Crock Pot Chicken Pot Pie
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Our Crock Pot Chicken Pot Pie recipe with a secret “flavor bomb” ingredient is creamy, dreamy, and super easy to make. Plus, it’s healthier than most versions and freezer-friendly, too. My family will eat the chicken and veggie filling with or without the homemade biscuits on top–it’s that good.
Or, try our Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie instead.
Ingredients
Let’s gather our ingredients, including our secret ingredient(!), and get started on this slow-cooked chicken pot pie. Here’s what you need:
- Veggies: This cozy dish is actually filled with vegetables. You’ll saute diced yellow onion, carrots, and red potatoes and add in frozen peas at the end.
- Thickener: A little white whole wheat or all-purpose flour serves as a thickener. For a gluten-free option use 1:1 gluten-free baking flour.
- Pantry Items: Grab some avocado oil or olive oil, salt and pepper, and low-sodium chicken broth.
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs: Trim off any excess fat. Chicken breasts will also work. I love and use organic chicken from here.
- Garlic and Herb Soft Cheese: This is the secret ingredient! This soft cheese melts into the filling and makes the whole dish soar. Look for Boursin or Alouette brands in the specialty cheese section. If you want a dairy-free version, KiteHill Chive Cream Cheese-Style Spread should work.
- Whole Wheat Buttermilk Biscuits: Our biscuits come together quickly and are definitely healthier than store-bought. If you’re short on time, though, canned biscuits will work.
How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie
Let’s walk through how to make this decadent-tasting comfort meal.
Saute Veggies
Saute onion, carrots, and potatoes until just slightly softened. Stir in flour to coat vegetables and cook for 1 minute. Stir in broth until incorporated, scraping up any browned bits.
Slow Cook
Season the chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Nestle them into the crockpot, cover, and cook on Low for 3 to 4 hours. (Tip: This is a great time to make the biscuits!)
Shred Chicken
When the chicken is done, transfer it to a cutting board and shred or chop it into bite-size pieces.
Stir in Cheese & Peas
Crumble the garlic and herb soft cheese into the slow cooker and stir until melted. Return the chicken to the mixture in the slow cooker, add the peas, and stir to combine.
Serve
Either present the dish with biscuits on top of the slow cooker mixture…
Or, spoon the chicken mixture into individual bowls and top each one with a warm biscuit.
What to Serve with Chicken Pot Pie
While this meal is complete and satisfying on it’s own, you may want to serve it alongside some of these side dishes or desserts, too.
How to Freeze Chicken Pot Pie
Like all of the freezer meals in our recipe index, this recipe provides freezing instructions as well! Here’s how to make it into a handy freezer meal kit:
Freeze For Later: Make the chicken mixture and let the mixture cool completely. Freeze in an air-tight freezer bag or container. Tip: The uncooked biscuits can also be frozen alongside the chicken pot pie mixture. To do that, dust the cut-out biscuits (that haven’t been baked) with a little flour, place on a sheet pan and flash freeze for about 2 hours until frozen solid. Toss biscuits into a gallon-size freezer bag, seal, and freeze.
To Prepare From Frozen: Thaw the frozen chicken pot pie mixture in the refrigerator or use the defrost setting on the microwave, then warm over low heat on the stove, in the crockpot, or in the microwave. If biscuits were frozen, thaw completely on the counter or refrigerator and bake according to directions. Serve the warm chicken mixture in bowls with a biscuit on top.
Here’s more about how to freeze chicken pot pie in all it’s different versions.
FAQs
I’ll try to tackle a few lingering questions you may have, but feel free to leave a comment if you have another one.
Is Chicken Pot Pie Healthy?
Whether or not chicken pot pie is considered healthy depends on the recipe and ingredients used. However, there are ways to make chicken pot pie a bit more nutritious. Some tweaks to make it healthier include:
- Using a whole grain or almond flour crust or whole wheat biscuits (like our recipe below!) instead of traditional white flour.
- Adding more vegetables to the filling, like celery, sweet potatoes, green beans, carrots, or peas. Be sure to saute them with the other veggies in the recipe below.
- Avoiding high-fat dairy products and using a lower-fat dairy product, such as milk or plain Greek yogurt, instead of heavy cream. Our recipe uses a little bit of soft herb cheese rather than heavy cream.
- Using skinless chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs. Either will work fine.
- Using herbs and spices to add flavor instead of extra salt. Try adding in poultry seasoning, Italian seasoning, and pepper to enhance the flavor.
By making these types of modifications, you can create a chicken pot pie that is lower in calories and fat, higher in fiber and nutrients, and overall a healthier option.
How to Thicken Chicken Pot Pie
If your chicken pot pie filling is too thin, there are a few methods you can use to thicken it:
- Cornstarch Slurry: In a small bowl, whisk together equal parts cornstarch and cold water to create a slurry. Stir the slurry into the pot pie filling and cook for a few minutes until the filling thickens. (This is the preferred method of thickening for this slow cooker version or our Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie. Thickening will take about 30 minutes in the crock pot.)
- Flour Roux: In a small saucepan, melt a tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add a tablespoon of flour and whisk until smooth. Cook the roux for a minute or two, then whisk it into the pot pie filling. Cook for a few minutes on the stovetop until the filling thickens. (Do not use this method for the crockpot or Instant Pot.)
- Mashed Potatoes: Here’s a unique idea. Stir in leftover mashed potatoes to the filling until the desired thickness is reached.
- Reduction: If you prefer a more intense flavor, you can try reducing the pot pie filling. Pour the filling into a saucepan or the Instant Pot. Cook over medium-high heat or use the Saute setting on the Instant Pot, stirring occasionally, until the filling has reduced to your desired thickness.
Remember that the filling will thicken further as it cools, so it’s best to err on the side of caution and not over-thicken the filling. If you end up with a filling that is too thick, you can always thin it out by stirring in a bit of chicken broth or milk.
More Comfort Food Meals for the Slow Cooker
If you like this recipe, you’ll enjoy these other popular and cozy meals for your crockpot.
This is a healthy-ish and tasty meal that I feel good about serving any night of the week. But, it’s also decadent enough to make when you’re hosting guests. Believe me when I say, everyone will love this slow cooker chicken pot pie!
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Crock Pot Chicken Pot Pie
Our Crock Pot Chicken Pot Pie recipe (with a secret “flavor bomb” ingredient) is creamy, dreamy, and super easy to make. Plus, it’s healthier than most versions and freezer-friendly, too.
Ingredients
- 1–2 tablespoons avocado oil, olive oil, or butter
- 1 cup diced yellow onion (about 1/2 large onion)
- 2 cups diced carrots (about 4 medium carrots)
- 2 tablespoons white whole wheat or all-purpose flour (sub: 1:1 gluten-free baking flour)
- 2 cups diced red potatoes, in 1/2-inch pieces (about 3/4 pound)
- Salt and ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, homemade or store-bought
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
- 1 (5-6 ounce) package Garlic and Herb Soft Cheese, crumbled (recommend: Boursin or Alouette brands)*
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 6 freshly baked Whole Wheat Buttermilk Biscuits or store-bought biscuits
*For dairy-free option: Use Kitehill Chive Cream Cheese.
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Instructions
Make It Now:
- Saute Veggies: In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat until shimmery. Add the onion, carrots, and potatoes and cook, stirring, until just slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in flour to coat vegetables and cook for 1 minute. Stir in broth until incorporated, scraping up any browned bits.
- Slow Cook: Transfer the veggie mixture to the slow cooker. Season the chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper on both sides and nestle them into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on Low for 3 to 4 hours. (The chicken is done when it registers 165°F internally.) (Tip: This is a great time to make the biscuits!)
- Shred Chicken: When the chicken is done, transfer it to a cutting board and shred or chop it into bite-size pieces.
- Stir in Cheese & Peas: Crumble the garlic and herb soft cheese into the slow cooker and stir until melted. Return the chicken to the mixture in the slow cooker, add the peas, and stir to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve: Spoon the chicken mixture into individual bowls and top each one with a warm biscuit.
Freeze For Later: Follow Steps 1-4. Let the chicken mixture cool completely and freeze in an air-tight freezer bag or container (or in individual 2-cup servings using SouperCubes or Pyrex containers). Tip: The uncooked biscuits can also be frozen alongside the chicken pot pie mixture if desired. To do that, dust the cut-out biscuits (that haven’t been baked) with a little flour, place on a sheet pan, and flash freeze for about 2 hours until frozen solid. Toss biscuits into a gallon-size freezer bag, seal, and freeze.
To Prepare From Frozen: Thaw the chicken mixture in the refrigerator or using the defrost setting on the microwave, then warm over low heat on the stove, in the crockpot, or in the microwave. If biscuits were frozen, thaw completely on the counter or refrigerator and bake according to directions. Follow Step 5.
Notes/Tips
- Dairy-Free Version: Use dairy-free KiteHill Chive Cream Cheese, and use avocado oil or olive oil instead of butter.
- Gluten-Free Version: Use 1:1 gluten-free baking flour in place of wheat flour in the chicken mixture. Buy gluten-free canned or frozen biscuits from the store or try making these.
- Where We Get Our Chicken: We get our meat from ButcherBox. The chicken is organic and curated from small, trusted farms. We highly recommend this service to source healthy meat–like uncured bacon, wild salmon, and grass-fed beef–and have used it for years ourselves. Read my honest ButcherBox review here.
Photography by Whitney Reist of Sweet Cayenne.
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