Paleo Chicken Pot Pie

I love chicken pot pie. My best friend recently suggested that I come up with a paleo version. I accepted the challenge and got busy baking!

Honestly, I’d never had homemade chicken pot pie. I’ve had the frozen variety a couple of times (to my mother’s horror) and order it in restaurants when I want a warm, cozy, American classic.

I know I’m preaching to the choir when I say that the crust is the best part of a chicken pot pie. With my incredibly high standards for a flaky, savory, take you back to childhood crust, I started my paleo conversion. The experiments were a success. This recipe is DEAD ON.

I adore Ina Garten and used her pot pie recipe as a rough go by. Like the classic recipe, hers calls for green peas. The paleo friendliness of green peas is arguable. I left them in because to me, it’s not pot pie without green peas. Feel free to substitute with broccoli if you want another option.

In addition to these little pies being simple and delicious, they also make for surprisingly easy cleanup. The baked-on bits that unavoidably spill over wash off with ease – another testament to why cooking with almond meal is a great idea.

The instructions may look long, but it’s a simple process. Don’t be intimidated and jump in. Be sure you let the pot pies cool after baking; just like their non-paleo cousins, these little guys come out boiling lava hot.

Paleo Chicken Pot Pie

Adapted from Ina Garten’s Chicken Pot Pie.

Approximate Nutrition Facts:

Serving size: 1 personal pot pie

Makes 8 personal pot pies

670 Calories; 50 g Fat; 38 g Protein; 7 g Sugar

Ingredients:

CRUST:

3 cups Almond Meal

1.5 tsp Kosher Salt

1 tsp Baking Powder

½ cup Coconut Oil (room temperature)

1 Tbl Cool Water

PIE:

2 Chicken Breast Halves Roasted and Cubed (about 1 lb raw)

2 cups Yellow Onions Chopped

2 cups Frozen Green Peas

2 cups Frozen Carrots

¼ cup Coconut Milk (full fat)

¾ cup Almond Meal

4 cups Low Sodium Chicken Stock

3 Tbl Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

1 tsp Black Pepper

1 Egg (for egg wash)

Directions:

ROASTED CHICKEN:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Wash chicken breast and pat dry.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Drizzle and rub 1 Tbl EVOO on the chicken breast.

Sprinkle with generous amount of kosher salt and cracked black pepper.

Bake at 350 F for 35 minutes.

Remove from oven when finished and let cool.

Cut into about ½” cubes when cool enough to handle.

CRUST:

In a food processor, mix the dry ingredients together (almond meal, salt, and baking powder).

Add the coconut oil and slowly pulse until it’s evenly mixed. It should have the consistence of peas.

Slowly add the water and pulse until it forms a dough-like texture.

Remove from food processor, roll into a ball and wrap in cling wrap.

Put the dough into the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

[Now is a good time to start on the pie fillings]

Dust a pastry board (or cutting board) with almond meal.

Place the ball of dough on the dry almond meal and cut into 8 even sections. (Roll into one large piece if you’re making one large pie.)

Using your hands first and then a rolling pen for even thickness, press and roll each of the 8 pieces into a circle.

Keep dusting the top and bottom of dough with dry almond meal so that it doesn’t stick.

Use the ramekin or dish you are baking in to cut the right-size circle in the dough.

PIE:

Heat the EVOO in the bottom of a large pot.

Add the yellow onions and cook on medium/high until they’re brown.

Slowly add the almond meal and reduce the heat.

Slowly add the chicken stock and stir.

Add the coconut milk, 1 tsp salt, and black pepper.

Add the peas, carrots, and chicken.

Spoon an even amount into each of the 8 ramekins (or other oven-friendly bowls).

Place the crust on top of the filling.

Scramble one egg and paint the crust of each pie generously.

Sprinkle with kosher salt and cut 3-4 slits in the top.

Bake at 375 for one hour.

Let cool, then ENJOY!

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 1 hour