This easy dairy-free chicken pot pie is comfort food at its finest. With a flaky gluten-free crust and a creamy, chicken-packed filling, it's a meal the whole family will love.
A gluten-free chicken pot pie is one thing. But the dairy-free chicken pot pie has been alluding to me for some time. I gave up on the recipe when the weathered, arm but the last few weeks of chill sent me back to the drawing board.
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We perfected the recipe for individual pot pies.
📖Why My Recipe Works
Allergy Friendly- This recipe is free from dairy, wheat, gluten, coconut, nuts and eggs!
Gluten-Free Roux- A simple roux allows us to make a dairy-free sauce without using any substitutes for the heavy cream. This means no coconut milk or oat milk is needed.
Family Favorite- This dairy-free chicken pot pie recipe has a creamy filling, a flaky crust, and tons of flavor.
🧾Dairy-Free Pot Pie Ingredient Notes
When I think about chicken pot pies I think of flakey buttery crust, warm creamy gravy, crunchy veggies, and very chicken chicken. And this is essentially THE pie. And of course, some herbs to keep things tasty.
Gluten-Free Pie Crust- This recipe uses a mix of almond flour and a traditional gluten-free flour blend plus vegan butter.
There are so many wonderful pre-made gluten-free all-purpose flours on the market but do check to make sure they are dairy-free too. Wow, do they slide that dairy in on you!
You wimustmust also check to see if your flour blend contains xantham gum.
Chicken Broth- A good quality stock can add loads of flavor. You can use store-bought broth or stock, but I prefer homemade bone broth for a creamier gravy.
Shredded Chicken- You can poach chicken breasts but I prefer to use leftover chicken because it is easier.
You can even substitute a store-bought rotisserie or even canned chicken. I have used all three with great success in this recipe.
Veggies- We use a mix of green peas, pearl onions, and carrots. For simplicity, we like to use frozen vegetables but have included instructions for using fresh. Canned veggies are not my preferred substitute, they get too mushy when the pot pie cooks.
Blanched green beans chopped into 1-inch pieces can be used in place of the peas.
Herbs & Spices- Nothing too complicated. Garlic, thyme, and sage are the go-to pot pie spices. You can use dried or fresh herbs in this recipe.
And no mushrooms. I am not sure where this started but I see it in pot pies all the time. I am totally a mushroom person but not in my pot pie. Go figure.
⏲️How to Make Dairy-Free Chicken Pot Pie
This recipe might seem like it has a lot of steps or is complicated but we have used leftover chicken and frozen veggies to speed things up. There are two important processes; making the crust and making the roux for the gravy. Don't worry we have all the tips and tricks to ensure a successful dinner.
Step 1: Make a Gluten-Free Pie Crust
Let’s start with the crust. Traditional savory pie crust needs butter. I have tried all the paleo and gluten/dairy-free pie crusts out there. Or at least it feels like it. I really like the full-on paleo crusts that are almond/ egg/ coconut oil. I also like the ones that are gluten-free flour blend/ vegan butter.
You can use a pastry blender, your hands, or a basic food processor to bring the crust together. I prefer my hands- I need to touch them to know when it is just coming together.
Mix together your dry ingredients in a large bowl. Quickly work in the chunks of cold dairy-free butter. Add the vinegar-water mixture 1 tablespoon at a time. The crust is ready when it holds together on its own.
Form into a disc and wrap the crust in plastic wrap. The crust needs to rest for 45-60 minutes in the refrigerator. Which gives you time to preheat the oven and make the filling. Plus have a glass of wine, if needed.
Step 2: Make a Dairy-Free Filling
For the dairy-free gravy, we use a traditional gravy-making method. Creating a roux, add the chicken stock, and whisk until there are no lumps.
For the filling, heat ghee or your vegan butter in a large saute pan (you are going to make all the filling in this pan). Add in the tapioca flour and whisk vigorously until combined and there are no lumps, you will cook it for an additional 30 seconds.
Slowly pour in the stock, whisking constantly. Cook for 1-2 minutes until thickened, whisking every few seconds.
If using bone broth rather than shelf-stable chicken stock, warm it up to room temperature. You don’t want it too cold or too hot, both can cause excess lumps (i.e. more whisking for you).
Stir in the vegetables and chicken, and cook for 3-5 minutes until heated through. Add in the remaining spices for the filling and bring to a simmer. Season with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
You can finish the gravy with a small amount of dairy-free milk, preferably almond milk, just to give it a little extra body. This is optional, but a nice touch if you want an extra creamy texture.
Fresh veggies work too. I recommend sauteing chopped onions for 5 minutes to soften them before adding the pot pie filling. The peas and carrots can be added raw, with the chicken.
Step 3- Assemble and Bake
To assemble the chicken pot pies, I combine all the filling ingredients in the pot and divide them into individual bowls or ramekins.
I don’t even bother to grease them because this dairy-free gravy is loaded with collagen, so it doesn’t stick.
Next, I remove the pie crust from the fridge and divide the dough into four pieces, roll it out until it just fits into/ over the ramekins, and squeeze it on.
Use a fork or your fingers to pinch the edges down tight. Cut 2 slits in the top of each ramekin to allow the steam can escape.
Then I use a pastry brush to coat the crust with an egg wash. This is optional, but you won’t get the lovely golden-brown color that pot pies should have. Bake the pot pies until GBD. Golden brown and delicious!
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tip
You can absolutely make this recipe as a one-dish casserole. Same baking instructions and everything.
Storing Leftovers
Reheating the individual ramekins in the oven is quick and easy. AND Mr. Peel even microwaved (I know, eye-roll) a pot pie at work and said the crust stayed deliciously flaky.
Uncooked individual pot pies can be tightly wrapped in saran wrap and stored uncooked in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Any leftover cooked pies can be stored, again tightly wrapped, in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven for maximum flakiness.
Make Ahead
If you want to make this for meal prep the pie crust can be made 3 to 4 days in advance, just keep it in the plastic wrap. Prep the filling and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Simply reheat the filling, assemble, and bake.
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 cup gluten-free flour blend plus additional for dusting cutting board
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum omit if your flour blend already has this
- ½ cup cold vegan butter or coconut oil suggested: Earth Balance vegan butter
- 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons ice water
- 1 egg, for egg wash, see notes- optional
Chicken Pot Pie Filling
- 2 Tablespoons Dairy-free butter you can also use lactose-free ghee
- 2 Tablespoons tapioca starch
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 1 ½ cups carrots
- 1 cups peas
- ¾ cup pearl onions
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried sage
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- GET YOUR COOKBOOK
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Combine flour, xantham gum, and salt in a large bowl. Mix well. Quickly work in the cold vegan butter or coconut oil with your hands.1 cup almond flour,1 cup gluten-free flour blend,½ teaspoon kosher salt,¼ teaspoon xanthan gum,½ cup cold vegan butter or coconut oil
- Mix vinegar and cold water. Work into to crust mixture one tablespoon at a time. Work until the crust just comes together. Add additional ice water if needed.1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar,2 Tablespoons ice water
- Wrap the crust in plastic wrap. Chill the crust for 30 to 60 minutes while you work on the filling.
- For the filling, heat butter or ghee in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add in the tapioca flour and whisk vigorously until combined and there are no lumps. Cook for 30 seconds.2 Tablespoons Dairy-free butter,2 Tablespoons tapioca starch
- Slowly pour in the stock, whisking constantly. Cook for 1-2 minutes until thickened, whisking every few seconds.2 cups chicken stock
- Stir in the vegetables and chicken, and cook for 3-5 minutes until heated through. Add in the remaining spices for the filling and bring to a simmer. Season the filling to taste with additional salt and pepper, if needed.2 cups cooked shredded chicken,1 ½ cups carrots,1 cups peas,¾ cup pearl onions,½ teaspoon garlic powder,½ teaspoon dried thyme,¼ teaspoon turmeric powder,¼ teaspoon dried sage,¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Divided mixture into 4 large ramekins or ovenproof bowls. Remove the dough from the plastic wrap. On a floured surface divide into 4 parts and roll to fit ramekins. Press down the edges to secure the dough.
- Whisk the egg with 1 tablespoon of cold water. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the egg wash onto the tops of the crusts. Cut 2 one inch vents in the top of each crust.1 egg, for egg wash
- Bake pot pies until golden and crispy brown. Approximately 25 minutes.
Video
Notes
- If your bone broth is cold, warm to warm temperature for better results.
- Uncooked individual pies can be kept, tightly wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- I use a store-bought rotisserie chicken and frozen vegetables to make this recipe fast and easy.
- The egg wash is optional. You can brush with a little dairy-free milk or dairy-free melted butter.
Equipment
- Four large ramekins or one medium casserole dish you can also use a cast iron skillet..
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