Healthy Chicken Pot Pie Soup
This dairy-free, healthy chicken pot pie soup has all of the flavors of the classic comfort food casserole served in soup form! Creamy, hearty, & delicious, this gluten-free chicken pot pie recipe is one you don’t want to miss!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
What Makes This Recipe Great
There is nothing better than creamy, chicken soups that fill you up, warm you up, and taste so good you want seconds! It’s even better when they’re 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.
My healthy chicken pot pie soup is packed with tender chicken, carrots, celery, onion, green beans, and potatoes in a dairy-free creamy broth. Featuring all the flavors of classic chicken pot pie, but is made with clean, better-for-you ingredients!
Recipe Highlights
- Instant Pot, Slow Cooker, & Stovetop instructions
- Nut-Free & Low-Carb alternatives
- Dairy-Free & Gluten-Free!
- An easy, 30-minute recipe!
Ingredient Notes
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.
Chicken Breasts: I love getting organic chicken from Butcher Box.
Chicken Broth: My favorite is Kettle & Fire. Code MARY gets you 20% off their site!
Cashews: Raw, unsalted cashews work best for the cashew cream.
Recipe Step by Step
Instant Pot
- Press 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 them to the blender along with 3/4 cups of 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.
Crockpot
- 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.
Stovetop
- 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, add the cashew cream and stir well.
Mary’s Tips & Tricks
Soaking the Cashews: 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, high-speed blender, though! However, if you don’t have one, I love this blender!
Storage: This gluten-free chicken pot pie 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.
Keto Version: 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 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.
Vegetables: Peas can be used instead of green beans! Corn would also be delicious; however please note that it is not Whole30-friendly.
Cauliflower Gnocchi: A while back I shared that I used Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi in this gluten-free chicken pot pie. It tastes exactly like healthy chicken and dumplings! 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.
Recipe FAQ’s
If you aren’t able to have cashews, you can sub in 1 cup of coconut cream (or just use the thickened part on top of a can of full-fat coconut milk).
Yes, feel free to sub 3/4 cup of heavy cream or 1/2 & 1/2 instead of the cashew cream.
Yes! It will stay good for up to 4 months. Store in an airtight, freezer-safe container for optimal freshness.
These Gluten Free Dairy Free Drop Biscuits would be amazing with this soup!
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
- â…” 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
Nutrition
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This post was originally published on November 11, 2021 and updated with new copy on July 29, 2022.
278 Comments on “Healthy Chicken Pot Pie Soup”
Wow! This tastes amazing! So easy to make too! The instant pot makes this a breeze!
Amazing creaminess. I felt like I was having a meal from a nice restaurant. I ate it for dinner, then warmed up for lunch. I couldn’t believe I had made it! It’s one of those meals that you could serve to people with out any diet restrictions and they wouldn’t know it! We served it with Udi’s crusty bread.
This soup was so wholesome and so good! Thanks Mary for another smashingly good recipe!
I’ve made this numerous times but am now trying to reduce my carbs. So, instead of eliminating the potatoes I used radishes (don’t knock it until you try it!). This is from Natalie at Tastes Lovely. She does that a lot in her soups/stews that she’s made Keto. I just used a small package of radishes cut in half (if they are pretty big) and it turned out great. My husband even says you don’t miss the potatoes at all.
In any case, this soup has the BEST flavor!
Yes radishes are a great low carb swap! So glad you enjoyed it, Melanie!
Delicious and easy to make! Very warming and comforting as the seasons start to change here. Interested to try it with gnocchi next time (I will definitely be making it again)!
I made this today and used the coconut cream. It is amazing!! My husband reminded me twice to save this recipe so I can make it again!
Great flavor! Used coconut cream because I couldn’t find cashews, but still delicious! I love a white based soup. Can’t wait to dry this with gnocchi…. would be delicious!!
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!
I love this blog and the recipes. This chicken pot pie soup is the bomb. Healthy and comforting, yet the creaminess comes from cashews instead of butter and cream. I took the soup to a friend recovering from surgery and she loved it, too! A dairy free meal was just what she needed. I’m always looking for easy and nutritious recipes for the Instant Pot and this one is a winner. I have 2 instant pots, so this weekend I doubled the recipe to make some soup for the freezer. Gold star! Thank you!
Thanks Laura!
This soup is AMAZING. I seriously make it once a week in the colder months. Today was my first time making it since March, and my soul was so happy. Make this! You won’t be disappointed.
Thanks Chelsea!
I don’t have cashews (don’t even like them lol) could I sub with a cauliflower purée?? 🤔
Yes that could work! Or you can just do coconut cream/the hard part of a can of coconut milk! It won’t be as creamy but still delicious!
I love this soup, and my family loves it so much we even have it on a hot summer day!
Really delicious and I would highly recommend!
Thanks Megan!!
This review is long overdue. This is hands down one of the best soups we’ve ever made. It’s so popular in my house my mom comes over demanding it! Thank you yet again! It’s deliciously perfect!
Woo hoo! Glad to hear it!
Amazing! Second time I made it, we added the Trader Joe’s cauliflower gnocchi which just took it to an even higher level!!!!
I love adding those! So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks Christina!
I ran out of cashews! Can I used just coconut milk? If so, how much?
Yes – I mention in the blog post to sub 1 cup full fat coconut milk (just the solid part) 🙂
Love your blog!
Does Healthy Chicken Pot Pie soup freeze well?
Thank you!
Yes it does 🙂 Thanks!
Hi Mary! I don’t have sherry. Anything else you suggest to give the soup an extra punch of flavor? Thank you!
Hi! I would just omit it – honestly it will still be delicious!
So good!!! Tomato based soups are hard on my husbands stomach, so I am always looking for healthy broth based soups! This one was sooo good!!! Love how the cashews give it such a creamy indulgent feel but without heavy cream.
Thanks Tracey! I am so glad you enjoyed it!
Delicious! The cashew cream is such a nice change from the usual Paleo ingredient of coconut milk. Really easy to make also. Thanks!!
Thank you Konika! I love the cashew cream as well!
How many people does this recipe serve?
4-6 people!
Is there nutritional information for this soup? We make it every week! Thats how much we love it! It is soo delicious!
Hi Kaylee! So glad to hear you love the soup! Unfortunately I do not have nutritional values/tracking available on my site yet but hope to change that soon!