This crustless chicken pot pie is filled with fresh vegetables and creamy gravy, then baked with tender biscuits until golden brown. It’s a simple take on a classic meal that is guaranteed to please the whole family, whether it’s for a weeknight dinner or the holidays.
I love transforming classic meals into quick, easy, and convenient recipes that anyone can make. This crustless chicken pot pie is ready to serve in under an hour, and it couldn’t be more straightforward to whip together!
There is no need to make or roll out a store-bought pie crust when you can use tender and flaky biscuits! They save loads of time and effort, so you and your family can get to eating quicker — what’s not to love?
What Is Crustless Chicken Pot Pie?
Chicken pot pie is homestyle cooking at its finest. Most recipes start with a filling made up of meat (usually chicken or turkey), hearty vegetables, and a rich and creamy gravy. Oftentimes, the filling is contained between a top and bottom pie crust.
This recipe is a similar take, but I’ve replaced the pie crust with store-bought biscuits. It’s my favorite way to achieve the same great flavors and textures of a pot pie without having to go through the time and effort of making a crust!
Did I mention how freezer-friendly and perfect for leftovers this chicken pot pie is?
Ingredients For Crustless Chicken Pot Pie
See the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below.
- Chicken: For convenience and time-saving benefits, use a shredded rotisserie chicken. If you have more time, poach a few boneless skinless chicken breasts, then shred them.
- Chicken broth & bouillon: Both impart savory, hearty, and full-bodied flavors to the gravy. Use homemade or store-bought chicken broth or stock. Vegetable broth works in a pinch.
- Butter: To sauté the vegetables and form part of the roux. You can also use neutral vegetable oil for a lighter option.
- Onion: I prefer yellow onion for my chicken pot pie, but white onion works well too.
- Celery: You’d be surprised at how hearty and savory celery makes a recipe. Don’t skimp on this one!
- Carrots: For bursts of sweet flavor all throughout the filling. No carrots on hand? Use corn kernels or green beans instead.
- Garlic: I never make a chicken pot pie without a healthy dose of garlic! Use freshly minced garlic for the best taste, but garlic powder also works. Add ¼-teaspoon for every fresh clove.
- Seasonings: For all of the cozy and comforting flavors pot pie is known for, I love to use a combination of black pepper, rosemary, and sage. Feel free to add others like thyme, parsley, or even poultry seasoning.
- Flour: To thicken the filling, use all-purpose flour. For a gluten-free version, swap in a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend or a cornstarch slurry towards the end of cooking.
- Cream: I prefer to use half-and-half cream, but you can replace it with heavy cream for an even richer gravy if you like.
- Soy sauce: My secret weapon for amping up the umami-ness of this recipe. Use tamari or liquid aminos for a gluten-free option.
- Frozen peas: What would a pot pie be without peas? But don’t worry, you can swap in frozen corn kernels, green beans, or more fresh veggies if you run out of peas.
- Premade biscuits: The name of the game is simple with this recipe, so I suggest store-bought biscuits. But if you have the time, try making your own!
How to Make Chicken Pot Pie With Biscuits
Step 1: Season The Chicken
If you are starting with uncooked chicken breasts, add them to a large pot. Season them with some salt, garlic, peppercorns, fresh rosemary sprigs, and onion slices.
Step 2: Poach The Chicken
Cover the chicken with water by about an inch or so, then bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the chicken simmer.
Check on the chicken starting at the 8-minute mark, but it should be fully cooked after about 10-14 minutes. It is done when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, and shred it using two forks.
Note: For the most accurate results, always use an instant-read thermometer when cooking chicken.
Step 3: Sauté The Vegetables
Melt the butter in an oven-proof 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. For reference, I used a cast-iron casserole. Add the onions and sauté them just until softened, then add the celery and carrots and cook for another 5 minutes.
Step 4: Add The Seasonings
Add the black pepper, garlic, rosemary, and sage to the skillet and stir to coat. Cook the mixture for about one more minute.
Step 5: Form The Roux
Reduce the heat to medium, then add the flour a little at a time and stir until well combined. Be careful not to let the flour burn. The mixture should be a paste-like consistency.
Step 6: Make The Gravy
Add the chicken broth gradually, making sure to stir constantly. Once the broth is incorporated, add the cream in the same manner. The sauce should be a thick, gravy-like consistency at this point.
Step 7: Finish The Filling
Stir in the bouillon cube, soy sauce, and shredded chicken, then let it all gently simmer until the bouillon cube melts and the ingredients are well combined. Add the peas, and remove the filling from the heat.
Step 8: Assemble The Pot Pie
Place 3-4 uncooked biscuits on top of the filling mixture, then bake it uncovered until the biscuits are golden brown and cooked through. If your skillet is not oven-safe, transfer the mixture to a greased 9×13 casserole dish before topping it with biscuits.
Brush the top of your baked cast iron chicken pot pie with melted butter just before serving.
What To Serve With Chicken Pot Pie
This easy chicken pot pie with biscuits is a hearty dish full of protein, carbs, and fat, making it the ideal stand-alone meal. However, if you’re looking for a little something extra, here are a few recipes to serve alongside it:
- Skillet Cornbread
- Caesar Salad
- Pressure Cooker Mashed Potatoes
- Roasted Vegetables
- Oven-Baked Sweet Potatoes
Recipe Variations
- Protein: Try out a different protein like turkey or even chickpeas if you’d like a vegetarian option.
- Vegetables: If you don’t have the vegetables I’ve listed, just add what you have on hand or substitute them with your favorites.
- Crust: Try making your own crust if you have extra time to spare. You can even make a bottom and top crust.
Tips For The Best Recipe
- Precook the filling: Precooking the filling takes all the pressure off when you add it to the oven. All you have to wait for is for the biscuits to turn golden and crispy.
- Stir constantly: When making the roux, don’t stop stirring or there’s a good chance the flour will burn. If the flour burns, there is no saving it and you will have to start over.
- Add liquid slowly: To properly incorporate the flour with the liquid, remember to add the broth and cream slowly. Otherwise, it may turn lumpy and require more time to smooth out.
What To Do With Leftovers
If you like leftovers, you’ll be happy to know pot pies are the perfect meal for this purpose. Just follow these simple steps:
- Fridge: Once cooled, transfer to an airtight container or cover the dish with plastic wrap and tin foil. Crustless chicken pot pies will last about 4-5 days in the fridge.
- Freezer: You can freeze pot pies for up to 3-4 months. To make reheating easier, I suggest portioning it into single-serving freezer-safe containers. This way, you don’t have to reheat the entire pie.
- Reheat: Thaw the pie in the freezer overnight if cooking from frozen. Once cooled, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and cook for 10-20 minutes, or until warmed through.
Additional Recipes
If you enjoy comfort foods like this crustless chicken pot pie, you really need to check out some more of my most popular homestyle recipes:
- Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage
- Southern Cornbread Dressing
- Chicken Divan Casserole
- Oven-Baked Mac and Cheese
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make a crust for this recipe?
Yes, you can make (or purchase) a crust for the top, bottom, or both. It just depends if you’d like a more crust-forward recipe or more fillings.
Can I make this in a different dish?
If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, you can use a 9×13 casserole dish, pie dish, or a 9-inch cake or springform pan.
How do I know when my chicken pot pie is done?
The best way to tell if chicken pot pie is ready to eat is if the biscuits (or crust) appear golden brown.
Crustless Chicken Pot Pie (with Biscuits)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken (from rotisserie chicken or 2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, poached)
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 yellow onion (finely chopped)
- 1 cup celery (finely chopped (about 3 stalks))
- 1 cup carrots (finely chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon rubbed sage (dried)
- ⅓ cup flour
- ½ cup half and half
- 1 chicken bouillon cube
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 can premade biscuits (any kind)
Instructions
Poach the Chicen
- If you are using a rotisserie chicken or precooked chicken, skip this step.
- Add the uncooked chicken breast to a large pot. Season with 1 tsp of salt, 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1 tsp peppercorns, 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, and 1 sliced onion.
- To the pot, add enough cool water to cover the chicken by an inch or so.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. As soon as the water comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the chicken simmer.
- Begin checking the chicken after 8 minutes. Chicken is done when an instant-read thermometer registers 165°F. Chicken will typically finish cooking in 10 to 14 minutes depending on the thickness.
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Shred using forks.
Make the Pot Pie Filling
- Melt the butter in an oven-proof 12-inch skillet (I used a cast iron casserole) over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute just until softened (about 3 minutes). Then, add the celery and carrots and saute for another 5 minutes.
- Add the black pepper, garlic, rosemary, and sage to the skillet and stir to coat. Cook for one more minute.
- To make the Roux: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the flour a little at a time and stir until well combined. Be careful not to let the flour burn. The mixture should be a paste-like consistency.
- Add the chicken broth in small splashes, stirring all the while. Next, add the half and half in the same manner, stirring constantly. The sauce should be a thick, gravy-like consistency.
- Next, add the bouillon cube, soy sauce, and shredded chicken. Stir to mix well. Gently simmer (on low to medium heat) until the bouillon cube melts and all ingredients are well combined.
- Add the frozen peas and stir well. Remove from heat.
- Place 3-4 uncooked biscuits on top of the mixture. Bake (uncovered) per the biscuit recipe instructions, or until the biscuits are golden brown and cooked through. If your skillet is not oven-safe, transfer the mixture to a greased 9×13 casserole dish and place the biscuits on top.
- Brush with melted butter over the top of each biscuit just before serving.
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