Homemade chicken pot pie is easy to make, easy to cleanup and ready to serve in 30 minutes when you cook it in a cast iron skillet! It is absolutely delicious!
Carbs in low-carb chicken pot pie - 15g
You need just one-pan to make this savory meat pie full of chicken, peas and carrots in delicious gravy, topped with a flaky pie crust baked until golden-brown.
This easy meal is one of my family's favorite recipes. It's perfect for a weeknight dinner. Since I count carbs, I needed a recipe that can satisfy all of our appetites as well as my personal carb budget. This low-carb version of a cosy, comfort food classic has only 15 grams of carbs per serving.
Ingredients:
pre-cooked chicken
This recipe calls for shredded chicken. I used a whole shredded rotisserie chicken. A single one and a half pound cooked chicken will yield about 4 cups of meat.
Let it cool to the touch before pulling the meat from the carcass. Be sure to include the tasty, browned meat juices that collect at the bottom of the package. This will boost the flavor and color of the pot pie gravy. Don’t include the skin and be sure to remove all bones. You can use your fingers to shred the meat into bite-sized pieces. This is my personal preference since I can feel if there are any bones in the meat, and shredded meat soaks up more gravy.
You may also use skinless chicken breasts or leftover chicken.
butter and flour
To thicken the pot pie gravy this recipe calls for a 1:1 ratio of fat and flour to make a golden brown roux, which is the base thickener for the gravy.
onions and celery
These aromatic vegetables flavor the gravy for the pot pie. I love the aroma and flavor of freshly chopped onions and celery sautéed in butter.
chicken broth
This recipe calls for chicken broth, instead of cream, to make the pot pie gravy. Classic pot pies are often high in salt. When you make your own pot pie at home you can control the amount of salt in the recipe. You can adjust or omit the salt in this recipe. If you are on a sodium-restricted diet feel free to use sodium-free broth. Other “easy” pot pie recipes call for canned soup, which contain very high amounts of sodium.
frozen peas and carrots
Peas and carrots are a favorite ingredient in classic chicken pot pie. Add these at the end of cooking the filling so that they retain their freshness and color. You can also use an equal amount of mixed frozen vegetables or broccoli for variation. Broccoli will reduce the carb count.
pie crust
Use frozen pre-made pie crust to save time. Most pie crusts require time to thaw out before they can be handled, otherwise they break apart. Check the package instructions for thawing. Plan ahead and give the pie crust enough time to thaw. Don't get impatient and handle the crust before it fully thaws. In the event that the pie crust breaks apart anyway, it is not the end of the world. Just arrange the pieces over the filling and bake. Or, if you have extra time, shape it into a ball and roll it back out with a rolling pin or wine bottle.
egg wash
Using egg wash is optional, but highly recommended. Applying an egg wash before baking is the best way to achieve an appetizing, glossy, golden-brown crust. If you are allergic to eggs, you can use heavy cream or half and half for a wash. If you want to make this recipe dairy-free you can brush the crust with vegan butter, coconut oil or almond milk, or skip this step altogether for a bare crust. This recipe calls for 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of heavy cream beaten together. You’ll only need about a tablespoon of this mixture. Save the rest for scrambled eggs or an omelette later.
Equipment you’ll need
Cast-iron skillet
A cast iron skillet can go from stovetop to oven, cutting down on cook time and cleanup.
It also has to be a good fit for a pre-made 9" pie crust. I recommend a 10” cast iron deep skillet. If you don't have a cast iron skillet then use a 10" oven-safe skillet with deep sides. The pan must be deep enough to hold 2 quarts of filling.
Note: If you only own a larger skillet, you can work with it as long as you don’t mind that the crust won't completely cover the filling. If you want to use a pie pan, you will have more filling than you need. A 9" pie pan can hold half the amount of filling that this recipe yields. You will need to make the filling on the stovetop in a separate pan and transfer the filling to the pie pan before baking.
How to make
Here's the overview. Jump to the recipe card for the full recipe.
- Prepare a roux over medium heat.
- Add broth to make a gravy.
- Add chicken and vegetables.
- Cover with pie crust.
- Bake until pie crust is cooked through. Since the filling is fully cooked, this won't take long.
- Serve immediately.
Substitutions
- Substitute chicken with leftover turkey or a meat substitute in the chicken mixture
- You may use canned biscuits, just pay attention to the carb counts
- You may use puff pastry, just pay attention to the carb counts
- You can easily make this recipe dairy-free or lower in saturated fats by using an equal amount of olive oil or grape seed oil, instead of butter when cooking the roux. Do not reduce the amount of fat in the recipe.
- If you don’t feel like prepping vegetables, suitable substitutes are an equal amount of frozen pearl onions or a ½ teaspoon of onion powder for chopped onions
- To substitute celery you can use a ½ teaspoon of ground celery seeds
Variations
- Add your favorite cooked vegetable such as broccoli or cauliflower
- Add your favorite herbs and spices such as fresh thyme
- Use whole milk in the gravy
Make ahead
You can make this ahead of time and keep it, covered and chilled in the skillet, for up to 3 days until ready to serve. Reheat pie by placing the skillet on the stovetop over medium-high heat for 5 minutes to warm the filling, then crisp the crust by transferring to a pre-heated 450°F oven for 10-15 minutes.
Storage
Cool slightly then transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to a week.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is healthier. This version has only 15 grams of carbs per serving without sacrificing the flavor and texture of a good, old-fashioned, flaky pie crust. The trick is to reduce carbs by leaving out the bottom crust and using only the top crust. Comfort foods, like chicken pot pie, are often high carb, high fat, high sodium and high calorie. They usually contain ingredients rich in saturated fats, such as cream and butter. This recipe calls for broth, instead of cream, in the gravy, which keeps the total amount of saturated fat down to a reasonable level.
To prevent your chicken pot pie from becoming soupy, follow the recipe and use the proper ratio of flour and butter to make the roux. Add the right amount of broth. You will see the gravy thicken before your eyes as it cooks. If you don’t use enough flour or if you use too much broth, the pot pie gravy will be soupy and you will have pot pie soup instead. Some recipes thicken gravy by adding cornstarch slurry, but I’ve tested a version of this recipe with cornstarch and it does not make as tasty a gravy as one thickened with a roux of flour and butter.
Yes. I've made and eaten many delicious chicken pot pies with puff pastry. However, the carb counts and volumes of different brands of puff pastry vary widely. Therefore, I opted to develop a chicken pot pie recipe with frozen commercial pie crust, which tends to be similar in carb counts across brands. Be mindful of this and check the package nutrition facts label if you intend to substitute puff pastry for pie crust.
Skillet chicken pot pie
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 1 pie 1x
- Diet: Diabetic
Description
This healthy, low-carb version of a cosy, comfort food classic has only 15 grams of carbs per serving. You need just one-pan to make this savory meat pie full of chicken, peas and carrots in buttery gravy, topped with an old-fashioned, flaky pie crust baked until golden-brown. It’s easy to make, easy to cleanup, and ready to serve in 30 minutes.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons butter
⅓ cup onions, chopped
⅓ cup celery, sliced thin
3 tablespoons flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 ½ cups chicken broth
4 cups cooked chicken meat, shredded or chopped into bite-sized pieces
⅔ cup frozen peas and carrots
1 egg
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1 pre-made 9” pie crust
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450°F.
In an oven-safe skillet melt butter over medium-high heat. Sauté onions and celery for 2 minutes. Add flour, salt and pepper. Stir constantly for about 3 minutes while roux bubbles and foams. Whisk in chicken broth and bring to a boil whisking constantly for 1 minute as sauce thickens. Fold in chicken meat. Mix to combine and coat with gravy. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Spread frozen peas and carrots over top of filling.
Beat together egg and cream. Lay pie crust over filling in the skillet. Be careful not to touch the hot skillet with your hands. Press sides of crust into sides of pan. Crimp sides with a fork to make a decorative crust. Press the fork tines gently into the dough along the sides of the pan to make a forked edge. Brush the crust with about a tablespoon of egg wash. Use just enough egg wash to evenly coat the entire crust. Place skillet on a baking sheet to catch any drips.
Bake on the middle rack of a 450°F oven for a minimum of 20 minutes or until egg wash is cooked through and golden brown. If you have more time, you can turn down the heat to 325°F and keep the pie in the oven to cook for up to an hour for a crisper crust and for the flavors to develop.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: dinner
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: American
Try this keto Spinach chicken casserole from my friend Sara Nelson over at Real Balanced.
Brenda M says
This chicken pot pie is delicious! It really tasted like the old fashioned pot pies that I remember from my childhood. I have to admit that I didn't expect the taste to be the same, cuz, well it says "low carb" in recipe title, but I assure you, the taste is there! The only difference is the veggies aren't swimming in the "gravy", but trust me, you won't miss it! I only had frozen peas and corn, but next time I will make sure to have peas and carrots! That was the only change I made. I also baked it for an hour at 325 to get a gorgeous crispy crust. It was a wonderful way to use my left over rotisserie chicken! I will definitely make this again!
Sachi says
I’m so happy that you enjoyed this recipe!
Elissa Worthen Steidley says
Of course it did. Its regular pot pie. Not low carb
Sachi says
This recipe is meant to be a lower carb version of regular pot pie. If you want keto recipes try my friend Annie's ketofocus.com blog.
Demi says
Looks great. Can’t wait to give it a try. We have tons of leftover turkey.
Sachi says
Enjoy!
Brenda M says
Made it for 2nd time today, this time using smoked turkey leftovers from Thanksgiving that were in my freezer. Another delicious pot pie! This is a quick & easy recipe that will make your family happy! I'm sharing this with family and friends.
Sachi says
I love this! Smoked turkey for pot pie filling is a great idea! Thank you for sharing and for your wonderful review!
Elissa Worthen Steidley says
Why would you post this as low carb??? It is NOT
Sachi says
It is lower carb than a regular pot pie and not keto. if you want strictly keto recipes you might want to check out my friend Annie's website ketofocus.com. most of my recipes are about eating carbs, healthy carbs.