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Indulge in the Ultimate Dairy-Free & Gluten-Free Chicken Pot Pie
There’s a reason chicken pot pie holds a special place in the hearts of comfort food enthusiasts worldwide. It’s the epitome of warmth, a hug in a bowl, and a nostalgic reminder of home-cooked goodness. But what if you’re navigating dietary restrictions like dairy or gluten sensitivities? For too long, many have had to forgo this beloved classic. Not anymore! We’re thrilled to share our recipe for the ultimate dairy-free and gluten-free chicken pot pie that doesn’t compromise on flavor or that essential cozy feeling. This isn’t just a meal; it’s a culinary experience designed to bring joy and satisfaction back to your table, whether you’re following a specific diet or simply seeking a healthier, equally delicious alternative to traditional recipes.
Our rendition transforms the classic into a vibrant, wholesome dish without sacrificing any of its indulgent appeal. Imagine a rich, creamy, and flavorful filling brimming with tender chicken and an assortment of garden vegetables, all nestled under a golden, perfectly baked crust that will leave you absolutely swooning. This isn’t just a substitute; it’s a revelation. We’ve perfected this recipe, making it time and time again because it’s genuinely that good – satisfying, hearty, and utterly irresistible.
Crafting the Irresistibly Creamy & Dairy-Free Filling
The heart and soul of any exceptional chicken pot pie lies in its filling, and ours is no exception. It’s what elevates this dish from simply good to truly indulgent, making it a standout creamy chicken pot pie. The secret to its luscious texture and incredible depth of flavor, all while remaining completely dairy-free, comes down to a few key ingredients and techniques. We start with the richness of full-fat coconut milk, which provides a velvety smoothness without any dairy. Don’t worry, the subtle coconut flavor beautifully complements the savory elements of the dish, adding a unique, gourmet touch rather than overpowering it.
To achieve that perfectly thick, stew-like consistency that clings to every piece of chicken and vegetable, we turn to a true kitchen hero: Bob’s Red Mill Tapioca Flour. Tapioca flour is a fantastic gluten-free thickener, known for its ability to create glossy, smooth sauces. The trick to using it effectively is to thoroughly incorporate it into your sautéed vegetables before adding any liquids. This allows the flour to absorb some of the residual moisture and prevents clumping. After sprinkling it over the vegetables, stir continuously for a couple of minutes, ensuring every piece is coated. Then, gradually whisk in the chicken broth and coconut milk. If you notice any small lumps, a quick whisk will smooth them right out. This method works like a charm, delivering a consistently creamy and wonderfully flavorful filling that is utterly fantastic and makes for a truly satisfying healthy chicken pot pie.
Beyond the thickening agent, the medley of fresh, diced vegetables — carrots, celery, onion, and mushrooms — provides essential sweetness, earthiness, and texture. Minced garlic adds a fragrant, aromatic base, while tender cooked chicken makes it a hearty meal. Italian seasoning and sage infuse the filling with classic herbaceous notes, completing a symphony of flavors that will make this dairy-free chicken pot pie casserole a household favorite. The addition of thawed frozen peas at the very end ensures they retain their vibrant color and slight sweetness, adding another layer of texture and taste.
Mastering the Perfect Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Crust
For many, the crust is the defining element of a chicken pot pie, evoking that quintessential cozy feeling and transforming a simple stew into an iconic comfort food. Crafting a delicious crust that is both gluten-free and dairy-free can indeed be a culinary challenge, often requiring a delicate balance of ingredients and precise technique. Traditional pie crusts rely heavily on wheat flour for structure and butter for flakiness, so finding suitable alternatives is key to a successful alternative. After extensive testing, we’ve discovered a winning combination that delivers a remarkably flavorful and satisfying crust for our paleo chicken pot pie: Bob’s Red Mill Paleo Baking Flour, their versatile Tapioca Flour, and a quality palm shortening.
The Bob’s Red Mill Paleo Baking Flour provides the primary structure, a blend thoughtfully designed for gluten-free baking that mimics the properties of wheat flour. When combined with the Tapioca Flour, which adds a subtle chewiness and helps bind the dough, the result is a crust that is both robust and tender. Palm shortening, a solid fat similar to butter, contributes to the desired texture and richness without any dairy. While this crust might be slightly less flaky and a touch more crumbly than its traditional counterparts, its flavor profile is absolutely phenomenal, pairing magnificently with the creamy filling. If you’ve been longing for the classic taste and texture of comfort foods while adhering to dietary needs, this crust is a dream come true.
**Side Note on Shortening:** We understand that palm shortening might not be everyone’s preferred choice due to sourcing concerns or availability. If you struggle to find a good, sustainably sourced palm shortening and you tolerate dairy, you can experiment with an equal proportion mix of grass-fed butter and coconut oil as an alternative. This blend can offer a similar richness and structure, allowing you to customize the recipe to your preferences and available ingredients. The goal is always to empower you to enjoy delicious, healthy meals that fit your lifestyle.
Bob’s Red Mill: Our Trusted Partner in Gluten-Free Baking
When it comes to sourcing high-quality, reliable gluten-free flours and baking ingredients, Bob’s Red Mill has been our unwavering go-to for many years. Their dedication to excellence and consistent product quality truly shines through in every recipe we create. This particular dairy-free chicken pot pie recipe highlights two of our absolute kitchen essentials from their impressive lineup: Tapioca Flour and Paleo Baking Flour. These two flours are incredibly versatile and form the backbone of many of our favorite gluten-free and paleo-friendly dishes, proving invaluable for both baking and thickening applications.
The Paleo Baking Flour is a masterfully crafted blend of various gluten-free flours, precisely mixed in the perfect ratios to ensure optimal results across a wide range of baking needs. It’s designed to perform beautifully, providing the structure and texture often missing in single-flour gluten-free recipes. Meanwhile, the Tapioca Flour is an unsung hero, not only excellent for baking, but also incredibly effective for thickening sauces and gravies, just as we’ve demonstrated in this delicious chicken pot pie casserole. Its ability to create a smooth, clear, and stable thickening agent makes it superior to many other alternatives, leaving no gritty texture or cloudy appearance.
Our appreciation for Bob’s Red Mill extends beyond just their product quality. We deeply admire their commitment to delivering minimally-processed, wholesome ingredients from their mill directly to our tables. What truly sets them apart, and aligns with our values at Real Simple Good, is their unique employee-owned structure. Despite their significant growth into a larger, nationally recognized company, they have steadfastly maintained a genuine, family-like feel and unwavering ethical standards. Furthermore, as a local company headquartered right here in Oregon, partnering with and supporting Bob’s Red Mill is something we take immense pride in. Their dedication to community, quality, and health makes them an ideal collaborator for us, ensuring that the ingredients we use in our recipes are top-notch and responsibly sourced.
Discover More Cozy & Healthy Recipes
If this dairy-free chicken pot pie has sparked your love for wholesome comfort food, you’re in luck! We have a treasure trove of other cozy and nutritious recipes that are perfect for warming you up and satisfying your cravings, all while keeping health in mind. Explore these other fan favorites from our kitchen:
Your Turn: Create This Healthy & Delicious Chicken Pot Pie
Now it’s your chance to experience the unparalleled comfort and deliciousness of our dairy-free and gluten-free chicken pot pie casserole! This recipe is a true game-changer, proving that dietary restrictions don’t have to mean sacrificing your favorite indulgent dishes. Gather your ingredients, especially the fantastic Bob’s Red Mill Tapioca Flour and Paleo Baking Flour, which are essential for achieving that perfect filling consistency and the golden, savory crust. Once you have these versatile flours in your pantry, you’ll find endless opportunities to recreate all your cherished comfort foods with a healthy twist.
We absolutely love seeing your culinary creations! After you’ve whipped up this delightful pot pie, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below and share your thoughts. Your feedback, tips, and experiences are invaluable to us and to our community. Even better, snap a picture and share it on Instagram, tagging us @realsimplegood. If you haven’t already, give us a follow – we’re always eager to connect with fellow food lovers and share more simple, real, and good recipes!
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Chicken Pot Pie (Dairy Free)
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Ingredients
For the filling:
- 2 tbsp ghee, divided, (or coconut oil for dairy free)
- 2 carrots, diced
- 3 celery ribs, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups mushrooms, diced
- 4 cups cooked chicken, (shredded or cubed)
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 1/4 cup Bob’s Red Mill Tapioca Flour
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp sage
For the crust:
- 1.25 cups Bob’s Red Mill Paleo Baking Flour
- 1/4 cup Bob’s Red Mill Tapioca Flour, (plus more for rolling out)
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 cup palm shortening
Instructions
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Grease a 9-inch pie dish with ghee, set aside.
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Prepare carrots, celery, onion, garlic, mushrooms, chicken, and peas as noted in the ingredients list. Dice the vegetables evenly for consistent cooking.
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Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat and add in 1 tablespoon of ghee (or coconut oil). Once melted, add in the diced carrots, celery, and onions and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
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Add the minced garlic, mushrooms, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of ghee (or coconut oil) to the skillet. Continue to cook for 2-3 minutes until the mushrooms begin to soften and release their moisture. Stir in the cooked chicken.
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Sprinkle the vegetables and chicken evenly with the Bob’s Red Mill Tapioca Flour. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously, allowing the flour to coat the ingredients and lightly toast. This step helps ensure a smooth, lump-free sauce.
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Pour in the chicken stock. Use a spoon or spatula to scrape the bottom of the pan thoroughly, deglazing it to release any flavorful browned bits stuck to the bottom. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
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Stir in the coconut milk until well combined and the mixture is smooth and creamy.
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Season the filling with sea salt, ground pepper, Italian seasoning, and sage. Stir everything well to evenly distribute the spices. Continue to cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens to a rich, stew-like consistency, typically 5-7 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as desired.
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Remove the filling from heat and gently stir in the thawed frozen peas. Pour the chicken mixture into the prepared 9-inch pie dish, spreading it evenly.
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Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and begin preparing the crust.
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In the bowl of a food processor, combine all the crust ingredients: Bob’s Red Mill Paleo Baking Flour, Bob’s Red Mill Tapioca Flour, sea salt, and palm shortening. Pulse until the palm shortening is fully incorporated and a cohesive dough begins to form. Alternatively, you can mix by hand, cutting in the shortening with a pastry blender or your fingertips. Remove the dough from the processor and gently form it into a ball.
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Lightly sprinkle a piece of parchment paper with additional tapioca flour. Place the dough ball on top, then sprinkle more tapioca flour over the dough and cover with another piece of parchment paper. Using your hands or a rolling pin, press and roll the dough out into a round crust, approximately 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick, ensuring it’s large enough to cover the top of your pie dish.
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Carefully peel off the top piece of parchment paper. Invert the dough and gently drape it over the chicken filling in the pie dish. Peel off the remaining parchment paper from the top of the crust. Trim any excess dough from the edges, or crimp the edges to create a decorative finish. Using a fork or a small knife, poke a few holes in the top of the crust to allow steam to escape during baking, which prevents it from puffing up too much.
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Place the chicken pot pie casserole in the preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the crust is beautifully golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Once baked, allow the casserole to cool for a few minutes before serving. This brief resting period helps the filling set and makes for easier serving. Enjoy your homemade, healthy, and incredibly satisfying dairy-free chicken pot pie!
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