This keto chicken pot pie is pure comfort food! The crust is unbelievably flaky, and the filling is to die for. It's also freezer-friendly, so do yourself a favor and make two - one for now and one for later!
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There is a strong probability, that if you show up at my grandma's house on any given day you will find a warm chicken pot pie ready to eat, and likely a frozen one ready for you to take home with you. I'm not sure how she does it, but it's always there and it's always delicious.
My grandma's recipe is deceivingly simple and results in a very traditional pot pie. It's got a buttery and flaky crust along with the most satisfying filling of chicken, peas, carrots, potatoes, and lima beans. Once you get started, you can't stop - it's THAT good!
My mom also makes a pretty mean chicken pot pie, although completely different from my grandmother's. My mom is a former pastry chef and spent many years working in upscale kitchens. Her pot pie is a reflection of that. It's much more complex but equally comforting. She uses cheddar cheese in (the homemade) crust, and makes the filling from scratch, with carrots, parsnips, and peas.
I drew inspiration from both of my amazing role models for this recipe. I think that you'll find this pot pie has all the flavors of a traditional pot pie, with a few yummy twists. It's the perfect low carb comfort food.
What makes this pot pie keto-friendly?
The hardest part of creating a keto chicken pot pie recipe was deciding which veggies to include. I thought about all the usual low carb options - cauliflower, zucchini, broccoli, and so on. But none of these really would make this the comforting dish I was aiming for. So I finally settled on turnips, peas, carrots, and mushrooms - and the result was honestly better than I even imagined!
If you ask me, turnips are way underutilized in ketogenic diets! To me, they are almost a perfect mix between a parsnip and a potato. So, with about 4.5 net carbs per 100g, they make an excellent replacement for traditional pot pie ingredients. In fact - NO ONE in my family even noticed that the turnips were not potatoes!
You may also be surprised to see that I added peas and carrots to the recipe since they are typically thought of as off-limits for keto dieters. Since the recipe only uses ⅔ of a cup of frozen peas and carrots blend, the carb impact per serving is minimal.
Now, about the crust ...
I know that's what you really came here for, right? I mean sure anyone can make a pot pie filling taste good, but it's the crust that really makes it special.
Lucky for you this crust does not disappoint! It has an amazing buttery flavor and turns out tender, yet crisp every time. To make the crust I just tweaked my recipe for keto butter crackers, so be sure to check out that post for additional tips and suggestions.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when making this keto pie crust:
- Gluten is the stuff that gives a traditional pie crust its elasticity. This crust has none, so you can expect it to be more fragile. Have no fear - when cracks occur (and they will) just smooth them back together.
- Many things can affect the moisture level of the dough. The dough should maintain its shape in the bowl but will be looser than a traditional pie crust. If the dough is too wet, add the additional almond flour. If the dough is too dry, add additional butter.
- It is necessary to par-bake the bottom crust before adding the filling. Otherwise, the almond flour in the dough will absorb all of the liquid and become soggy. Parbaking just means that you are baking it some, but not all the way. This helps to 'seal' the crust. The bottom image below shows what the par-baked crust should look like.
Helpful tips for the perfect keto chicken pot pie:
- I wanted this to be as close to the real thing as possible, which is why I decided to use a top and bottom crust. You can reduce the carbs by cutting the crust in half and only pulling on a top layer.
- My kids hate mushrooms, so I chop the baby Bellas really finely and the kids never even know they are there. If you have a mushroom-loving family, you can cut them into larger pieces as well.
- Lately, I have been using Philadelphia Neufantchel cheese in place of cream cheese since it has fewer calories. Traditional cream cheese would also work well too though!
Freezing instructions for this Keto Chicken Pot Pie:
Y'all, we haven't even gotten to the best part of this chicken pot pie yet.
It is completely freezer friendly!!! I think it actually might even taste better from the freezer - but that could also just be due to the lack of work involved 🤷♀️
To freeze the pie, follow all of the steps right up until the final bake. Then allow the pie to cool completely, and tightly wrap with plastic wrap and foil. I also like to label the outside with the net carbs per serving, the date, and the reheating instructions.
To cook from frozen, allow the pie to thaw almost completely. Then bake at 350 degrees F, or until the crust is browned and the filling is heated through.
Be sure to check out these other great recipes:
- Keto-friendly Chicken Lexington Bake
- Air Fryer Keto Fried Chicken
- Chicken, Broccoli, and "Rice" Casserole
- Kentucky Derby Pie | Keto
📖 Recipe
Chicken Pot Pie, Keto | Low Carb
Equipment
- 9" Pie Plate
- Parchment Paper
- Rolling Pin
- Pie Shield
Ingredients
Crust
- 6 tablespoon Butter softened but NOT melted
- 2 cups Almond Flour
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ½ cup Cheddar Cheese shredded
- 2 Egg Whites
Filling
- ½ tablespoon Butter
- 1 ½ cups Turnips peeled and diced into ½" pieces (about ½ lb)
- 1 cup Baby Bella Mushrooms chopped
- 1 ½ cups Chicken Broth
- 2 oz Philadelphia Neufchatel Cheese or cream cheese
- ¼ cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 tablespoon Dried Celery Flakes or 1 rib of celery, finely diced
- 2 tsp Parsley dried
- 1 tsp Thyme ground
- ½ teaspoon Pepper or to taste
- 1 teaspoon Poultry Seasoning
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon Xanthan Gum
- 1 ½ lb Cooked Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Cubed
- ⅔ cup Frozen Peas and Carrots
- 1 teaspoon Salt or to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F and grease a 9" Pie plate with non-stick spray.
- First, prepare the crust: In a large bowl combine the softened butter and almond flour using an electric hand mixer on medium-low speed.
- Add the salt and egg whites and continue mixing until the mixture forms a smooth dough. The dough should hold its shape in the bowl but will be a bit looser than a traditional pie crust. *See note
- Using a sturdy spoon or rubber spatula, work the shredded cheese into the dough.
- Spray a piece of parchment paper with non-stick spray or butter and turn ½ of the dough out onto the greased parchment. Top it with a second piece of greased parchment. Roll the dough between the parchment to form a 12" circle. Once the dough is formed, place it in the fridge (still in between the parchment) for at least 5 minutes. Repeat with the other half of the dough.
- Once the dough is chilled, remove one sheet from the fridge and carefully remove one sheet of the parchment and turn the exposed side of the dough into the pie plate. Carefully peel away the second piece of parchment and use your hands to fill in any cracks to ensure that the bottom of the pie plate is covered with dough. Cut any excess dough away from the edges. **See Note
- Use a form to poke holes into the bottom and sides of the dough. Bake in the preheated oven for 5-7 minutes, removing it BEFORE the crust is browned. Then, remove the crust from the oven and set aside, leaving the oven on. ***See Note
- Heat a large skillet with ½ tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Once the butter is melted add the turnips and mushrooms. Stir to combine, then cover the skillet and continue cooking until the turnips have softened, stirring every couple of minutes.
- Remove the lid and add the chicken broth, cream cheese, heavy whipping cream, and all of the seasonings except the salt. Increase heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a low boil. Then, reduce heat to medium-low and allow the mixture to simmer until the liquid has reduced by half and is slightly thickened. Stir frequently throughout this process.
- Once the liquid has reduced, remove it from the heat and add ¼ teaspoon of xanthan gum. Stir in the xanthan gum and allow it to sit for a few minutes. The liquid should be the consistency of gravy. Add an additional ¼ teaspoon if the sauce is still too thin. If your sauce is too thick, add additional heavy cream. Be very careful to add the xanthan gum slowly, as too much will make the sauce slimy.
- Stir in the cooked and cubed chicken, and the peas and carrots. Then add the salt to taste. Stir to combine.
- Pour this mixture into the pie plate on top of the parbaked crust.
- Remove the other half of the rolled dough from the refrigerator and peel away one side of the parchment paper. Carefully turned the rolled dough over onto the filled pie.
- Carefully remove the second piece of parchment paper and pinch the edges of the top and bottom crust together to form a seal. You can use your hands, or gently press the tines of a fork into the dough.
- Cover the edges of the dough with a pie shield or with thin strips of aluminum foil to prevent them from burning.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
- Allow the pie to cool a few minutes before slicing and enjoy!
Notes
Be sure to read the entire post for tips, tricks, and help troubleshooting.
The nutrition information listed here is only an estimate and is simply provided as a courtesy. It nor any other information within this post should constitute medical or nutritional advice. Be sure to read all packaging and ingredient labels for potential allergens. Optional ingredients are not included unless otherwise specified.
Nutrition
Margo says
Sounds like a delicious recipe except for the turnips. Is there anything else I could use to replace them?
Sabra says
I would try radishes or cauliflower
Tina M Drake says
Turnips actually work extremely well as a replacement for potatoes. My daughter made zuppa toscana with turnips and it was amazing!
Sabra says
So sorry! I just corrected it, It's 1/2 cup.
Kimberly Anderson says
Hi Sabra,
Can you use a silpat instead of parchment paper? Thanks.
Sabra says
It should work, but I would still grease it a little bit with some butter or non stick spray to be sure 🙂
Carla says
Silpat works fine, even with no oil.
Sabra says
Thank you!
Kellie says
Is this okay to make a head of time I want to make it now and then bake it later this evening
Sabra says
It should be fine. You may slightly underbake it, then when you are ready to serve - pop it back in the oven to finish it up 🙂
Sabra says
It’s hard to say, but I don’t think that the foil would have made that much of a difference. It could be a little extra “wet” depending upon the moisture level of the cheese you used.
I hope that it still tastes good!!
Sabra says
I'm sure that you could! Just start with about 1/3 of the amount of coconut flour, and an equal amount of coconut milk 🙂
Denise says
I am excited to try this recipe. I am going to use rotisserie chicken. Since being on keto, we have been missing this sort of comfort in our eating.
Thank you
Denise
Nicole says
Is there any replacement for xanthan gum?? Can I reduce the liquid for this recipe?!?
Sabra says
Yep! It won't be quite as creamy, but it should still taste delish!
Cathy says
Low carb, yes...keto no, unless you leave out the peas.
Sabra says
Well, in that case, you are really gonna crap your pants when you see my KETO Banana Bread 😜
Kris says
Carrots aren't really Keto either! 😧
Jim says
Do peas and carrots actually dump you out of Ketosis even if you are consuming less then 10 carbs of them? My understanding is that keto is number of carbs consumed. Now admittedly if you are doing a 15 g of carbs a day keto diet one slice is almost all your allotment, but this dish seems reasonable for people doing keto with a carb restriction of 25 to 50 a day.
Bonnie says
HAHAHA Cant wait to make both of your recipes...
Michael Ramsey says
How can this crust be made dairy free without being like cardboard?
Courtney says
Is the nutrition info for the entire pie or one slice? Thanks!
Sabra says
Hi Courtney! The nutrition info is per serving 🙂
Louise Waites says
What is MCT oil?
Angelique says
I'm so excited to finally see a keto pot pie with top & bottom crust!! So, for the freezing, you bake it fully then freeze or did you mean skip the final bake? I'm excited to try making little personal sized ones in disposable mini foil pans.
Sabra says
Hi Angelique! Can't wait to hear what you think about this pot pie. To freeze it just stop after step #14, then allow it to completely cool before wrapping and freezing 🙂
angelique says
This was so good! I made it as mini pies. Will definitely be making this one again for sure. If I wanted to do turkey pot pie would I just replace the chicken with turkey or do you think it would need different seasoning, veggies?
Sabra says
Yay! So glad that you liked it 🙂 To make it with turkey, I would just swap the chicken out and leave everything else the same.
Angelique says
Thank you!
Tab says
How did you do the crust for the mini ones? I’m wanting to do mini ones since I’m the only Keri person in the house
Suzanne says
This looks so good! I love that it sticks together like pie filling. Some recipes are so soupy!
Sabra says
Thanks Suzanne!
Vanessa says
Thanks for sharing! Do you use this crust in any other recipes?
Sabra says
I used a similar crust in my recipe for my keto Kentucky Derby Pie 🙂
Michelle says
Would adding some vinegar to the crust recipe maybe help with the cracking?
Sabra says
Hi Michelle! I am honestly not sure. As long as you only use a teaspoon or two I don't think it would hurt, so it may be worth trying!
Brandie says
I made this last night and it was fantastic! This was the first time anyone in my family had turnips too! I didn't tell the family that it had turnips and no one knew. I told them after the fact and they were so surprised (they thought it was potato). The crust was awesome too. I do think I rolled the dough out too thin and had to do quite a bit of patching, but it all worked out.
Rita says
This is so good! The crust is super flaky, I used cauliflower instead of turnip since that’s what I had on hand. I also added leeks as I had some to use up. I used turkey instead of chicken. Followed the crust exactly, let the bottom crust completely cool and let the filling cool before the final bake. I am so impressed with it! Thank you! Super delicious!
Michelle says
Loved this crust! I dont use xanthan gum so used the 2 egg yolks to thicken my sauce. Delicious!!
Sabra says
That's a great idea! Thanks for the great review Michelle!
David Elkins says
I made modifications to the recipe as follows:
1) I chose to bake in 5.5 " pot pie dishes and tins, rather than in a 9" pie dish/tin. The pot pie dishes were for immediate serving and tins were for freezing.
2) I used 12" round parchment sheets, spraying two sheets for each crust piece. I found that using a rolling pin made a crust too uneven. Instead, I pressed a hand size of crust dough, using the palm of my hand to start a round shape, and continuing to press with a small bamboo cutting board to expand the shape that would work for pot pie forms.
3) I doubled the recipe ingredients.
4) I chose rib of celery, finely diced rather than dried celery flakes.
5) Rather than just turnips, I used equal portions of turnips and celery root.
6) I used white and regular cheddar cheese.
7) I made my own chicken stock by cooking the chicken in four quarts of water for one hour.
8) I chose both breasts and thighs to make the chicken more moist and flavorful.
9) I had to add several tablespoons more almond flour to thick the dough for the crust.
10) As a consequence of using 5.5" pot pie forms, instead of 9" forms, I wound up with way more filling than crusts. For future preparation of this dish, I would double the recipe filling ingredients and triple the crust ingredients to have sufficient number crusts for the pot pies that I freeze..
Sabra says
Thanks for the review David!
Amanda says
this is so yummy! thank you for a great recipe I'll definitely be making many more times!
Bec says
This was so good! The family loved it and they requested I make it for Christmas dinner. I followed everything except I used celery rib instead of flakes, used leftover Thanksgiving turkey (mostly white meat and some dark meat), and I used a different keto pastry dough I had on hand. I made a double batch of filling and put it in 4" ramekins. A double batch fills 6-4" ramekins.
Thanks for the recipe! Can't wait to try freezing it.
Andy Upshaw says
Love this recipe. Did a few changes based on my pantry. Subbed 1/4 of the almond flour with Lupin flour.. Added bullion powder instead of salt to the crust. Doubled everything because I made a 10" deep dish pie using leftover rotisserie chicken from yesterday. There is enough dough leftover for a breakfast quiche in the morning. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
.
Dawn M says
I used parsnips. Similar texture and taste. Not sure about the carb count, it wasn't in my book.
Rukshana Rahman says
Hi is there a substitute for almond flour? My son is allergic.
Thank you!
Allie says
Literally worst recipe ever. I followed the recipe through and through and now im on my way to red lobster to get the taste out of my mouth!
Melinda S says
This recipe is simply AMAZING....I cant wait to make it again! I halved the recipe and made it in 2 4" pie tins. I would like it a bit more juicy after it cooks, so i.prob let it reduce too much. That was my first go with turnips also. Im just blown away at how delicious this was! Great recipe!!!
Sabra says
Thanks so much for the great review Melinda! I'm so glad that you enjoyed it 🙂
Laura says
Hi there!
I'm wondering how you reheat the leftovers? Things with cream cheese split in the microwave, but putting it in the oven already sliced would make it run all over, yes? Help! Thanks!
Lorry Norton says
I'm just waiting on the pie to bake. The filling looks like it's going to be great. The crust, however, was a pain in the butt! That's why I only gave 4 stars. I followed the recipe to the letter. I let the first crust chill for 5 minutes. I really struggled to get it off the buttered parchment paper. Maybe I should've chilled it longer. But, I figured I'll just piece it together. It's the bottom crust. No one will see it. The top crust chilled at least 20 minutes while I made the filling. My baked bottom crust was cooled, the filling was cooled. I still couldn't get the crust off the buttered parchment paper! So, I just pieced it together on the top. I don't know how it's going to turn out. I hope it tastes good. Maybe I needed a little more almond flour in the dough. Maybe I should've used a spray instead of butter on the parchment. I don't know.