Healthy Chicken Pot Pie Soup
This Healthy Chicken Pot Pie Soup has all of the flavors of the classic comfort food casserole, but in soup form! It is dairy free, gluten free, paleo, and Whole30. You can make this pot pie soup in the crock pot, Instant Pot, or on the stovetop! I’ve included a keto pot pie soup option, as well.
This post was originally published on November 3, 2019 and updated with new photos and copy on November 11, 2021!
Creamy chicken soups are my love language. In my opinion, there is nothing better than this recipe for chicken pot pie soup. It is packed with carrots, celery, onion, tender chicken, green beans, and potatoes in a dairy free creamy broth. This soup has all the flavors of classic chicken pot pie, except made with clean, better-for-you ingredients! I’ve included variations for everyone below – including nut free & low carb. I guarantee nobody will know this soup is completely dairy free!
If you love creamy soups and haven’t tried out my Paleo Chicken & Gnocchi soup or Paleo Buffalo Chicken Chowder, you must! Similar in many ways, yet they have their own fun twists.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
What Makes This Chicken Pot Pie Soup Healthy?
This soup is healthy comfort food at its finest. It tastes decadent and absolutely delicious, but won’t leave you feeling sluggish or bloated after eating. This soup uses real-food ingredients like chicken, veggies, and nuts. I love re-creating comfort food classics in a healthier way so that everyone can enjoy them, regardless of dietary restrictions like needing to be gluten free or dairy free.
This cashew cream is such an amazing dairy free alternative to heavy cream or canned soups which are often loaded with gluten, additives, and MSG. The simple combination of cashews and water thickens up soups perfectly and also adds some healthy fats to the equation. I use it in so many recipes! If you can’t do nuts, I’ve given some substitutions below. Either way, the entire family will love this soup. It’s always a win to only have to make ONE dish for dinner that everyone will love, right?! It’s also a bonus when it’s good for you!
Ingredients For Making Paleo Chicken Pot Pie Soup
- ghee – This is clarified butter where most of the dairy has been removed. If you have a dairy allergy, you can also use olive oil or vegan butter.
- gnion
- celery
- carrots
- chicken Breasts – I love getting organic chicken from Butcher Box
- Russet potatoes
- frozen cut green beans
- chicken broth – My favorite is Kettle & Fire. Code MARY gets you 20% off their site!
- sherry (omit for Whole30)
- dried sage, rosemary, and thyme
- nutmeg
- raw, unsalted cashews – these work best for the cashew cream.
You will need a good blender to make the cashew cream. I’ve included Instant Pot, Slow Cooker, and Stove Top Methods for this Pot Pie Soup below.
Soaking the cashews in hot water for a couple of hours prior to blending can help to make the creamiest version possible. It’s not totally necessary if you have a good blender, though!
How To Make Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Hit the “sauté” button on your Instant Pot. Add the tbsp of cooking fat along with the onions, celery, carrots, and garlic. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until they begin to soften and the garlic is fragrant. Add in the chicken pieces, potatoes, green beans, chicken broth, sherry, and spices/herbs. Give everything a good stir. Lock the lid, turn the vent to “sealing”, and cook on manual high pressure for 12 minutes.
Drain your cashews (if you soaked them) and add to the blender along with 3/4 cups water. Blend on high for 1 minute or until very thick and creamy.
Once the soup is done, manually release the steam. Use a fork to shred the chicken right in the pot. Add in the cashew cream and stir. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve with fresh chopped parsley and a drizzle of sherry, if desired.
Instructions for Crock Pot Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Add all of the ingredients (minus the cashews and water) to your slow cooker. Stir well. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 7-8 hours. Shred the chicken right in the pot. Right before you are ready to serve, add the cashew cream and stir well. Stirring on high heat for a few minutes will help it to thicken up.
How To Make Dairy Free Chicken Pot Pie on the Stove Top
Heat your cooking fat of choice in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, carrots, and garlic. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until they begin to soften and the garlic is fragrant. Add in the chicken pieces, potatoes, green beans, chicken broth, sherry, and spices/herbs. Bring the soup to a boil and cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is cooked through.
Make the cashew cream while the soup cooks. Shred the chicken, and add the cashew cream and stir well.
FAQ’s
How can you make this soup nut free? If you aren’t able to have cashews, you can sub in 1 cup of coconut cream (or just use the thickened part on the top of a can of full-fat coconut milk).
Can you use regular dairy if you tolerate it? Yes, feel free to sub 3/4 cup of heavy cream or 1/2 & 1/2 instead of the cashew cream.
Storage: This soup makes amazing leftovers. It can be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, you can simmer it on the stove or pop it in the microwave for 2-3 minutes.
Can you freeze chicken pot pie soup? Yes! It will stay good for up to 4 months.
Variations / Substitutions
Keto chicken pot pie soup: To make this Keto-friendly, omit the potatoes. You can also sub in radishes or cauliflower.
Using leftover/pre-cooked chicken or turkey: Rotisserie chicken or leftover turkey from Thanksgiving also works well with this recipe. Simply follow the directions and omit the chicken. Add the pre-cooked chicken or turkey at the end with the cashew cream and stir over medium heat (or on sauté mode in the IP or on high heat in the slow cooker) until the meat is warmed through.
Other vegetables: Peas can be used instead of green beans! Corn would also be delicious; however please note that it is not Whole30-friendly.
Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi: A while back I shared that I used Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi in this soup. It tastes exactly like healthy chicken and dumplings! The gnocchi are soft and pillowy and so good in this soup. If you want to try this method, simply add them at the same time as the cashew cream at the end! Stir and let them cook on “saute” mode (or high heat for the slow cooker, or just medium heat on the stove) for 2-3 minutes until they’re heated through.
*While the ingredients for the gnocchi are Whole30 friendly, they would definitely be considered SWYPO for anyone doing a true round of Whole30! Use your best judgement and do what works best for you.
Other Healthy Dairy Free Soup Recipes
The Best Slow Cooker Turkey Chili
Slow Cooker Chicken & Wild Rice Soup (Dairy Free)
Dairy Free Creamy Broccoli “Cheese” & Potato Soup
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Healthy Chicken Pot Pie Soup (Whole30, Paleo)
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp ghee or olive oil
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- ½ large onion, diced
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and diced
- 1.5 lbs chicken breasts, cut into 3 pieces each
- 1 large russett potato (or 2 small - should be about 2 cups diced), peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 cup frozen cut green beans
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 tbsp sherry cooking wine, omit for Whole30
- 1.5 tsp dried sage
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp dried rosemary
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- 2 tsp sea salt, more to taste
- ½ tsp black pepper
Cashew Cream * (see nut free option below)
- 1 cup raw unsalted cashews
- ⅔ cup water
Equipment
- pressure cooker
Instructions
- Add cashews to a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let them soak while you chop your veggies and prep the soup.
Instant Pot
- Hit the "saute" button on your Instant Pot. Add in the tbsp of cooking fat (ghee or olive oil). Add in the onions, celery, carrots, and garlic. Saute for 3-4 minutes until they begin to soften and the garlic is fragrant. Add in the chicken pieces, potatoes, green beans, chicken broth, sherry, and spices/herbs. Give everything a good stir. Lock the lid, turn the vent to "sealing", and cook on "manual" high pressure for 12 minutes.
- While it's coming to pressure, make the cashew cream. Drain the cashews and add them to a blender along with 1/2 cup of water. Blend on high for 1 minute or until VERY thick and creamy.
- Once the soup is done, manually release the pressure. Use a fork to shred the chicken right in the pot. It should be very tender! Add in the cashew cream and stir. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with fresh chopped parsley and an extra drizzle of sherry, if desired. Enjoy!
Stovetop
- Heat cooking fat in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add in the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Saute for 3-4 minutes until fragrant and beginning to soften. Add in remaining soup ingredients (except cashew cream). Stir. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Cook for 25-30 minutes until vegetables have softened and chicken is cooked through. While it's simmering, make your cashew cream using directions above. Use a fork to shred the chicken right in the pot. Add your cashew cream and stir. Serve with fresh chopped parsley and an extra drizzle of sherry, if desired. Enjoy!
Slow Cooker
- Add all of the ingredients (minus the cashews and water) to your slow cooker. Stir well. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 7-8 hours. Shred the chicken right in the pot. Combine the cashews and water in your blender and blend on high for 1 minute. Right before you are ready to serve, add the cashew cream and stir well. Stirring on high heat for a few minutes will help it to thicken up. Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- If you aren’t able to have cashews, you can sub in 1 cup of coconut cream (or just use the thickened part on the top of a can of full-fat coconut milk).
- You can sub a bag of Trader Joe's cauliflower gnocchi instead of potatoes for more of a chicken and dumplings type soup! Simply add the bag of frozen gnocchi to the pot after shredding the chicken. Cook it on saute function in the Instant pot for 3-4 minutes or until it's heated through (or for a few minutes for stove top). Serve and enjoy!
- To make this soup Keto, omit the potatoes. You can also sub in radishes or cauliflower.
184 Comments on “Healthy Chicken Pot Pie Soup”
Made this while I was feeling sick and caring for the family. Easy to get together when not feeling 100%; vegetable substitutions are very forgiving. OUTSTANDING.
My husband loves this soup but he doesn’t know how healthy it is! Shhhh! Don’t tell him!
This was my first recipe using cashew cream, I was floored with how outstanding the texture and taste were. This recipe brought me all the feels of comfort food, without the unnecessary calories or belly ache after. This one is on repeat in my house during the colder months. Believe me when I say you will not be disappointed!
Delicious! Especially with the cauliflower gnocchi! Thank you!