie filling on the stove top and add required amount of half-n-half to give your pie filing a creamy texture and taste. For every quart of pie filling, heat through and stir in a ½ cup of half-n-half. Fill pie crust and bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove pie from oven and let rest 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

Serving Ideas & Variations

Serve this chicken pot pie filling the classic way—tucked beneath a flaky, golden crust. Or, for a faster weeknight meal, pour it into individual ramekins and top each with puff pastry before baking. You can also spoon the hot filling over biscuits or toast for a hearty open-faced meal.

For variety, swap chicken for turkey after the holidays, or stir in corn, green beans, or diced potatoes for a seasonal twist. When you crave extra comfort, add a splash of cream before baking to create an even richer, velvety texture.

Chicken Pot Pie Filling Canning Recipe

Recipe by The Canning Diva

4.6 from 20 votes

Servings

7 quarts or 14 pints

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Having my mom’s delicious Chicken Pot Pie Filling on your pantry shelf aides in speedy, healthy meal preparation. I created this canning recipe over 15 years ago for home canners. My family and I eat so much of it, I preserve a quadruple batch every year to keep up with our consumption. The best meal in a jar to have handy when you need something quick on the table.

Ingredients

US Metric

• 10 10 chicken breasts (10 cups chopped)

• 2 cups 2 onions, chopped

• 4 tablespoons 4 butter

• 5 cups 5 carrots, chopped

• 4 cups 4 frozen peas

• 2 cups 2 celery, chopped

• 1 tablespoon 1 salt

• 2 teaspoon 2 black pepper

• 2 teaspoon 2 celery seeds

• 2 teaspoon 2 garlic powder

• 1 1/3 cups 1 1/3 Canning Gel aka ClearJel®

• 8 cups 8 chicken broth

Instructions

• Boil chicken in water until cooked through, about 20 minutes. Remove cooked chicken from boiled water and place on a cutting board to cool. Reserve 6 to 8 cups of boiled chicken broth to be used later. Once chicken has cooled, chop or tear into bite sized pieces.
• In a large stainless steel stock pot combine celery, onions and butter. Sauté on medium heat until onions are translucent, about 8 minutes. Add carrots, peas, chicken, salt, pepper and broth to the onion mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring often to avoid scorching the filling.
• Take 3 cups of the reserved water from boiling the chicken, and using a whisk, whisk in Canning Gel. Add mixture to stock pot and mix well. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring often. If mixture becomes too thick, in 1 cup increments, use the reserved liquid to give the filling a thinner consistency. After filling has boiled for 5 minutes, remove from heat.
• Ladle hot pie filling into hot jars being sure to leave a generous 1” headspace. Use a warm washcloth dipped in vinegar to wipe each jar rim and screw bands. Place lids and rings atop each jar and hand tighten.
• Process jars in a pressure canner at 10 PSI, or according to your elevation, or according to your elevation; 75 minutes for pints and 90 minutes for quarts.

Notes

• For those of you who have inquired about substituting the vegetables in my recipe, feel free to do so. The key is keeping the total cups in check, meaning, there is a total of 13 cups of vegetables in this recipe. So long as your vegetable ratio remains a total of 13 cups, no more and no less, you may substitute as you see fit.
• Grab a quart or two from your pantry shelf.  Before filling the pie crust, be sure to heat your pie filling on the stove top and add required amount of half-n-half to give your pie filing a creamy texture and taste. For every quart of pie filling, heat through and stir in a ½ cup of half-n-half. Fill pie crust and bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove pie from oven and let rest 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

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People Often Ask

About the Author:
Diane Devereaux, The Canning Diva®, is an internationally recognized food preservation expert, author, and educator with over 30 years of home canning experience. She’s the author of multiple top-selling canning books and teaches workshops across the U.S. Learn more at TheCanningDiva.com.

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