It’s soup season, and I’m kicking off the New Year with a delicious and naturally gluten-free chicken pot pie soup recipe made with wholesome ingredients and requires simple prep. Grab that slow cooker and get ready to make this wonderfully nourishing and oh-so-filling dinner recipe.
If you’re searching for healthy comfort food that you and the picky eaters in your life will love, look no further than this delicious and nourishing gluten-free chicken pot pie soup.
The soup is low in calories and high in comfort, hitting all the right notes to warm you from the inside out and satisfy your soup cravings.
The soup is made in a slow cooker (i.e., Crockpot), which cooks the chicken slowly, resulting in tender chicken shreds that taste great in this brothy and flavorful soup.
If you have celiac disease, gluten intolerance, or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, chances are you’re always on the hunt for tasty meals made without gluten, a sticky protein found in wheat, rye, and barley.
If so, this is your sign to make this vegetable-forward soup that your entire family will love. It doesn’t require odd ingredients or gluten-free swaps; it’s just naturally gluten-free and delicious.
It doesn’t hurt that it’s also grain-free, low-calorie, veggie-forward, and Whole30-compliant, does it?
This winter soup recipe offers a healthy twist on classic chicken pot pie, which is the ultimate comfort food, allowing you to enjoy this beloved dish without all the excess calories, heavy cream, pie crust, and puff pastry. Let’s get started!
Ingredients
To make this delicious winter Crockpot chicken pot pie soup, you’ll need the following simple ingredients:
Chicken Breasts: I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but you could also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
Celery, Carrots, and Onions: The base of any good soup is a mirepoix of diced celery, carrots, and onions, which you’ll find in plenty in this soup. You can add more diced vegetables to make the soup even more hearty.
Garlic: Garlic always adds a wonderful taste and aroma, so don’t forget to add it.
Potatoes: You’ll want to use Yukon Gold potatoes to get a rich and creamy soup. Peel the potatoes and chop some of them into diced pieces for the soup and others into large quarters that you can fish out and blend to thicken your broth after the soup has finished cooking.
Seasonings: You’ll need Kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, dried parsley, and dried or fresh thyme for this soup. You could also add dried basil, rosemary, or other fresh herbs of choice. I think the dried thyme gives the soup delicious fall vibes.
Chicken Broth: A good chicken broth will add immense flavor to your soup. I use the Kirkland brand chicken broth, which is labeled gluten-free and tastes great.
Dairy-Free Milk: You’ll need a little dairy-free milk to thicken the soup. While this soup is more broth-like than thick-and-creamy, the hints of “cream” from the milk and pulverized potatoes will thicken it so it’s more reminiscent of chicken pot pie.
Fresh Parsley: If fresh parsley is readily available, chop it up and garnish the top of the soup with it just before serving. It will add color to your soup, making it look as good as it tastes!
Instructions
In a large pan over medium-high heat, add two tablespoons of avocado oil (or olive oil). Add the diced celery, carrots, and onions and saute until softened about 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic, salt, pepper, dried parsley, and thyme, and cook for another minute until fragrant. Set aside.
Add the raw chicken to your slow cooker, then layer it with the celery and carrot mixture, diced potatoes, and quartered potatoes. Add the chicken broth, then cover the slow cooker and set it to cook for four hours on high.
After four hours, remove the chicken from the Crockpot and set it aside to cool and shred later.
Also, remove the large quartered potato pieces. Add them to a blender along with a few ladles of the broth (from the slow cooker) and 1/2 cup of dairy-free milk. Blend the potato mixture until smooth, adding more broth or milk, if needed, until you have a smooth and creamy mixture. You could alternatively add the potatoes to a bowl and use an immersion blender to blend them.
Add the pureed mixture into the slow cooker and stir to incorporate it into the soup.
Shred the slightly cooled chicken using two forks, then add the chicken back into the slow cooker. Cover and set to warm until you’re ready to serve it.
Top individual portions of the soup with fresh parsley garnish, optional. Serve with gluten-free crackers, gluten-free naan, or gluten-free buttermilk biscuits, optional, or enjoy as-is for a paleo, grain-free, and healthy chicken pot pie soup.
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in your fridge. The soup will taste good for up to seven days when stored properly.
Tips
Alternative Cooking Methods: While I think the slow cooker is the best method for this soup, you can use a pressure cooker or stovetop method instead.
Using a pressure cooker (Instant Pot), use the sautee function to lightly sear the chicken. Remove it, then sautee the celery, carrots, onions, garlic, and seasonings in the oil. Add the chicken, potatoes, and broth to the pressure cooker.
Cook it for nine minutes under high pressure, then allow it to release for five minutes naturally, then manually release it for five minutes. Follow the remaining instructions by removing the chicken and potatoes, etc.
You can also use your stove top and cook the soup in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot. Sear the chicken, sautee the vegetables, then add the broth. Bring the broth to a boil, then lower the heat to simmer, cover, and cook for about one hour. You’ll then follow the remaining instructions by removing the chicken, potatoes, etc.
Alternative Milk: You could, of course, use whole or skim milk, but I prefer to keep the entire soup dairy-free. I used cashew milk because I think it blends well and is creamy, but you could also use almond milk, coconut milk, soy milk, or another “milk” of choice.
Thicken the Soup: If you want the soup thicker, you could add some heavy cream or cashew cream, but beware, it will change the calorie count and may not be as “healthy.” You could also make a gluten-free slurry using 1 teaspoon of gluten-free flour or cornstarch + 2 tablespoons of cold water. Mix the flour and water, then add it to simmering soup and stir until thickened.
Shortcut Method: One way to make this soup shine is to use pre-cooked chicken instead of raw chicken breasts. I recommend either rotisserie chicken or leftover Thanksgiving turkey.
To make the soup using rotisserie chicken or leftover turkey, cook the vegetables in the broth in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until the vegetables are softened. Remove the potatoes to blend with the milk, then add shredded rotisserie chicken or leftover turkey at the end.
This chicken pot pie soup includes only the pie filling, not the pie crust. See my gluten-free chicken pot pie recipe if you’re looking for a pot pie recipe with a pie crust or puff pastry topping.
Chicken Broth: Chicken broth is also known as chicken stock and can be used interchangeably. Look for gluten-free labeled chicken broths or stocks. I used Kirkland brand chicken stock from Costco. Alternatively, you could use homemade bone broth to add more nutrients and intense flavors to the soup.
Meal Prep: This soup works well for gluten-free meal prep. Portion it into individual glass storage containers (look for airtight containers) and store it in your fridge. When ready to eat, heat it in the microwave until warm.
Soup It Up
While this isn’t quite a classic chicken pot pie recipe, it offers the flavors you know and love in a good chicken pot pie, all in a hearty and healthy soup.
It’s the perfect busy weeknight meal, especially on a chilly night when you’re craving a delicious and comforting meal.
Are you looking for more healthy soup recipes to enjoy in the winter? Check out my list of gluten-free soups – coming soon.
For Thanksgiving-inspired recipes, check out 16+ Easy Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Recipes.
Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Equipment
- 1 Slow Cooker see notes for InstantPot and Dutch oven recommendations
- 1 High speed blender or immersion blender
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
- 1 cup carrot cut into small circles or diced
- 1 cup celery diced
- 1 cup yellow onion finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 tsp thyme dried or fresh
- 1/4 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt more to taste, if needed
- 1/4 tsp fresh cracked pepper
- 1 lb chicken breast (boneless skinless) approximately 2 large breasts
- 2 Yukon gold potatoes peeled and diced into bite-sized pieces
- 3 Yukon gold potatoes peeled and cut into quarters or large chunks
- 4 cups gluten-free chicken broth
- 1/2 cup dairy-free milk almond milk, cashew milk, coconut milk (cow's milk okay)
Instructions
- In a large pan over medium-high heat, add two tablespoons of avocado oil. Add the diced celery, carrots, and onions and saute until softened about 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, parsley, salt, pepper, and cook for another minute until fragrant. Set aside.
- Add the raw chicken to your slow cooker, then layer it with the celery and carrot mixture, and the diced and quartered potatoes. Add the chicken broth, then cover the slow cooker and set it to cook for four hours on high.
- After four hours, remove the chicken and set it aside to cool to shred later. Also, remove the large quartered potato pieces.
- Place the chunks of potoates in a blender along with a few ladles of the broth (from the slow cooker) and 1/2 cup of dairy-free milk. Blend the potato mixture until smooth, adding more broth or milk, if needed, until you have a smooth and creamy mixture. You could alternatively add the potatoes, broth and milk to a bowl and use an immersion blender to blend them. Add the pureed mixture into the slow cooker and stir to incorporate it into the soup.
- Shred the slightly cooled chicken using two forks, then add the chicken back into the slow cooker. Cover and set to warm until you're ready to serve it.
- Top individual portions of the soup with fresh parsley garnish, optional. Serve with gluten-free crackers, gluten-free naan, or gluten-free buttermilk biscuits, optional, or enjoy as is for a paleo, grain-free, and healthy chicken pot pie soup.
- Store leftover soup in an airtight container in your fridge. The soup will taste good for up to seven days when stored properly in the fridge.
Notes
Nutrition
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