This Crustless Chicken Pot Pie recipe makes chicken pot pie seem easy and achievable for a weeknight. No dough rolling required, but still with a crispy breaded topping, this recipe has all the best creamy, comforting parts without the work.
One of the biggest issues that always prevented me from making pot pie was the crust. I just didn't want to put in the work of rolling out dough, but loved all the flavors of chicken pot pie. That's when I got the idea - let's do chicken pot pie without crust!
This recipe has all the same classic flavors that you love, but is super fast to make. It's not bland - you still get a crispy, crunchy top from toasted panko!
Throughout the years this crustless chicken pot pie has been one of my top reader favorites and I know you will love it too. Especially served with a light side dish like apple fennel salad.
Chicken Pot Pie without Crust
I get requests from readers all the time for a chicken pot pie recipe that's also migraine diet friendly. The thing is, I love chicken pot pie. It's warm, cozy, comforting - perfect for cooler weather. But I never make it - why? Cause the idea of making a crust just seems overwhelming.
I know that homemade crust is fairly easy to make overall, but it's the clean up that gets me every time. I already have to do dishes for a pan to cook everything in and now I have to clean up flour everywhere. Enter this crustless chicken pot pie recipe!
But this needs some kind of topping otherwise it would just be creamy chicken soup. I nearly always have panko on hand, and I love that it took me two seconds to top these "pies" with a crispy topping.
You'll love this recipe because:
- Under 30 Minutes - This recipe takes under 30 minutes from start to finish making it the perfect weeknight meal. It's warm and delicious - the whole family will love it.
- Gluten Free, Vegetarian, and Dairy Free Options - You can easily edit for gluten free, dairy free, and vegetarian diets.
- Meal Prep Friendly - It freezes and stores so well - perfect for meal prep.
- Beginner Cook Friendly - This chicken pot pie without crust is easy for beginner cooks.
- Easy to Edit - Have more time? Buy store-bought crust for a more traditional version.
Jump to:
Ingredients
There is actually a really funny story behind the ingredients I chose for these pot pies. I asked my Facebook group if they cared if celery was in the pot pie or if I could leave it out. This simple question launched into what I now like to refer to as The Great Celery debate.
This post reached over 100 comments - some people having more hatred for celery than paying taxes or having to work on Christmas. Others praised celery as the vegetable that has come to save us all.
My personal opinion? It's one less thing! I wanted to make this recipe really approachable and I think part of that is using frozen vegetables that you don't have to worry about going bad. Especially during the fall and winter months.
- Chicken - Cook either boneless skinless chicken breast or use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken to cut off one step.
- Carrots, Peas, and Corn - You can use a frozen vegetable medley for this, or all fresh and chopped.
- Shallots - I prefer to use shallots in this recipe as they have a softer flavor that lets the other ingredients shine.
- Butter - For this recipe I used Kerrygold, which gives it a rich flavor. However, I've also made this with Earth Balance Pressed Oils for a dairy free substitute.
- Milk - For this recipe I recommend whole milk, however, any milk will work. I like to use whole milk as it withstands higher heat without curdling, like reduced fat milk. Plus it's super rich and creamy. For dairy free, I recommend oat milk for the best texture and flavor.
- Vegetable or Chicken Broth - Both work well here. I recommend low sodium or homemade broth.
- Panko - Kikkoman and Trader Joe's are two brands I have used, but any panko will work for this recipe. For gluten free, use Aleia's or Jeff's Naturals.
Can I use Frozen Vegetables?
Sometimes when I have a really hard day and don't want to chop vegetables, I'll use a frozen bag of mixed vegetables. It usually comes with chopped up peas, carrots, sometimes corn, and green beans. This will work too!
I recommend using about 2 cups of the mixture. This won't be as flavorful as the original recipe. I find fresh vegetables always yield a better texture and flavor. But it works in a pinch!
How to Make Crustless Chicken Pot Pie
- If using raw chicken, start by browning chicken in the same deep pan you intend to use for the whole dish. If using rotisserie chicken, skip this first step (picture 1).
- Remove the chicken and add butter, shallots, and carrots, stirring frequently with a wood spoon while cooking over medium heat. Once carrots begin to soften, add corn and peas. If using a frozen vegetable medley, add them all at once (picture 2).
- Mix the flour into the vegetables till everything is coated, then stir in the broth over medium heat. Stir frequently so the flour doesn't clump and everything is smooth. Then mix in milk as it begins to bubble and thicken (picture 3).
- Stir frequently till the sauce has thickened and become creamy (picture 4).
- Spoon into oven-safe ramekins or one large baking dish (pictured below). A gratin dish would work too. Top with panko and broil till light brown on top - about 1 minute.
Recipe Edits
- Dairy Free - This chicken pot pie is really easy to make dairy-free. Use olive oil or Earth Balance Pressed Oils instead of butter. Oatly oat milk would make a really great milk substitute as you need something nice and creamy and I think oat milk has the best texture. Full fat coconut milk could also be used, although I think that might affect the flavor a bit more.
- Gluten Free - To make this crustless chicken pot pie gluten free, all you need to do is substitute the flour and panko. Some ideas for the roux (a flour and butter mixture to thicken the sauce) is to use cornstarch, arrowroot powder, or your flavor gluten free flour. My favorite gluten free pankos are Aleia's and Jeff's Creations.
- Vegetarian - To make this vegetarian, just add another cup of mixed vegetables and omit the chicken.
Serving Suggestions
This crustless chicken pot pie is really a full meal but here area few side dishes I love to pair with it.
Storage and Freezing Tips
This recipe is perfect for meal prep and gets better everyday! Cover and store in individual containers or ramekins (for personal servings) in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To freeze, cook the recipe up till step 5 where you put the panko on top. Place in freezer bags, laying flat to save space, or freezer storage containers for up to 6 months. This is a great meal to make ahead to prep for a baby or to give when friends are going through a hard time.
To defrost quickly, place the freezer bag in warm water, which should take about 30 minutes to 1 hour to defrost. This can also be defrosted overnight in the fridge (this is the best way).
Recipe FAQ
No! I just like to serve it this way. A baking dish or casserole dish will also work. Just pour everything into the dish and put the panko on top, broiling it as if it were one large ramekin. Cooking time does not need to be adjusted.
Small, chopped potatoes can also be added to this. I'd recommend cutting back on one other vegetable in the same amount that you add.
Yes, start with cooking the vegetables instead of the chicken, then just stir the cooked chicken into the prepared sauce.
More Chicken Recipes
For more recipes like this delicious chicken pot pie without the crust, check out these recipes!
Creamy Rosemary Chicken
Honey Garlic Chicken
Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Boursin Stuffed Chicken
Chicken and Rice Soup
If you make this, tag me #thedizzycook or @thedizzycook on Facebook and Instagram. And if you love the recipe, please leave a review below! Follow along on my Pinterest for more great recipes.
Crustless Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- kosher salt and pepper
- ¼ cup butter
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 2 large carrots, chopped (about ¾ cup)
- ½ cup frozen peas
- ½ cup frozen corn
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 ¼ cups vegetable or chicken broth
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ cup panko
Instructions
- Cut chicken breast into bite sized pieces, season with kosher salt and pepper. Prepare a large, deep pan with a little bit of olive oil (2tsp or so) and cook chicken bites over medium heat for about 3 minutes on each side until browned and cooked through. Remove chicken bites from the pan and set aside.
- In the same pan, add 1 tablespoon of butter, chopped shallots and carrots. Cook over medium-low heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Then add the peas and corn, as well as the rest of the butter. As the butter melts, mix in the 2 tablespoons of flour until all the veggies are coated.
- Add broth and simmer (small bubbles, not a boil) for 1-2 minutes, stirring so the flour gets smooth and not clumpy. Stir in milk as it starts to thicken, then add thyme, and more salt and pepper if desired. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce is nice and thick, enough to coat a spoon. Add cooked chicken into the mixture.
- Spoon chicken pot pie filling into individual, oven-safe ramekins. Top with panko and broil under high heat for about 1 minute until lightly browned. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
- Oatly oat milk would make a really great milk substitute as you need something nice and creamy and I think oat milk has the best texture. Full fat coconut milk could also be used, although I think that might affect the flavor a bit more.
- For Gluten Free, I like Aleia's or Jeff's Gluten Free Panko, both linked in the post.
- For low sodium and migraine-friendly, I recommend making your own stock from one of my recipes online or in my cookbook.
Nutrition
This post was originally published September 24, 2020 and was updated December 19, 2021 to include how to make, storage and freezing tips. Then again October 29 to include FAQ.
Rebecca says
My 8 year old daughters favorite meal. Reheats well to put in her thermos for school lunch!
Kathie says
Made this last week and it was so delicious!!
Brittany says
Absolutely perfect! I love this recipe. I decided to replace the peas with asparagus and it was amazing. I also made it in a casserole dish and that seemed to work well too.
Mandy says
A really comforting recipe! Loved it for the winter. I made it in a casserole dish rather than ramekins, and it worked out fine.
Hannah says
Interested in this recipe? Has anyone had success freezing this recipe for a quick freezer meal?
Alicia says
Yes!! Works perfectly. Wait to top with panko though.
Anne says
First, I want to congratulate you on your new baby!!!❤❤❤
Next , about this recipe. I made it th iui s weekend and it was so good.
No changes made, except that I didn't have any ramekins, do I made it in a pie plate.
Wonderful!
Thank you!
Kaitlyn says
This was terrific!!!
Mickayla says
This is a keeper! I'm not even following a migraine diet these days, but still make this regularly.
Mandy says
Loved this recipe! Made it as a casserole instead of in ramekins. Was excellent, and so very comforting.
Carrie A says
This dish is so yummy and so creative! Alicia always finds ways to give us back dishes that we thought were forever-gone as part of the diet. Sometimes we add bite-sized potatoes to have it go a little further.
Ryanne says
Me again. 🙂 I forgot to add, I’ve made this with whole milk and oat milk and it worked great both ways!
Alicia says
Thanks so much for adding that!!
Ryanne says
I’ve made this recipe several times for my family and we all love it! Sometimes I mix it up and make a crust for the top when I have more time. The ramekins are just the perfect serving size. I do add in celery too 🙂 Its the perfect comfort meal for dizzy/head pain days.
Anonymous says
Made just as posted...easy and delicious!
Susie says
Enjoyed this on a cold day! Added one more Tbsp of flour to thicken it up. Used half and half with 2% milk to equal a cup and it worked great. Used my own homemade chicken broth! Delicious! Thank you!
Helen says
I absolutely love this recipe! Probably because I love pie! Lol its become one of my fave recipes of Alicia's! I really recommend it.
This recipe is so easy to do and it's nice not to have to mess about with pastry.
The panko breadcrumbs on the top work really well so you get a nice crunch on the top.
The filling is so nice with the chicken stock and creamy with the milk (I used oat milk this time) I could eat the filling on its own lol I love the peas and sweetcorn and the dried thyme in it... I added some fresh tarragon also which worked well too. I serve steamed veg with it like cabbage, cauliflower,brussel sprouts etc. I was going to do potato with it put there is much filling esp of you use deep ramekins like me and realised its enough without it, I'm sure boiled potatoes or mash would go well though. If you haven't already tried this recipe, you must!