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!
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
- 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
Nutrition
This post may contain affiliate links. This means if you use one of my links to make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Mary’s Whole Life!
This post was originally published on November 11, 2021 and updated with new copy on July 29, 2022.
246 Comments on “Healthy Chicken Pot Pie Soup”
Mary!! This is SO good. 🙌🏼
Thank you!!
I have been making this every other week for the past 2.5 months and still not tired of it. healthy, tasty, hearty with tons of compliments from the mouths I feed. most are in awe that the version I make is whole30 compliant.
Thank you Kieuhan!!
This was delicious! Made with peas instead of green beans. Will be on repeat this winter! I also appreciated the instructions for various cooking methods. Cooked on stovetop and it was fabulous.
Woo hoo! Glad to hear it!
Absolutely fantastic! The gnocchi is an absolute must. Wonderful fall soup. Well done!!
Thanks Joey!
Delicious! I did a couple of your alternative suggestions by adding peas in at the end instead of green beans and used rotisserie chicken. Will definitely be making again!!
Great! So glad you enjoyed it!
Sounds delicious
This was excellent!! Did your suggestion to swap cauliflower for the potatoes. Will add mushrooms next time!
Thank you!!
Absolutely delicious! I am a soup lover but most times the soups I find recipes for don’t have a ton of flavor. This soup has great flavor and pairs perfectly with the biscuits. It definitely tastes like chicken pot pie. We will definitely be having this a lot this fall and winter!
Thank you Melissa!
If there were more than 5 stars I’d give them!! Yummy doesn’t cut it!
Thank you Pamela!
Absolutely delicious! My husband literally could not stop eating this!!
Thank you Layne!!
A HUG IN A BOWL FOR REAL!! Delicious!!!!!!!!!!!!
And I love that you post stovetop, instapot and slow cooker – you rock!!
Thanks Leah! So glad you loved it!!!
Excellent and so fast for a busy night!
Thanks Mie!
This is absolutely delicious and perfect for my dairy-free little boy. Super flavorful, especially when made with homemade bone broth. Add the gluten-free biscuits and it’s something to look forward to on chilly fall nights.
Thank you Melissa! So glad you all enjoyed it!
Recipe is so great! First day of fall and going to enjoy with the kids for lunch!
Thanks Maggie!
If you haven’t made this yet, get to it! The gnocchi at the end adds the chef’s kiss. This recipe is a regular feature in the fall and winter over here. It’s comfort in a bowl and easy to make.
Thank you Mary!
Incredibly good
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!