If you're craving a warm, comforting, and satisfying meal while maintaining a low-carb lifestyle, look no further than this keto chicken pot pie with biscuits. This dish revitalizes a family favorite, offering all the classic flavors of chicken pot pie without the carb-heavy crust. It's a hearty casserole filled with tender chicken, mixed vegetables, and a rich, creamy sauce, all topped with cheesy, gluten-free biscuits.
Why This Recipe Works
Traditional chicken pot pie is often loaded with carbs due to the flour-filled gravy and buttery pie crust. This keto version cleverly avoids these pitfalls, making it a guilt-free pleasure. The absence of a traditional pie crust makes this recipe easier and healthier.
Ingredients You'll Need
For the Pot Pie Filling:
- Cooked chicken (chicken breasts or thighs, rotisserie chicken works too)
- Cauliflower rice
- Mixed vegetables (such as corn, peas, green beans, celery, carrots, and onion)
- Chicken broth
- Heavy cream or coconut cream (for dairy-free)
- Butter or ghee (for dairy-free)
- Thyme and garlic
- Celery, carrots, and onion
- Dry white wine (optional, can substitute with more chicken broth)
- Salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and turmeric
- Xanthan gum (for thickening)
For the Biscuit Topping:
- Almond flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Eggs
- Lemon juice
- Shredded cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack cheese
- Butter, ghee, or coconut oil (for dairy-free)
- Sour cream
Preparing the Keto Chicken Pot Pie
This recipe can be whipped up in under an hour, making it perfect for weeknights or any occasion.
Step 1: Cook the Chicken
You can easily cook chicken thighs covered at 400°F for 30 minutes, or use pre-cooked chicken to save time. Rotisserie chicken is a convenient option.
Step 2: Prepare the Vegetables
Chop the onions and mince the garlic. Sauté the onions, garlic, and butter in a large skillet set to medium-high heat for 10 minutes, until fragrant and soft. Add chopped celery, carrots, and mixed vegetables to the skillet.
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
Step 3: Make the Pot Pie Filling
Mix the cooked chicken, cauliflower rice, and mixed vegetables with the sauce ingredients in a large bowl. In a large skillet, cook thyme and vegetables in the butter for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, salt, pepper, turmeric, paprika, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Whisk in the cream and xanthan gum, and let it cook on low heat for another 5 minutes to thicken.
Step 4: Prepare the Biscuit Topping
Combine all the batter ingredients (except the mozzarella) in a medium bowl and mix until smooth. Gently fold in the mozzarella. In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Melt butter and add that in the mixture, then the eggs, coconut cream/heavy cream and lemon juice. Whisk the mixture well to combine.
Step 5: Assemble and Bake
Pour the chicken and vegetable mixture into a deep-dish pie plate or a 9" x 13" baking casserole dish that’s been sprayed with nonstick spray. Using your fingers, drop small blobs of biscuit dough onto the top of the pot pie. Alternatively, use a large ice cream scoop to spoon the biscuit batter on top of the filling mixture. Brush the tops of the biscuits with cream for a glossy finish (optional).
Preheat oven to 350°F (or 400°F if following the keto chicken casserole recipe) and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the top crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
Tips and Variations
- Dairy-Free Option: Use coconut cream instead of heavy cream and ghee, olive oil, or avocado oil for cooking the vegetables. For the biscuits, use melted ghee or coconut oil.
- Vegetable Swaps: Feel free to customize the vegetables. If you want to include green beans, add about ¾ cup and reduce the amount of carrots to ½ cup. To make it even lower carb, skip peas and carrots and try green beans, cauliflower, zucchini, or mushrooms.
- Cheese Options: Monterey Jack cheese is recommended for the drop biscuit dough, but cheddar or Colby can be used instead.
- Make-Ahead Tip: You can prepare the chicken mixture ahead of time and store it in the fridge until you are ready to bake it.
- Shortcut: Use rotisserie chicken and a frozen mix of keto-friendly veggies to save time.
- Herb Variations: Fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme add a light and fresh flavor. If fresh herbs aren't available, substitute with dried herbs.
- Adding Garlic: If you are a fan of garlic, it makes sense to add some to this pot pie recipe.
- Mushrooms: Chop up ¼ - ½ cup of mushrooms and add them to the pot pie.
- Protein Swaps: You can easily substitute turkey breast or thighs for chicken-perfect for holiday leftovers.
Serving Suggestions
The advantage of making a meal like chicken pot pie is that it’s basically a one-pan dish. You don’t have to serve it with anything else if you don’t want to. However, if you want to make other foods to go with it, I would lean towards a fresh garden salad to start the meal. Sometimes we will serve some berries for dessert. This keto pot pie recipe is so hearty, savory and flavorful.
Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide
Storage and Reheating Instructions
- To Reheat: You can reheat the leftover chicken pot pie in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or until it’s hot. Another option is to heat it in the oven at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.
- To Freeze: Keep the pot pie in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. If you're planning on making this as a freezer meal to stock your freezer, I would freeze after step 8, before baking it. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then bake at 350°F for closer to 30 minutes to completely warm through. You could also freeze before ever making the biscuit topping.
Benefits of Ingredients
- Almond Flour: The base of the almond flour biscuits, providing a gluten-free alternative to traditional flour.
- Avocado Oil: Used to soften vegetables, it's a healthy fat source.
- Cauliflower Rice: A low-carb alternative to traditional rice.
- Chicken: A great source of lean protein. You can use already-cooked chicken breast or chicken thighs.
- Coconut Cream: Used for creaminess in the pot pie filling, especially for those avoiding dairy.
- Ghee or Butter: To cook the vegetables, adding richness and flavor.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: Adds creaminess to the pot pie filling.
- Lemon Juice: Also for the biscuits.
- Mascarpone Cheese: Adds richness and creaminess to the filling.
- Mixed Vegetables: Provides essential vitamins and minerals.
- Xanthan Gum: A gluten-free thickening agent that will thicken the sauce.
Nutritional Information
This keto chicken pot pie recipe typically makes 8 servings. While nutritional information can vary based on specific ingredients and brands, each serving is designed to be low in carbs, making it suitable for a ketogenic diet.
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