If you grew up thinking “pot pie” always meant a flaky crust and a creamy filling, go ahead and set that expectation aside for just a minute. Amish Chicken Pot Pie is something else entirely. It doesn’t involve a crust of any kind but it’s still complete comfort in a bowl and definitely worth putting in your dinner rotation.

See, Pennsylvania Dutch chicken pot pie isn’t a pie at all — it’s a hearty, soup-like stew made with thick, homemade-style square noodles, tender chicken, and vegetables in a rich broth. The name actually comes from “bott boi,” a term in the Pennsylvania Dutch dialect (a mix of German and English brought over by early Amish and Mennonite settlers in central Pennsylvania). Over time, “bott boi” became “pot pie” in English, even though there’s no crust in sight. Locals sometimes call it “slippery pot pie” instead, which honestly feels like the more honest name.

This version is more of a weeknight shortcut version than the true traditional, relying on storebought egg noodles and leftover chicken. Here’s how you go about it:

What Ingredients Do You Need for Pennsylvania Dutch Chicken Pot Pie?

• Butter, onion, and celery for the base
• Carrots and potatoes for heartiness
• Chicken broth and a bay leaf
• Chicken
• Frozen egg noodles, if you want to skip making them from scratch)
• Heavy cream and dried parsley to finish
• Salt and pepper, of course

How Do You Make Pennsylvania Dutch Chicken Pot Pie?

This one comes together in a single pot, which makes it great for a weeknight. You’ll start by softening onion and celery in butter, then add your carrots, potatoes, broth, and a bay leaf and let everything simmer until the vegetables are tender. From there, stir in your shredded chicken and noodles and let them cook right in the broth until tender (this is where all that starchy noodle goodness thickens everything up beautifully).

Finish with a splash of heavy cream and a little parsley, season well with salt and pepper, and let it simmer a few more minutes to bring it all together. Ladle it into bowls while it’s hot.

If you wanted to start with raw chicken, you would just poach it in the broth until it’s cooked through, then remove it and shred it or chop it before returning it back to the pot.