Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie (with Biscuits)
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This Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie recipe includes a secret ingredient that is nothing short of a “flavor bomb”. Tender veggies and shredded chicken thighs combine in a creamy, complex-tasting filling which is topped with our amazing Whole Wheat Buttermilk Biscuits. You’ll experience all the comfy feels with this healthier homemade version of chicken pot pie!
Or, try our Crock Pot Chicken Pot Pie instead.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Absolutely delicious! This is decadent-tasting enough to serve to company yet humble enough to enjoy on a weeknight. The secret ingredient takes it over the top.
- It comes together quickly in the Instant Pot but tastes like it’s cooked all day.
- We use all clean ingredients. You won’t find any canned cream of chicken soups in this recipe.
- Can be prepped as a freezer meal using our instructions, so you may want to double the batch to freeze one for later.
Ingredients
Let’s gather our ingredients, including our secret ingredient(!), and get started on chicken pot pie in the Instant Pot. Here’s what you need…
- Veggies: This cozy dish is actually filled with vegetables. You’ll saute diced yellow onion, carrots, and red potatoes directly in the Instant Pot and add frozen peas at the end.
- Thickener: I chose to use a cornstarch slurry at the very end made with 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water. (When I tested this recipe with flour as the thickener like in our Crock Pot Chicken Pot Pie, I got the burn signal.)
- Pantry Items: Grab some avocado or olive oil, salt and pepper, and low-sodium chicken broth.
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs: Trim them of 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.
Instant Pot Cooking Times Chart
After testing hundreds of Instant Pot recipes, we have honed in on the best timing and methods for cooking different types of meals in the Instant Pot.
How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie
Let’s walk through how to make this decadent-tasting comfort meal.
Saute Veggies
Saute onion and carrots until just slightly softened. Stir in the broth and potatoes.
Pressure Cook
Nestle the seasoned chicken thighs into the Instant Pot in a single layer (do not stack the thighs). Lock and seal the lid. Cook at high pressure for 6 minutes with a quick release of pressure at the end of cook time.
Shred Chicken
When the chicken is done, transfer it to a cutting board and shred or chop it into bite-size pieces.
Thicken Sauce
Turn on the Saute function. Make the slurry, stir it into the sauce, and bring to a boil. Stir until it begins to thicken. Press Cancel.
Stir in Cheese & Peas
Crumble the garlic and herb soft cheese into the Instant Pot and stir until melted. Return the chicken to the mixture in the pot, add the peas, and stir to combine.
Serve
Spoon the chicken mixture into individual bowls and top each one with a warm biscuit.
Side Dish and Dessert Ideas
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.
Make It a Freezer Meal
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 individual containers (like Souper Cubes or 2-cup Pyrex containers) or in an air-tight freezer bag. 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.
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.
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.
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.
It can be! Be sure to saute veggies in oil instead of butter. And use dairy-free KiteHill Chive Cream Cheese in place of the herb soft cheese we use in this recipe.
Omit the biscuits, buy gluten-free canned or frozen biscuits from the store, or try making these.
More Instant Pot Comfort Food Recipes
I’d love to share a few more of my absolute favorite comfort food recipes for the Instant Pot on our site.
Although I love all the recipes above, I’m not lying when I say this Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie is one of my top comfort food meals. I really hope you’ll give this version or our Crock Pot Chicken Pot Pie a try!
Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!
Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie
This Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie recipe includes a secret ingredient that is nothing short of a “flavor bomb” and is topped with our amazing Whole Wheat Buttermilk Biscuits. You’ll love this healthier homemade version of chicken pot pie!
Ingredients
- 1–2 tablespoon avocado oil, olive oil, or butter
- 1 cup diced yellow onion (about 1/2 large onion)
- 2 cups diced carrots (about 5 medium carrots)
- Salt and ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, homemade or store-bought
- 2 cups (about 3/4 pound) diced red potatoes, 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 (5-6 ounce) package Garlic and Herb Soft Cheese, crumbled (recommend: Boursin or Alouette brands; use about 1 cup or to taste)
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 6 Whole Wheat Buttermilk Biscuits or store-bought biscuits
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Instructions
Make It Now:
(Note About the Biscuits: I would suggest making the biscuit dough and cutting out the biscuits before starting Step 1. This will take about 15 minutes. Then, you’ll have time to pop them in the oven while the pot pie filling is pressure cooking in Step 2.)
- Saute Veggies: Turn on the Saute function (on high) and heat the oil until shimmery. Add the onion and carrots and cook, stirring, until just slightly softened, 4-5 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper as they cook. Press Cancel.
- Pressure Cook: Stir in broth and potatoes. Generously season the chicken thighs on all sides with salt and pepper. Then, nestle them into the Instant Pot in a single layer (do not stack the thighs). Lock and seal the lid. Cook at high pressure for 6 minutes with a quick release of pressure at the end of cook time. (The chicken is done when it registers 165°F internally.) (Tip: This is a great time to bake the biscuits!)
- Shred Chicken: When the chicken is done, transfer it to a cutting board and shred or chop it into bite-size pieces. Set aside.
- Thicken Sauce: Turn on the Saute function. In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water to make a smooth slurry. Stir the slurry into the sauce and bring to a boil. Stir until it begins to thicken, only about 1 minute. Press Cancel.
- Stir in Cheese & Peas: Crumble the soft herb cheese into the pot and stir until melted. Stir the shredded chicken and peas into the pot. Taste and season with more 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 Souper Cubes 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.
- Here’s more about how to freeze chicken pot pie in all it’s different versions.
- 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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Do you think cream cheese would be an ok substitute for the soft herb cheese?
Hi Charity. Yes, I think cream cheese would work. Let us know how it turns out if you try it!
I love using whole wheat here because it isn’t really noticeable once it’s with the gravy.