Gluten-Free Chicken Pot Pie Recipe (Dairy-Free)
- Our Nourished Kitchen
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
A warm, flaky chicken pot pie was definitely something I thought I had to mourn when I shifted to a gluten-free and dairy-free diet. Turns out, this was a silly notion! It is totally possible to make a creamy, flaky, delicious chicken pot pie without the need for any traditional flour or dairy butter! A good 1:1 gluten-free flour works perfectly to create a "roux" when combined with refined coconut oil and this method ensures a savory, delicious gravy filling!
Combining 1:1 gluten-free flour with a good quality vegan/dairy-free butter (I like to use Earth Balance sticks, not sponsored) helps make a flaky, "buttery" pastry topping! You won't miss any of the traditional ingredients in this gluten free chicken pot pie (and you might not even be able to tell they aren't there).
*Note about Non-Dairy Butter: Ensure you use sticks only. Don't try to substitute with the spreadable tubs. They have a higher water content and crust won't turn out as flaky.
How to Make this Gluten Free Chicken Pot Pie
(also Dairy Free)
Mix and Chill the Top Crust: Whisk the 1 ¼ cups of GF flour, ¼ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp baking powder together in a bowl.
Add the 1 stick of cold, cubed vegan butter. For this recipe this butter doesn't have to be frozen, just keep it cold until you are ready to work with this. Work the butter into the flour with a pastry cutter or your fingers until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Drizzle the Liquids: Drizzle ½ tsp of apple cider vinegar over the mixture, then drizzle in 4 tbsp cold almond milk. Stir gently until a cohesive dough ball forms.
Shape into a single disk, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Cook the Chicken on Stove and Preheat Oven: While the pie dough is in the fridge, work on your chicken.
Place the 2 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken thighs in a large skillet with 1 tbsp avocado oil. Brown chicken in skillet for 6-8 minutes then turn and cook for an addition 4-6 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Once done, remove from the oven, let them cool slightly, and dice or shred into bite-sized pieces.
At this point, preheat your oven to 400°F.
A Note About Seasoning The Chicken: I don't season the chicken with salt or pepper at this time since I add a generous amount seasoning into the creamy pie filling later on.
Sauté Aromatics & Build the Roux Base: Melt the ⅓ cup of refined coconut oil in the large skillet you used for the chicken medium heat. Add the chopped onions and carrots. Sauté them together for about 5 minutes until the onions are translucent and carrots are soft.
Add the Flour: Sprinkle the ⅓ cup of GF flour evenly over the veggies and oil. Stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste; it will start to thicken significantly to create a "roux".
Whisk Broth & Simmer the Potatoes and Peas: Warm 3 cups of chicken broth on the stove or in the microwave (does not need to be hot). Slowly pour the 3 cups of warm chicken broth into the skillet, whisking to smoothly combine with the roux paste.
Add the 1 tsp paprika, 1 1/2 salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, and 1/2 onion powder.
Add Potatoes and Peas: Stir in your 1 cup of diced potatoes and 1 cup of frozen peas. Let the mixture simmer gently for 8–10 minutes, stirring often, until the gravy has thickened and your diced potatoes are fork-tender.
(I had some help from my daughter at this step! This is a great recipe to include your kids for kids in the kitchen time)
Add in Chicken & Fresh Herbs: Turn off the heat. Stir in your baked, shredded chicken thighs, 1 tsp of fresh thyme, and 1.5 tsp of fresh oregano. Turn off the heat then let the filling cool for 5 minutes so it doesn't immediately melt the butter in your top crust during assembly.
Assemble and Bake: Divide the filling into your ramekins. This recipe yields approximately 8 cups of filling so you can individualize your portions.
I typically make this recipe with four 2-cup ramekins. However, for this instance, I used three 2-cup ramekins and two 1-cup ramekins because I wanted to make two smaller portions for my 2 daughters). Both combinations use the 8 cups of filling beautifully.
Roll out the dough and cut out shapes slightly larger than the tops of your ramekins. Place a dough cap over each filled ramekin, press gently to stick to the rim. Whisk 1 egg with 1 tbsp cold water to make egg wash and brush wash on the top of each pie. This will help with browning the crust. Cut a small slit in each top.
Bake the Gluten Free Chicken Pot Pies: Bake for 30–35 minutes. The filling should be bubbly and the crust should have a nice brown color.
Cool Pies Before Serving: They will be very hot. It will be hard to wait because the pies will smell amazing, but be sure to cool pies for 8-10 minutes. Garnish with fresh thyme if desired.
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