Nothing warms you up on a cold day quite like Chicken Pot Pie. This easy skillet recipe comes together surprisingly fast but tastes like something you spent all day preparing. This Gluten Free Skillet Chicken Pot Pie will become a new family favorite this fall and winter!
Creamy Gluten-Free Skillet Chicken Pot Pie Recipe
It doesn’t get much better than creamy chicken pot pie… There’s something about that luscious gravy, crisp pastry, and flavorful filling that warms up your very soul.
Butter, gluten-free flour, chicken stock, heavy cream, and fresh herbs make the base of this pot pie. Aromatic vegetables like onions, celery, and carrots add a lovely depth of flavor. And the crowning glory – the gluten-free pastry – ties it all together. This Skillet Chicken Pot Pie recipe is incredibly balanced and will guide you on how to create a stunning savory pie at home.
You may not know this, but pot pies have been a popular dish since the late 1700s. Roman cooks would sometimes make pot pies with a living bird inside that would burst through the pie shell when served. This tradition made its way to England as well and was popular at royal tables.
Although this recipe does include chicken, I’m pleased to say that no live animals were cooked in my version of pot pie!
What You’ll Need
Let’s discuss exactly what you’ll need for each component of this easy Gluten-Free Skillet Pot Pie. The amounts are included in the recipe card beneath this post.
For the Crust
- Gluten-Free Measure-for-Measure Flour: You can use all-purpose flour if you don’t care about this being gluten-free.
- Sugar
- Salt
- Unsalted Butter: Keep the butter cold
- Herbs: Fresh rosemary, Italian parsley, and thyme
- White Vinegar
- Ice Water
For the Filling
- Unsalted Butter
- Onion
- Celery
- Carrots
- Gluten-Free Measure-for-Measure Flour: You can use all-purpose flour if you don’t care about this being gluten-free.
- Chicken Broth: Homemade chicken stock is best, otherwise use an organic brand.
- Heavy Cream
- Herbs: Fresh Italian parsley, rosemary, thyme, and chives.
- Salt and Pepper
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Rotisserie Chicken: Meat removed and shredded
- Peas: Frozen is fine for this recipe.
How to Make This Chicken Pot Pie
For the Crust
- Combine Dry Ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, sugar, and salt.
- Add the Butter. In a food processor, add the flour mix and cold, cubed butter. Pulse the mixer until the butter starts to distribute.
- Add the Fresh Herbs. Add the fresh herbs to the crust batter and pulse a few times to blend.
- Mix in the Vinegar and Water. In a small bowl, mix the water and vinegar together. Pour this mixture into the food processor while running very slowly. Stop adding when the dough starts to come together. At this point, the dough should come together in a ball. You may not need to use all of the water and vinegar to get there.
- Knead the Dough. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough by hand by folding it over itself several times. You ultimately want to form the dough into a disk shape.
- Wrap the Dough in Plastic and Refrigerate. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.
For the Filling
- Heat the Skillet. Heat an 8″ cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add butter and allow it to melt.
- Add the Aromatics. Add the onions, celery, and carrots to the heated pan and saute until the onions are translucent. This should take about 4-5 minutes.
- Add the Flour. Sprinkle in the flour, stirring the veggie mixture constantly. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add Broth. Add the chicken broth and stir to blend. Bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the cooking temperature to low and simmer until the sauce starts to thicken.
- Add Heavy Cream, Herbs, and Seasoning. Add the heavy cream, fresh herbs, and seasoning. Taste the mixture with a clean spoon and add additional seasoning if necessary.
- Mix in Chicken and Peas. Once you’re happy with the seasoning, mix in the shredded chicken and frozen peas. Stir to incorporate.
- Cool Slightly. Remove the skillet from the heat and let the mixture cool slightly. You’re ready to move on to the next step when you can touch the pan without burning yourself.
Assembling the Chicken Pot Pie
- Preheat the Oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Roll the Dough. Take the dough out of the fridge, unwrap, and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a 10″ round shape. You want it to be large enough that it will overhang your skillet.
- Place the Dough. Lay the dough over your chicken mixture directly on the skillet.
- Tuck Overhanging Dough. Tuck the overhanging dough under itself and crimp it into the classic pie pinch along the edge of the skillet.
- Brush the Crust with Egg Wash. Brush the entire surface of the crust with an egg wash.
- Poke Holes in the Crust. Cut an ‘X’ shape or a few holes with a fork in the center of the crust to allow steam to escape.
- Bake. Bake the chicken pot pie for 40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Check in on it after 25 minutes to see if the edges are browning too quickly. If they are, remove the pie and cover the edges with tin foil. Place the skillet back into the oven to resume cooking.
Tips for Success
After you make this chicken pot pie recipe once, you’ll be an expert. But if this is your first time cooking one, here are some tips to make the process smoother.
- Use Cold Butter for the Pastry. Whenever you make pastry from scratch, always use cold butter. Cold butter melts in the oven, leaving air pockets. These air pockets are what give the pastry the light, airy texture you want.
- Make the Dough the Night Before. If you’re new to making pastry, make it the night before and save yourself the trouble of balancing this recipe all at once. The dough will be fine in the fridge overnight.
Variation Ideas
This homemade chicken pot pie is pretty incredible as it is. But feel free to make this pot pie your own! Pot pies are famous for being catch-alls for any leftovers in your fridge. Here are some easy variation ideas.
- Use Pre-Made Pie Crust. If you don’t feel confident in making your own pastry dough, you can easily use a pre-made pie crust from the store. This will save you some time if you’re feeling stretched.
- Use Biscuits Instead of Pastry. If you don’t like pastry or don’t want to make it, you can top this chicken pot pie with biscuits instead! Make your own biscuit dough or use premade dough from the grocery store.
- Change up the Veggies. This chicken pot pie can handle almost any veggies you can throw at it. If you have vegetables that need to be used up, this pot pie is a great vehicle.
- Add Potatoes. If you want a more robust pot pie, feel free to add cubed potatoes. Just make sure you adjust the cooking time to allow them to get nice and soft.
Storage Instructions
Store your chicken pot pie in the fridge for up to 3 days. Place leftovers in an airtight container or wrap the skillet tightly with plastic wrap.
Can I Freeze Chicken Pot Pie?
Yes! If you have a ton of leftovers, chicken pot pie can be frozen for up to 6 months. Make sure it’s stored in an airtight container or wrapped tightly with plastic wrap and placed inside a freezer-safe plastic bag.
Easy Gluten-Free Skillet Chicken Pot Pie
Equipment
- Oven
- Stove
- Food Processor
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 1/3 cups gluten-free 1:1 flour
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter cubed and cold
- 1 1/2 tbsp fresh Italian parsley minced
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary minced
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves minced
- 1/4 cup ice water
- 2 tsp white vinegar
For the Filling
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup onion diced
- 1/3 cup celery chopped
- 1/2 cup carrots sliced
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups organic chicken broth
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp fresh Italian parsley minced
- 1 tbsp fresh chives minced
- 2 tsp fresh rosemary minced
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves minced
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 rotisserie chicken meat removed and shredded; you should have 2 1/2 cups (more is fine)
- 1/3 cup frozen peas
Instructions
For the Crust
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt.
- In a food processor add flour mix and butter. Run mixer, pulsing until butter starts to distribute.
- Add herb mix, and pulse a few times to blend.
- In a small bowl mix water and vinegar together. Pour the water mixture into the food processor while running very slowly. Stop adding the water and let the dough come together. The ingredients should start to come together and form a ball. You may not need all the water.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
- Knead dough by folding the dough over itself several times, forming it into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour.
For the Filling
- Heat an 8” cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add butter and melt.
- Add onions, celery, and carrots, and saute until the onions are translucent. About 4-5 minutes.
- Sprinkle in the flour, stirring constantly, and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add broth and stir to blend, lower the cooking temperature to low, and simmer until it starts to thicken.
- Add heavy cream, herbs, and seasoning.
- Once blended, mix in your chicken and peas.
- Remove the skillet from heat and let cool slightly until the pan is able to be touched.
Assembly
- Preheat the oven to 400°.
- On a lightly floured surface roll dough into a 10” round, you want it large enough that it will overhang your skillet perimeter.
- Lay dough over your chicken mixture.
- Tuck the overhang under itself and crimp into the classic pie pinch along the edge of the skillet.
- Brush the crust with the egg wash.
- Cut an x or a few holes in the center of the crust to allow steam to escape.
- Bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown.
- Check about 25 minutes into the baking process to see if the edges are browning too quickly. Cover edges with pieces of foil to stop from over-browning.