Doesn’t hot and hearty pot pie sound delicious this time of year? There’s not much that’s more satisfying and comforting on a nasty cold winter night.

It was with this sense in mind that I went hunting for not just a tasty, but easy pot pie recipe. While this is the season for comfort food, it’s also the season of busy. So easy recipes are dearly appreciated, right?

It was a successful hunt. The October Bon Appetit magazine has an article all about making pot pies in skillets. What a cool idea—a straight forward process with less to clean up after the prepping.

Essentially, this is a skillet stew with a temptingly flaky crust topping the whole thing. What’s inviting about this recipe is that if you’re really strapped for time, you can turn to a package of frozen puff pastry and drape that over your skillet once you reach the dough part of the recipe. Trim it to fit your skillet and you’re in business. But, if you have a few extra minutes and the energy to match, this lightning-quick, beginner dough is a great way to a) polish your pastry-making skills, and b) turn out an amazing main dish.

Before I share the recipe, let’s look at a few pot-pie-making strategies that every pot pie lover should know:

First of all, don’t be stingy with the fat your recipe calls for. This recipe uses 2 generous tablespoons of real butter. I know butter is becoming more and more expensive these days, but don’t be tempted to substitute margarine or cooking oil. You just won’t get the same flavor results. Use all 2 tablespoons so that when you add the protein (in this recipe it’s chicken), it maximizes the drippings that'll later coat your vegetables.

And notice in the picture that Bon Apetit’s cook is using cast iron. Their chefs recommend this skillet choice as it saves you the headache of scraping strange crust off the bottom of the pan later. Note also, that a typical pot pie recipe would need a large skillet.

Once all that wonderful butter is melted you’ll add your protein. This recipe calls for chicken cut into ¾-inch pieces. And here’s another tip: besides being generous with the fat, also be generous with the protein. Don’t skimp. Unless you’re making a vegetable pot pie, you want there to be more protein than veggies. So always use at least 1 pound of protein for this dish (in this case, it’s boneless, skinless chicken). You won’t be sorry.

Your cooked chicken should be a little brown and a little crispy on the outside. When it gets to that point, it’s ready to be set aside. Put it into a small- to medium-sized bowl and let it sit while you cook the vegetables.

Now the vegetables: Chopped onions and diced celery go in first. The onions should become translucent and the celery should get a little bit soft. This recipe calls for sauerkraut. I’m not a fan, so I’m omitting it when I make this pie. I’ll add more onion and celery. But the Bon Apetit chefs swear by it and say, “Sure, it seems weird, but when it cooks, it loses some of its potency and adds a necessary tangy note to cut through all the creamy mix.” There you go; if you’re OK with sauerkraut, add it in.

A quarter of an acorn squash is next. You'll want something approximating ¾" pieces so that they actually cook through in the pan. And this instruction leads to another important pot-pie-making secret. Always be sure your ingredients are cut more on the smaller side so that they’ll thoroughly cook through without the crust becoming overly browned. So back to the squash: If you cut your squash into giant chunks, the pie will take longer to cook and you don’t want that.

Now it’s time to put it all together. Add the chicken and juices into the pan with the veggies; add flour to thicken the mixture. Then add 1 cup whole milk and 1 cup water to create that creamy sauce we love in our pot pies. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture looks creamy, about 10 minutes.

Finally, top the skillet with a crust (either that shown in this recipe, your own favorite pastry recipe, or the store-bought puff pastry). Then whisk 1 egg yolk and 1 tablespoon water together. This "egg wash" creates an appealing golden brown crust. Finish by cutting four small slits in the dough to let air in—don't get crazy with it, just enough to ventilate. Place your skillet into the oven and enjoy the tantalizing aromas of this pie as it bakes to perfection.

SKILLET POT PIE WITH ACORN SQUASH (serves 4)

½ cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, divided

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into ¾-inch pieces

¾ medium onion, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more

¼ cup sauerkraut

¼ acorn squash, seeds removed, cut into ¾-inch pieces

2 tablespoons plus 1 cup all-purpose flour; plus more for surface

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk

1 large egg yolk

Preheat oven to 450°. Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to brown, 5–6 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl with a slotted spoon.

Melt 1 Tbsp. butter in same skillet over medium heat. Cook onion and celery, stirring occasionally and scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan (the good stuff), until vegetables are beginning to soften, 6–8 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Add sauerkraut and cook until liquid is evaporated, about 1 minute. Add squash and cook, tossing occasionally, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Return chicken and any accumulated juices to skillet and sprinkle with 2 Tbsp. flour; toss to coat.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 1 minute. Stir in 1 cup milk and 1 cup water and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened to the consistency of heavy cream, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut remaining 5 Tbsp. butter into small pieces (it should be cold). Whisk 1 cup flour, ½ tsp. salt, and ¼ tsp. pepper in a medium bowl. Toss butter in flour mixture to evenly coat. Working quickly and purposely, rub butter into flour with your fingertips to create large, shaggy pieces of dough (the idea is to smash the butter into the flour, creating a mix of flat and thin pieces). Drizzle remaining 2 Tbsp. milk over and knead until dough starts to come together, pressing to incorporate shaggy edges (it will still look a little dry).

Beat egg yolk and 1 Tbsp. water in a small bowl just to blend—congratulations, you just made egg wash. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, waxed paper, or foil. Roll out to a 10" circle, trimming any shaggy edges. Using parchment to help you, carefully invert dough over filling in skillet, covering it completely. Cut 4 slits in dough to allow steam to escape and brush with egg wash.

Bake pot pie until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling around the edges, 12–15 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Do Ahead: Dough can be made 3 days ahead; keep chilled, or freeze up to 1 month.

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