Gluten-Free Chicken Pot Pie

This gluten-free chicken pot pie combines tender chicken, mushrooms, carrots, asparagus, and fresh parsley in a silky cream sauce, finished with a flaky grain-free top crust. The recipe makes two individual pot pies, with enough extra filling for a simple crustless meal the following day.

I originally created this recipe after readers asked for more comforting dinner ideas, particularly a lectin-free chicken pot pie. I was familiar with European-style vol-au-vent, which has a similarly creamy chicken filling, but I had never made a traditional American pot pie.

The result was everything I wanted from this kind of dish: a deeply savory filling, plenty of vegetables, and a golden crust that makes it feel especially comforting. It also passed my husband’s test — he happily finished one pie, although I don’t recommend it (check the end of this post for nutritional information and the suggested serving size).

A Buttery, Grain-Free Top Crust

The crust was inspired by this Perfect Paleo Pie Crust from Food Republic, which was similar to grain-free and lectin-free pastry recipes I had made before.

Made with almond flour, coconut flour, tapioca starch, butter, and egg, the dough is more delicate than a traditional wheat-based pastry, but it bakes into a flavorful, buttery crust. In this recipe, the pastry is used only on top of the filling rather than underneath it.

I used goat butter, but regular butter works equally well. Keep the dough chilled and roll it between two sheets of parchment paper to make transferring it to the pie dishes easier. If small cracks appear, gently press them together and seal them with a little egg wash.

What Makes the Filling So Flavorful

The richness of this chicken pot pie comes not only from the cream, but also from the combination of chicken, mushrooms, vegetables, stock, and fresh herbs.

I used pasture-raised chicken breast and thighs, which provide a nice balance of lean and tender meat. Mushrooms bring savory depth and a silky texture, while carrots and sweet onion add natural sweetness. Instead of the peas traditionally found in chicken pot pie, I used finely chopped asparagus for a fresh pop of green.

A small amount of heavy cream makes the sauce silky without overwhelming the other ingredients, and arrowroot thickens it into a proper pot pie filling.

Choosing the Mushrooms

Any mushrooms will work here, including cremini, button, shiitake, oyster mushrooms, or a combination.

When I photographed this recipe, I used a specialty mushroom selection from Whole Foods that included Chocolate Brown Velvet Pioppini, Amber-Colored Forest Nameko, and White Nebrodini Bianco. The different varieties contributed a beautiful mixture of silky, meaty, and slightly chewy textures, but you certainly don’t need to find this exact selection. Use whichever fresh mushrooms are available to you.

How to Make Gluten-Free Chicken Pot Pie

Begin with the crust so it has time to chill. Combine the almond flour, coconut flour, tapioca starch, and salt, then pulse the mixture with cold, cubed butter in a food processor. Add the egg and continue pulsing just until a dough forms. Divide it into two discs, wrap them, and refrigerate while you prepare the filling.

Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper. Heat enough avocado oil to cover the bottom of a large sauté pan and brown the chicken on one side. Turn it over, cover the pan, and allow it to finish cooking gently in its own juices and steam. Depending on the size of the chicken pieces, this will take approximately 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove the cooked chicken and set it aside. In the same pan, sauté the onion until translucent, then add the mushrooms and carrots. Once the vegetables begin to soften, add the stock and let everything simmer briefly.

Temper the heavy cream with a little of the hot cooking liquid before stirring it into the pan. Chop or shred the cooked chicken and return it to the filling. Finish the sauce with an arrowroot slurry, then add the asparagus and parsley at the end so they retain their color and texture as the pies bake.

Divide the filling between two 5.5-inch (14cm) pie dishes. Roll each chilled piece of dough between sheets of parchment paper and carefully transfer it over the filling. Brush the crusts with egg wash, cut a few small vents in the center, and bake until beautifully golden.

An Extra Meal From the Same Filling

This recipe intentionally makes more filling than is needed for the two individual pot pies. Store the extra in a covered container in the refrigerator and reheat it the following day as a crustless chicken pot pie. I like serving it with additional sautéed asparagus or another simple green vegetable.

You can also cook a little more chicken while preparing the recipe. The extra chicken can be refrigerated separately and used for salads or quick meals during the week.

A Note on Nutrition and Serving Size

If all the filling and crust are counted, each individual pot pie provides approximately 1,350–1,500 calories, 50–55 grams of protein, 65–75 grams of carbohydrates, and 95–105 grams of fat — which obviously sounds very high for one meal.

In practice, however, some dough is trimmed away during assembly; the thicker crust around the edges should be left behind when serving, and one pie can easily be divided into two servings. To keep the meal lighter, serve the filling in a bowl and add as much of the baked crust as you want, perhaps with a salad or green vegetables alongside.

The crust isn’t there to be all consumed; it has a functional role: it holds in steam during baking, protects the creamy filling, and gives the pot pie its beautiful golden finish. Ultimately, this is comfort food, and you have complete control over how much of that rich, flaky crust you choose to eat.

Plant Paradox Recipes with Pasture-Raised Chicken

For more nutritious, lectin-free recipes, you can check out my round-up of 30 Healthy Meal Ideas with Pasture-Raised Chicken.

This recipe is part of our round up 20+ Healthy Fall Recipes. Check it out for more cozy dinner ideas made with seasonal produce.

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