A hearty, creamy chicken stew is topped with pie crust rounds to create single servings of gluten and dairy free chicken pot pie. It's a spin on the traditional dish but is gluten free, non dairy, and free from other common allergens so everyone can enjoy it!
In the cold winter months, I love soups and stews. Beef stew, chicken wild rice soup, and chicken and dumplings are some of my favorite dairy free comfort foods.
This easy dairy free chicken pot pie recipe is definitely included on that list! Chicken and vegetables are mixed in a non-dairy creamy broth and topped with a gluten free pie crust topper to create the same taste and texture of chicken pot pie but with less effort!
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Why you’ll love this recipe
- You can make this easy chicken pot pie without dairy in less than an hour.
- It’s easy to freeze in individual portions.
- This is a chicken pot pie recipe without cream of chicken soup and with less pie crust so it’s a lighter version of the traditional dish.
- This dairy free gluten free chicken pot pie is also free from other common allergens like soy and eggs.
- It’s a hot, filling, comforting dish! 🤗
Does chicken pot pie have dairy?
It’s a safe bet that traditional chicken pot pie recipes contain dairy. Many versions contain canned cream of chicken soup while others may be made with heavy cream or milk. And there is usually some butter involved, too!
Making chicken pot pie dairy free is easy with the right dairy free substitutes!
Ingredients
These are the ingredients you'll need for the dairy free chicken pot pie filling (which is like a stew) and for the pie crust toppers.
For the stew filling
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Yellow or white onion
- Carrots
- Celery
- Garlic - fresh or minced garlic from a jar
- Gluten-free all-purpose flour - I use Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 baking flour.
- Rubbed sage
- Thyme leaves
- Black pepper
- Salt
- Gluten-free chicken stock - Iike to make my own stock but sometimes use chicken broth granules like these from Orrington Farms.
- Dairy free milk - I like oat milk but have also used soy and rice milk.
- Frozen mixed vegetables
For the pie crust toppers
- All purpose gluten-free flour (like Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 baking flour).
- Sugar
- Salt
- Dairy free margarine - I usually use Earth Balance. If you need dairy and soy free, Earth Balance also makes a dairy free, soy free option.
- Shortening - I use Spectrum Naturals which is made from palm oil (soy free).
- Water
- Vinegar
Equipment
Making this gluten free dairy free chicken pot pie recipe doesn’t require any special equipment. If you have a cutting board, a knife to chop vegetables, measuring spoons and cups, and a spoon to stir, you have everything you need!
Making the pie crust rounds is a bit easier with the following equipment:
- Rolling pin
- Pastry blender (optional - I use a fork instead)
- Round cookie cutter - I have this one that makes a 3.5-inch circle. If you don’t have a cookie cutter, you can use a wide-brimmed jar or mug and cut around it.
How to make it
For the pie crust rounds
You can make the pie crust rounds while the chicken is cooking or when the stew is done and simmering.
Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a small bowl. Add the shortening and margarine and cut into the flour mixture using a pastry dough blender or a fork.
Once the mixture looks like coarse crumbs, add the water and vinegar and mix them into the crumble mixture.
Once all of the liquid has been mixed in evenly, form the dough into a ball.
Put some flour on a cutting board and use a rolling pin to roll the dough to ¼ inch thickness.
With a round cookie cutter or using a bowl or large cup as a guide, cut 6 (3 to 4-inch) circles out of the dough.
Tip
The first time you roll out the dough, aim to get 4 rounds. Then roll out a second time to get the 5th round. To get the 6th, form the scraps into a ball and press them into your round cookie cutter. This way you are left with no scraps!
Place the dough circles on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Pierce the rounds with a fork to prevent bubbles from forming while baking.
Bake them at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are firm. Remove from the cookie sheet and set aside.
For the stew filling
Add 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to a large stock pot and heat over medium-high heat.
Sprinkle salt and pepper over the chicken and place in the pot. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the chicken is nice and brown.
Flip the chicken and cook for another 3-4 minutes until browned. When both sides are browned, add enough water to cover the bottom of the pan, cover, and cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink inside.
Transfer it to a plate and let it rest for 5 minutes before cutting it into bite-sized pieces. If there is any liquid left in the pot, pour it into a glass (you can use it in the stew!)
Next, add another tablespoon of oil to the pot and heat over medium heat. Cook the onion, celery, and carrots for 3-4 minutes or until the onion is translucent and the carrots and celery are tender. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Pour the flour and herb mixture into the pot and stir for a minute making sure to coat all the vegetables.
Stir in the broth and dairy free milk. Scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen any bits of vegetables that are stuck to it. Cook and stir until the mixture is thickened.
Add the chicken and mixed vegetables and stir to incorporate. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes before serving.
Serve topped with a pie crust round.
Tips and Variations
For the pie crust rounds
You can simplify this recipe by buying pre-made pie crust dough at your specialty store.
Wholly gluten free pie crusts are free of the top 9 allergens and can be found at specialty stores. They come in a pie shape already so, for this recipe, you would just roll it out flat and cut your rounds out using a cookie cutter.
Another option is to buy an allergy friendly pie crust mix. With this option, you will have enough mix to make this recipe at least two times (depending on how many rounds you like with your bowl of filling).
Lactose free chicken pot pie
If you avoid dairy due to lactose intolerance but aren’t allergic to dairy, you can substitute low-lactose dairy products for the dairy-free substitutes in this recipe.
Dairy butter can be swapped for dairy-free margarine and lactose-free milk in place of the dairy-free milk substitute.
However, if you are allergic to dairy or are preparing this dish for someone with a dairy allergy, it’s important to know that low lactose does not mean dairy free! Low-lactose dairy products still contain cow's milk proteins that cause allergic reactions for those with dairy allergies.
Milk substitutes
If you do not have an almond allergy or allergy to other tree nuts, you can use almond milk as the non dairy milk substitute.
I also have used soy milk which works well, too. You can use any unsweetened, unflavored milk substitute with the exception of coconut milk which will throw off the flavor of the dish.
Use leftover chicken (or turkey!)
You can save yourself some time and use leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken to make this recipe. Just add about 3 cups of chicken chopped into bite-sized pieces.
And, if you have leftover turkey, make dairy free turkey pot pie the same way!
Make dairy free chicken pot pie soup
While I love the heartiness of a stew, I tend to choose soups over stews. If you’re the same, you can easily make this stewy dairy free pot pie recipe into soup!
I sometimes add extra water or broth to my serving to make it soupier. If you want to make the whole recipe into soup, add 1-2 cups additional chicken broth to the stew to get it to your desired soup consistency.
Storage
You can store leftover chicken pot pie in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Store the pie crust rounds in an airtight container or ziplock back separate from the stew for the best texture.
This dish freezes well, too. Just put it in a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 3 months. I recommend freezing the pie crust rounds separately in a ziplock bag or small container.
I like to freeze this in smaller containers with 1-2 servings. These homemade frozen entrees are super helpful when you need a quick allergy-friendly meal for one (or two)!
When you’re ready to eat it, thaw it in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours before heating up and serving.
📖 Recipe
Dairy Free Chicken Pot Pies
Equipment
- Pastry blender optional
Ingredients
For pie crust rounds
- ¾ cup all-purpose gluten-free flour
- ½ tablespoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons dairy free margarine (cold) such as Earth Balance Buttery Spread
- 1 ½ tablespoons palm shortening such as Spectrum
- 3 tablespoons cold water
- ½ teaspoon vinegar
For the stew
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup chopped carrots about 2 large carrots
- 1 cup chopped celery about 2 stalks
- 1 cup chopped onion about 1 medium
- 1 clove minced garlic
- ¼ cup all-purpose gluten free flour
- 1 teaspoon rubbed sage
- ½ teaspoon thyme leaves
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups gluten free chicken broth I use Orrington Farms granules
- 1 cup dairy free milk substitute such as rice milk
- 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables thawed
Instructions
For the pie crust toppers
- Preheat the oven to 425° Farhenheit.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the margarine, and shortening and use a fork or pastry blender to mix until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. Add the water and vinegar and mix until the dough forms a ball. If the dough is still crumbly, add one teaspoon of water at a time until it sticks together but is not sticky.
- Roll the dough out on a floured surface to ¼ inch thickness. Cut 6 (3 to 4-inch) circles out of the dough with a round cookie cutter or using a bowl or large cup as a guide (see tips below). Place the dough circles on a baking sheet. Pierce the rounds with a fork and sprinkle them with salt. Bake at 425 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are firm. When cooled, remove from the cookie sheet and set aside.
For the stew
- Add 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to a large stock pot and heat over medium-high heat. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the chicken and place in the pot. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the chicken is browned. Flip the chicken and cook for another 3-4 minutes until the other side is browned. Add enough water to cover the bottom of the pan; cover and cook another 5-8 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink inside. Remove from the pan and allow to cool for 5 minutes until cutting into bite-sized pieces. Pour any remaining liquid in the pan into a glass measuring cup (you can use it in the stew - see notes below).
- Heat another tablespoon of olive oil in the pot over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, and onion and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute. Sprinkle the flour, sage, thyme, salt, and pepper over the vegetables and stir until all of the vegetables are coated the flour starts to brown, about 1 minute. Stir in the broth and milk substitute, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any bits. Cook over medium heat until the mixture is thickened. Add the chicken and vegetables to the mixture and stir. Simmer for 15 minutes.
- Serve immediately topped with a pie crust round. Recipe makes six 1 ⅓ cup servings.
Notes
- If there is leftover liquid from the chicken, you can use it as some of the chicken broth. Just pour it into a glass measuring cup and then add enough broth to make 2 cups total.
- For the pie crust rounds: The first time you roll out the dough, aim to get 4 rounds. Then roll out a second time to get the 5th round. To get the 6th, form the scraps into a ball and press them into your round cookie cutter.
- Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
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