Artichoke Chicken Pot Pie Turnovers

I kept seeing artichoke chicken pot pie turnovers on my feed and figured I’d just make them instead of saving another pin. Used what I had on hand, which was pie crust and some artichokes, and honestly it worked better than I thought it would.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Ready in 30 minutes start to finish
• Fork-sealed edges mean no filling leaks out during baking which happened to me with crimped edges before
• The artichokes don’t get mushy or weird at 400 degrees
• You can eat these with your hands standing up
• No deep dish to wash after because everything bakes flat on a sheet pan
• That salad dressing does something to the filling I didn’t expect — adds this creamy tang without making it heavy

The Story Behind This Recipe

Last Tuesday I got home around 6:30 and wanted pot pie but didn’t want to deal with a whole casserole situation. I had two pie crusts in the fridge and a jar of artichokes I kept meaning to use.

Cutting the crusts into squares instead of circles saved me like ten minutes of re-rolling scraps and the portions came out more consistent anyway. The fork press thing I learned from my mom’s empanadas — it just works better than trying to pinch dough when you’re tired.

I tested these at 400 degrees because that’s what my oven was already set to from something else. Twelve minutes gave me a crust that was cooked through but not crackling brown, which I actually prefer for turnovers.

What You Need

You need two refrigerated pie crusts — the kind that come rolled in a box. They’re already the right thickness and you don’t have to worry about them shrinking too much.

Grab one 14-ounce can of artichoke hearts, drained and chopped. Not marinated ones because those have too much oil and vinegar already in them. The plain water-packed artichokes give you control over the flavor.

For the chicken part, you need 1 cup of cooked chicken that’s shredded or chopped small. I used a rotisserie chicken breast I had left over and just pulled it apart with my hands. If you skip the chicken it’s just artichoke turnovers, which isn’t what we’re doing here.

The surprise ingredient is 1/4 cup of ranch or Caesar salad dressing. I went with ranch because that’s what was open in my fridge. This is what makes the filling creamy without having to make a whole bechamel situation.

You’ll need flour for dusting your counter so the dough doesn’t stick when you’re working with it. Just a light sprinkle does it.

Parchment paper for your baking sheet keeps cleanup simple and stops the bottoms from getting too dark.

How to Make Artichoke Chicken Pot Pie Turnovers

Turn your oven to 400 degrees and let it heat up while you prep. That temperature matters because it’s hot enough to cook the crust through but won’t char it in 12 minutes.

Shake some flour onto your counter and unroll both pie crusts flat. Take a knife or pizza cutter and divide each crust into four squares — you’re aiming for equal sizes so they bake at the same rate. I just eyeball the center point and cut straight lines.

Get a medium bowl and dump in your chopped artichoke hearts and cooked chicken. Pour that 1/4 cup of salad dressing over everything and mix it around with a spoon until all the chicken and artichokes look coated. The dressing clings to the chicken better than I thought it would.

Take four of your dough squares and put them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spoon about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the artichoke chicken filling into the center of each square — don’t go all the way to the edges. Lay the remaining four squares on top of the filled ones like you’re making a sandwich.

Now press the edges down with a fork, going all the way around each turnover. You want those tines to really seal the two layers together so nothing leaks out. I noticed the dough is soft enough that it mushes together easily but firm enough that it holds the pattern.

Slide the sheet pan into your oven. 12 minutes is all it takes. The crusts will look pale gold and matte, not shiny or deeply browned, and that’s exactly right for pot pie turnovers.

Pull them out and let them sit on the pan for about 3 minutes before you move them. The filling is hot and loose right out of the oven, and that short rest lets everything firm up just enough so you can pick one up without burning yourself or losing half the insides.

What I Did Wrong the First Time

I filled the first batch way too full — like, almost to the edges — because I wanted to use up all the filling at once. When I sealed them with the fork the pressure squeezed filling out the sides and it leaked onto the pan while they baked.

Three of them had these weird crispy puddles of dressing stuck to the bottom that I had to scrape off. Now I leave a solid half-inch border around the filling and I don’t have that problem anymore.

Artichoke Chicken Pot Pie Turnovers

By Emma

Prep:

15 min

Cook:

15 min

Total:

30 min

Servings:

4 servings

Ingredients

• Artichokes through salad dressing (exact quantities as original, unspecified here)

Method

1. 1 Heat your oven to a solid 400 degrees. That high heat firms up the crust quickly without drying the filling.
2. 2 Dust your workspace lightly with flour and unroll your pie crusts. Cut each crust into four equal squares with sharp, confident strokes.
3. 3 In a medium bowl, toss the artichokes and salad dressing together until everything is coated evenly. I like how the dressing adds moisture and tang here.
4. 4 Spoon a generous mound of the artichoke mixture into the center of 4 dough squares. Lay a matching dough square on top and seal the edges by pressing firmly with a fork. This keeps the filling locked in during baking.
5. 5 Place your sealed turnovers on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Pop them in the oven and listen for a quiet crackle as the crust just begins to toast — about 12 minutes. Watch for a subtle golden hue but don’t expect dramatic color changes.
6. 6 Once done, remove from the oven and let the turnovers rest briefly. That pause lets the filling settle so it won’t spill out when you bite in.
7. 7 Serve warm to enjoy the flaky crust giving way to the creamy, aromatic artichoke inside.

Nutritional information

Calories

N/A

Protein

N/A

Carbs

N/A

Fat

N/A

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Tips for the Best Artichoke Chicken Pot Pie Turnovers

Don’t roll your dough any thinner than it comes. The store-bought crust is already the right thickness and if you mess with it the squares won’t hold the filling weight without tearing.

I found out the fork sealing works better if you press straight down instead of dragging it along the edge. Straight presses give you those clean lines that actually lock the dough layers together instead of just making decorative marks.

Your filling should look slightly wet but not soupy when you mix it. If the dressing pools at the bottom of the bowl after stirring you added too much and the turnovers will leak steam vents through the seams while they bake.

Space your turnovers at least an inch apart on the sheet pan. I put mine too close the first time and the edges that were almost touching stayed pale and kind of doughy while the outer edges cooked normally.

The artichokes shrink a tiny bit as they heat so don’t chop them into pieces smaller than a dime. Smaller bits turn mushy and disappear into the dressing instead of giving you those little tangy bites throughout.

Serving Ideas

I ate mine with a handful of baby spinach on the side that I didn’t even dress. The turnovers are rich enough that plain greens balanced it out.

They’re also good dipped in extra ranch if you’re into that, or a spicy mayo situation if you want some heat. A friend of mine put hers on top of tomato soup like a giant crouton and said it worked.

Honestly they’re fine just standing at the counter still warm from the oven. That’s how I ate two of them last Tuesday.

Variations

You can swap rotisserie turkey for the chicken and it tastes almost identical, maybe slightly drier but not enough to matter. I’d add an extra tablespoon of dressing if you go that route.

Caesar dressing instead of ranch gives you a sharper flavor that I actually liked more the next day when I reheated one. The garlic comes through stronger when it’s not piping hot.

Frozen spinach works if you thaw it and squeeze out every drop of water first — like really wring it in a towel. Otherwise you get wet filling that makes the bottom crust soggy and nobody wants that.

I thought about adding cheese but honestly it doesn’t need it. The dressing already makes it creamy and cheese would just make the whole thing heavier without adding much.

FAQ

Can I use homemade pie crust instead of store-bought? Yeah but it’s more work for the same result. Store-bought is consistent and you don’t have to chill it or worry about it shrinking weird in the oven.

How do I know when the turnovers are actually done? The crust looks matte and pale gold, not shiny or raw-looking. If you lift one with a spatula the bottom should be firm and just starting to color, not white.

Can I make these ahead and bake them later? I assembled four and stuck them in the fridge for about 3 hours before baking and they turned out fine. Any longer and the dough gets sticky and harder to work with.

What if I don’t have parchment paper? Just grease your pan lightly with cooking spray. I wouldn’t skip it entirely because the dressing can leak and burn onto the pan.

Can I freeze these before baking? I haven’t tried it but I think they’d work if you freeze them on the pan first then transfer to a bag once solid. Bake from frozen and add maybe 3-4 extra minutes.

Do I need to poke holes in the top for steam? No, the fork-sealed edges let out enough steam. I poked holes in one batch and it didn’t make any difference except the filling bubbled out through the holes.

Can I use marinated artichokes instead? I wouldn’t because the marinade has oil and vinegar that’ll make the filling too loose and the crust won’t seal as well. Just drain regular artichokes really well.

How small should I chop the chicken? About the size of a dime or smaller. Big chunks make it hard to seal the edges and you end up with uneven distribution where some turnovers are all chicken and others are all artichoke.

What if my edges won’t seal no matter how hard I press? Your dough might be too cold and stiff. Let it sit on the counter for like 2 minutes to warm up slightly, then try the fork press again.

Can I use Greek yogurt instead of salad dressing? Probably but it’ll taste different and might be thinner. The dressing has seasonings already mixed in that Greek yogurt doesn’t have.

How do I reheat leftovers? I put mine in a 350-degree oven for about 7 minutes. Microwave makes the crust weird and chewy instead of flaky.

Why is my crust browning too fast? Your oven might run hot. Try 375 instead of 400 and add a couple minutes to the bake time.

Can I make these without chicken for a vegetarian version? Sure but then it’s just artichoke turnovers and you might want to add something else for bulk. Maybe white beans or chopped mushrooms so it’s not just vegetables and dressing.

Do these need to be served hot or can I eat them cold? They’re best warm but I ate one cold from the fridge the next morning and it was still decent. The crust loses some of its flakiness when it cools all the way down.

What’s the white stuff that sometimes leaks out while baking? That’s the dressing seeping through a spot where the seal wasn’t tight enough. It’s not a big deal, it just bakes onto the pan and you scrape it off.

Can I double this recipe? Yeah just use four pie crusts instead of two and double everything else. You’ll need two sheet pans or bake them in batches because crowding makes them steam instead of getting that dry heat.

Why do my turnovers look pale and not golden brown? 12 minutes at 400 isn’t long enough for deep browning and that’s fine. Pot pie crust doesn’t need to be dark, it just needs to be cooked through and flaky.

Can I add other vegetables to the filling? You could add peas or diced carrots but remember you only have room for about 3 tablespoons of filling per turnover. More vegetables means less artichoke chicken and then it’s a different recipe.

What size should my dough squares be? Each crust makes four squares so if your crust is about 11 inches across you’re looking at roughly 5-inch squares. I don’t measure it, I just cut each crust in half one way then in half the other way.

How long do these last in the fridge? I kept mine for 3 days and they were fine. After that the crust starts getting soft and absorbs moisture from the filling.