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 can I thicken the 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. 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.

Is chicken pot pie dairy-free?

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.

Can chicken pot pie be gluten-free?

Omit the biscuits, buy gluten-free canned or frozen biscuits from the store, or try making these .

Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie (with Biscuits)

Name: Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: American
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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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!

Yield: 6 servings 1x

Prep: 15 minutesCook: 15 minutesTotal: 30 minutes

Scale:

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.

Cuisine: American Method: Instant Pot

Find it online: https://thrivinghomeblog.com/instant-pot-chicken-pot-pie/