Reese Witherspoon’s 3-Step Chicken Casserole Was Even More Delicious Than I Was Expecting

Chicken pot pie is one of my family’s very favorite foods. It’s definitely a labor of love, so I don’t make it often. (I have two very busy kids.) But Reese Witherspoon’s recipe for chicken pot pie casserole evokes the same vibes of the original, but with much less labor and time. 

The recipe comes out of her book Whiskey in a Tea Cup. The recipe stands alone, but it’s the essay on “do-gooding” that accompanies it that really drives home this casserole’s purpose. Reese describes the Southern tradition of community: spaghetti potlucks, charity drives, scholarship funds. Her grandfather was an active member of every local organization, and it’s where she learned how to “do good.” When someone you know is going through a transition — whether celebrating a new baby or house, or experiencing a loss or divorce — “you have to go. You have to be there for them however you can.” 

For Reese, that means this casserole. 

• Make the potato crust by mixing together frozen shredded hash browns and eggs in a large bowl. Press into a greased 9×9-inch baking dish. Bake at 375°F for 15 minutes.
• Make the filling while the potato crust bakes. Sauté chopped onion, carrots, and celery until tender. Add frozen peas, diced cooked chicken, and cream of mushroom soup. (Don’t forget to swirl a bit of water in the can to get all the soup and add to the mix!) Stir together and pour over the par-baked potato crust.
• Top the casserole with an unfolded piece of puff pastry.
• Bake until the filling is bubbly and the pastry is puffed and golden, about 35 minutes.

This recipe was comforting and familiar, but the best part about it was how easy it was to put together. Making this was way simpler than a traditional chicken pot pie. Both prep and cleanup time came in at under 30 minutes. I’m not normally one for kitchen shortcuts, but, considering the minimal effort that went into this recipe, I was impressed by the payoff. It’s delicious! 

I also liked how vegetable-forward it was. The ratio of vegetables to chicken was high, which I think helped offset the richness of the pastry. The potato “crust” on the bottom doesn’t get crispy at all, but that’s OK. I like that it’s a comfy layer of carbs that isn’t loaded with dairy. The casserole is comfort food for sure, but not overwhelmingly rich, which I appreciated. My only note is the amount of black pepper called for is fairly high (she calls for 2 teaspoons!). I’d cut it in half if you’re not a huge fan or if you’re making this for someone else.

While the ease of this recipe is great on a random school night, the context of Reese’s memoir is the most important part of this recipe. You could very easily make an extra casserole anytime someone in your circle is in need of a 9×9-inch pan of love. Sure, made-from-scratch pastry and homemade broth plus hand-pulled chicken and freshly shucked peas are wonderful. But so is this recipe, and the thought and intention that comes from, “I see you and figured you could use something to eat.” When you’ve got a lot going on but still want to show up for someone you care about, the answer is always to do what you can with the resources that you have. Sometimes those resources are a bag of hash browns, a can of mushroom soup, and a disposable aluminum pan. 

• Use pre-chopped veggies. If you’d like to make this even faster and cut down on some of the chopping, you could use 3 cups of pre-cut mirepoix. You could also swap in 2 cups of frozen peas and carrots for the 1 cup of diced fresh carrots and 1 cup of frozen peas.
• Defrost your puff pastry. If you have time, let the puff pastry thaw in the refrigerator overnight, or unwrapped at room temperature for an hour or two. I had difficulty unfolding it straight from the freezer, and it cracked in half.
• Take it easy on the pepper. The amount of black pepper might be too much for many. Start by cutting it in half, or just season with black pepper to taste as you usually would when cooking. You can always add more.
• If you have any fresh herbs, use them! Add about a teaspoon (chopped thyme, parsley, or sage would work!) to the filling for some freshness.
• Round things out. This is a meal all on its own. But if you’re dropping it off to someone, adding some cut fruit would be a nice addition.

This article originally published on The Kitchn. See it there: Reese Witherspoon’s 3-Step Chicken Casserole Was Even More Delicious Than I Was Expecting