Crustless Chicken Pot Pie (1-Pan + No Dairy!)

This crustless version of classic chicken pot pie has all of the comforting flavors of the original dish, but with much less effort required. This quick and easy dinner is ready within 30 minutes using one pan – a skillet! Naturally gluten-free and dairy-free.

This Dairy-Free Crustless Chicken Pot Pie is Perfect for Dinner Tonight!

I don’t know about you, but I think a generous helping of cozy, warming chicken pot pie makes for the ULTIMATE comfort food…especially on busy weeks! I know how many of us love this homemade classic, so I added my own feel-good-food spin on this delicious dish with this crustless chicken pot pie in the Instant Pot or slow cooker (which has been a huge reader favorite!). Since quick and easy one-pan skillet dinner ideas are what we do around here, this time around I wanted to come up with a version easy enough to throw together on a weeknight. And just like that, this no crust chicken pot pie recipe became one of my family’s new favorite dinners!

It comes together in under 30 minutes on the stovetop, with minimal fuss and minimal prep steps. But the best part is that it still hits all those classic notes that we crave in a good pot pie, just a lot lighter and easier to prepare. If you’re wondering how to make chicken pot pie easy, my number one way to cut down on prep time is to skip the crust! That way there’s no mixing, chilling or rolling dough required – which of course cuts down considerably on the clean up too.

Instead you cut straight to the most flavorful part, making the chicken pot pie filling and the signature sauce that goes with it. Making the chicken pot pie filling is as simple as browning your chicken, sautéing your vegetables, and simmering them all together in broth, pantry seasonings & heavy cream (or coconut milk) until tender & cooked through. My other time-saving tip would be to buy pre-chopped vegetables for even less hands-on prep time (frozen mixed vegetables are super convenient and work great in this recipe).

Testing Notes & Ingredient Swaps

• Chicken breasts: I used boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe but you could also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you prefer. In either case, be sure to chop them up to roughly the same size so they all cook evenly and quickly.
• Chicken stock:  I used my homemade slow cooker chicken stock but store bought low-sodium
• Mixed frozen vegetable blend: Such a great option to keep on hand, especially if (like me!) you love making soups or skillet dinners at home. They usually have carrots, green beans, peas and corn in them.
• Cream: Heavy cream is the classic choice for chicken pot pie, but I’ve found that full-fat coconut milk from a can also creates a super delicious dairy free chicken pot pie (without adding any overt coconut flavor). Both work great in this recipe so feel free to use them interchangeably depending on what you’ve got on hand.
• Arrowroot: Also called arrowroot starch or arrowroot powder, you can usually find this in your local natural foods store (look in the baking aisle or gluten-free section) or online. It’s a great pantry staple to keep on hand that’ll help you thicken sauces, soups and stews naturally. If you don’t have or can’t find arrowroot starch, cornstarch works great to make this recipe too!
• Olive oil: I love the rich, slightly butterly flavor profile of the olive oil in this recipe but you could use any other neutral flavored cooking oil you like in this recipe – such as avocado, vegetable or canola oil.

5 stars (7 ratings)

Crustless Chicken Pot Pie (1-Pot + No-Dairy!)

Developed and tested by Robyn Conley Downs

Servings: 6

Prep: 5 minutes mins

Cook: 25 minutes mins

Total: 30 minutes mins

This crustless version of classic chicken pot pie has all of the comforting flavors of the original dish, but with much less effort required. This quick and easy dinner is ready within 30 minutes using one pan – a skillet! Naturally gluten-free and can easily be made dairy free.

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Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1 teaspoon no-salt added poultry seasoning
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup full-fat coconut milk ,
• 2 cups frozen vegetable blend (carrots, green beans, peas, corn)
• 2 teaspoons arrowroot powder*

Equipment

• Dutch Oven

Instructions 

• In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until golden on one side, flip, and cook 3-4 more minutes. Remove the chicken onto a plate or bowl and set aside.
• Add the onion, sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt, and add the garlic, and poultry seasoning. Cook 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add the chicken, chicken stock, cream or coconut milk, vegetables, and 1 teaspoon of salt, stirring to combine. Cover, bring to a boil, then uncover and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 5-8 minutes, until the vegetables are just tender and the chicken is cooked, stirring occasionally.
• Carefully ladle a few tablespoons of the broth into a bowl. Add the arrowroot, whisking until completely smooth. Add the arrowroot mixture back to the pot, stirring to combine. Simmer 1-2 more minutes, until it begins to thicken.
• Taste, adding additional salt if desired.

Notes

• Arrowroot is a thickener similar to cornstarch. If you don’t have it or don’t want to use it, cornstarch can be used in its place.
• Nutrition information calculated using chicken breasts, coconut milk, arrowroot and frozen mixed vegetables with corn & peas.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 350kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 36g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 97mg, Sodium: 817mg, Potassium: 884mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 3211IU, Vitamin C: 10mg, Calcium: 47mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition disclaimer

Did you make this recipe?If you do, be sure to share it on Instagram and tag me at @realfoodwholelife so I can see!

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