This healthy dairy free chicken pot pie is a lighter version of the classic comfort food. It's incredible good, and easier to make from scratch than you might think!
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We're a huge fan of healthy comfort food here! You might have seen our buffalo chicken pasta bake, our version of the classic hamburger soup, or our dedicated collection of healthy stews?
The good news is that you don't have to give up on your comfort food favorites just because you're trying to eat healthy!
This delicious chicken pot pie is completely dairy free, and a low calorie version that tastes just as good as the one you grew up with.
For those who are unfamiliar with chicken pot pie, it's an American pastry pie of shredded chicken and vegetables in a creamy sauce. It's super traditional, and easier to make than you'd think!
You can also check out my Chicken and Chorizo Pie or Mince Beef Pie!
🥧 Healthy chicken pot pie
Pot pie isn't really known as the typical healthy dinner. BUT, luckily, we can make a healthy dairy free chicken pot pie that's just as good with only a few simple healthier changes. This is how we do it:
- Substitute the cream with chicken stock and almond (or oat) milk. The sauce won't be as thick and creamy as the classic heavy cream version is, but almond milk and oat milk are creamier than you'd think, and ridiculously low on calories. You won't miss a thing!
- Only put pastry on top. If you don't have any pastry on the bottom of the pie, and only add pastry on the top, you have half the pastry, which means the pie will be lighter. And there's still plenty of pastry to go around, so you will get your share!
- You can of course use any cut of chicken that you like, but keep in mind that chicken breasts are leaner than chicken thighs. Using chicken breasts only will make the dish leaner.
🥘 Ingredients
This easy dairy free chicken pot pie is super easy to make! All you need is shredded chicken, carrots, peas, celery, onion, garlic, chicken stock, almond milk, flour, dairy free puff pastry and vegetable oil or cooking spray.
Classic chicken pot pie is made using fresh or frozen pearl onions, but these are almost impossible to find outside the US. If you can find them, you should definitely use them. If not, regular chopped onion will do just fine!
You can make your own puff pastry, but using store bought pastry is perfectly fine.
Omit, add or substitute vegetables based on your family's preferences. Mushrooms are a common addition, although somewhat controversial in some families.
Dairy free puff pastry is easier to find in supermarkets than you'd think! In fact, you may find that many of the most common brands are naturally dairy free.
🔪 Instructions
First, you'll have to prepare shredded chicken. Use your favorite method. I like pressure cooker shredded chicken, or to make it in a slow cooker.
Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot. Add the onion and garlic, and saute for a few minutes until the onion is soft and translucent. Add diced carrots, celery and peas. Leave these to cook for a few minutes until they are warm.
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables. Stir to combine, and leave the flour to warm up before adding the almond milk and chicken stock. Place the lid on top of the pot, and leave it to cook for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are soft and the sauce has thickened slightly.
Stir in the shredded chicken, and pour the pie filling into a large pie dish.
Roll out the room temperature puff pastry to a sheet that's big enough to cover the pie dish. Place it over the pie, and cut off any edges. Use your fingers or a fork to push the edges to the edge of the pie dish to seal it.
Crack the egg into a small bowl, and whisk it smooth. Brush the egg over the pastry. This egg wash will give the pastry a lovely golden, shiny color!
Finally, use a sharp knife to make a small cut into the middle of the pie. This will help the pastry keep its shape while it bakes in the oven.
Place the pie in the oven and bake until the pastry is golden brown, about 20-30 minutes.
🐓 Shredded chicken
You will need about 500 g of shredded chicken. This amounts to 2 large chicken breasts. Buy a rotisserie chicken to shred, use any leftover shredded chicken, or use your favorite recipe for shredded chicken.
I love to make slow cooker chicken by cooking chicken breasts on high for 2-3 hours. You can also bake the chicken in the oven and shred before use.
💭 Tips and substitutions
Here are my top tips to make the best healthy dairy free chicken pot pie:
- Use frozen onions, carrots, celery and peas if you want. Don't be a hero and spend your time dicing unless you want to.
- This recipe is perfect for using leftover shredded chicken after your roast chicken dinner. You can also use leftover turkey if you want!
- If you like a reeeeally thick sauce, you can add a little more flour to the vegetables. It's all about personal preference.
🥗 How to serve dairy free chicken pot pie
Chicken pot pie is very traditional, and every family have their unique way of serving it. Some serve it on its own, and others like to add side dishes. This is how I like to serve mine:
- With potatoes. Regular mashed potatoes, potato wedges, roasted potatoes or mashed potatoes wih vegetables - any potato dish works!
- With vegetables. Serve pot pie with carrots and broccoli, stewed kale, sauteed spinach or radishes.
- With a salad. Is it just me, or does salad go with everything? Don't knock it until you've tried it! A heary kale salad is the way to go.
🍲 Leftovers
Save the leftovers! Keep the leftovers! Pot pie is one of those dishes that just seem to enhance their flavor over time. It tastes even better the next day, and in my house we're fighting for the leftovers!
- Storing: Keep leftover chicken pot pie stored in suitable containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat the leftovers in a microwave or oven, and serve them warm.
- Freezing: Freeze chicken pot pie for up to 6 months. Keep in mind that the pastry can lose some of its crispiness after being frozen. I like to freeze my leftover healthy pot pie without the pastry crust, and serve it later as pot pie soup! Thaw the leftovers in the fridge overnight, and reheat in a microwave, oven or pot before serving.
- Reusing: You can reuse any leftover pot pie filling in a casserole, serve it as pot pie soup, or even use it as a sauce over rice.
🍴 You might also like these recipes..
If you love healthy comfort food, you should definitely try any of these recipes:
📋 Frequently asked questions
Can I use diced chicken? - Shredded chicken is preferable, mostly because it's easier to eat. Diced chicken totally works, but I recommend dicing it in small pieces.
Can I make my own pastry? - Absolutely! This recipe by heartofabaker is a great option.
Recipe
Healthy Dairy Free Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients
- 170 g sliced carrots
- 170 g frozen green peas
- 500 g shredded cooked chicken (2 large cooked chicken breasts)
- 2 celery sticks
- 1 onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 250 g puff pastry
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
Instructions
- First, you’ll have to prepare shredded chicken. Use your favorite method.
- Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot. Add the onion and garlic, and saute for a few minutes until the onion is soft and translucent. Add diced carrots, celery and peas. Leave these to cook for a few minutes until they are warm.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables. Stir to combine, and leave the flour to warm up before adding the almond milk and chicken stock. Place the lid on top of the pot, and leave it to cook for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are soft and the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Stir in the shredded chicken, and pour the pie filling into a large pie dish.
- Roll out the room temperature puff pastry to a sheet that’s big enough to cover the pie dish. Place it over the pie, and cut off any edges. Use your fingers or a fork to push the edges to the edge of the pie dish to seal it.
- Crack the egg into a small bowl, and whisk it smooth. Brush the egg over the pastry. This egg wash will give the pastry a lovely golden, shiny color!
- Finally, use a sharp knife to make a small cut into the middle of the pie. This will help the pastry keep its shape while it bakes in the oven.
- Place the pie in the oven and bake until the pastry is golden brown, about 20-30 minutes.
Notes
Tips and substitutions
Here are my top tips to make the best dairy free chicken pot pie:- Use frozen onions, carrots, celery and peas if you want. Don’t try to be a hero and spend your time dicing unless you want to.
- This recipe is perfect for using leftover shredded chicken after your roast chicken dinner. You can also use leftover turkey if you want!
- If you like a reeeeally thick sauce, you can add a little more flour to the vegetables. It’s all about personal preference.
- For quick and easy shredded chicken, you can use a rotisserie chicken.
Leftovers
Save the leftovers! Keep the leftovers! Pot pie is one of those dishes that just seem to enhance their flavor over time. It tastes even better the next day, and in my house we’re fighting for the leftovers!- Storing: Keep leftover chicken pot pie stored in suitable containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat the leftovers in a microwave or oven, and serve them warm.
- Freezing: Freeze chicken pot pie for up to 6 months. Keep in mind that the pastry can lose some of its crispiness after being frozen. I like to freeze my leftover healthy pot pie without the pastry crust, and serve it later as pot pie soup! Thaw the leftovers in the fridge overnight, and reheat in a microwave, oven or pot before serving.
- Reusing: You can reuse any leftover pot pie filling in a casserole, serve it as pot pie soup, or even use it as a sauce over rice.
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