Get ready to enjoy all the rich, creamy, and comforting flavors of a classic chicken pot pie, but in a lighter, healthier, and incredibly easy-to-make soup! This Healthy Chicken Pot Pie Soup is loaded with tender chicken, a medley of hearty vegetables like carrots, celery, and potatoes, and a savory, creamy broth. It’s a true one-pot wonder that delivers a satisfying and nourishing meal in about an hour. It’s the perfect way to enjoy a beloved comfort food in a wholesome way.
Table of Contents
Why This is the Ultimate Comfort Soup
This recipe is a game-changer for anyone who loves pot pie but wants a simpler, healthier version.
- Packed with Veggies: This soup is loaded with mushrooms, onions, celery, carrots, potatoes, and peas, making it a nutrient-dense and filling meal.
- Rich and Creamy (Without the Heavy Cream!): The creamy texture in this soup comes from a simple roux made with flour and milk, giving you that classic pot pie feel without the need for heavy cream.
- A Simple One-Pot Meal: Everything from searing the chicken to simmering the soup happens in one pot, which means easy cooking and even easier cleanup.
- Perfectly Seasoned: A classic blend of thyme and bay leaves gives this soup a wonderfully aromatic and savory flavor that is pure comfort.
Your Wholesome Ingredient Checklist
This recipe uses a handful of fresh ingredients and pantry staples for a spectacular result.
The Ingredient Lineup:
- 1.5 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- 10 medium brown mushrooms, sliced
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 5 large celery stalks, diced small
- 2 large carrots, diced small
- 10 ounces of potatoes, diced small (like Yukon Gold)
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- ⅓ cup of all-purpose flour
- 6 cups of low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup of milk (3.25% or whole milk is best)
- 1 cup of frozen or fresh green peas
- Herbs & Spices: ½ tsp dried thyme, 3 bay leaves, ¾ tsp salt, and ½ tsp black pepper.
- For Garnish: Fresh chopped parsley.
Step-by-Step Instructions
This impressive and healthy soup comes together easily in one pot.
Part 1: Brown the Chicken and Veggies
- Sear the Chicken: In a large Dutch oven or pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Add them to the hot pot and cook for about 3 minutes per side, until a nice golden-brown crust forms. Remove the chicken and set it aside on a plate.
- Sauté the Vegetables: In the same pot, melt the butter. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes, stirring once. Add the chopped onion and celery and continue to cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and dried thyme and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
Part 2: Simmer the Soup
- Make the Roux: Sprinkle the flour over the cooked vegetables and stir constantly for one minute to cook out the raw flour taste.
- Add Broth and Simmer: Pour in the chicken broth, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any flavorful browned bits. Add the seared chicken back to the pot, along with the diced carrots, potatoes, bay leaves, salt, and pepper.
- Cook: Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes and carrots are tender.
Part 3: Finish and Serve
- Shred the Chicken: Carefully remove the cooked chicken breasts from the soup and place them on a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the chicken, then return the shredded chicken to the pot.
- Make it Creamy: Stir in the milk and the frozen peas. Let the soup continue to simmer gently for another 5-10 minutes, uncovered, to allow it to thicken slightly.
- Serve: Remove the bay leaves. Ladle the hot soup into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve with a side of crusty bread or biscuits.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Can I make this Healthy Chicken Pot Pie Soup in a slow cooker? Yes, you can adapt this for a slow cooker. You can skip the searing step if you’re short on time. Add the raw chicken, all the chopped vegetables, broth, flour, and seasonings to your slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 6 hours or on HIGH for 3 hours. About 30 minutes before serving, remove and shred the chicken, then stir it back in along with the milk and frozen peas.
2. How can I make this recipe gluten-free? To make this soup gluten-free, simply substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. You can also thicken the soup at the end with a cornstarch slurry (2 tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons of cold water) instead of making a flour-based roux at the beginning.
3. What is the easiest way to get cooked chicken for this recipe? While the recipe calls for searing raw chicken for the best flavor, you can absolutely use a shortcut! A store-bought rotisserie chicken is a fantastic time-saver. Simply shred the meat from one rotisserie chicken and stir it into the soup at the very end along with the milk and peas, letting it heat through for a few minutes.
4. How do I store and reheat leftovers? Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat it gently in a saucepan on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally. The soup will thicken as it sits, so you may want to add a splash of milk or chicken broth to thin it back down to your desired consistency.
The Best Healthy Chicken Pot Pie Soup: A Cozy One-Pot Meal
Equipment
- Dutch oven or large soup pot For cooking everything in one pot
- Wooden spoon For stirring roux and soup
- Sharp Knife For prepping vegetables
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 10 medium brown mushrooms, sliced
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 5 stalks celery, diced small
- 2 large carrots, diced small
- 10 oz Yukon Gold potatoes, diced small
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (or GF substitute)
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup frozen or fresh green peas
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 3 bay leaves
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- Fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper, sear 3 minutes per side until golden. Remove and set aside.
- Add butter to pot. Sauté mushrooms for 3 minutes, then add onion and celery. Cook 5 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and thyme; cook 30 seconds.
- Sprinkle flour over vegetables, stirring constantly for 1 minute to make a roux.
- Pour in chicken broth, scraping up browned bits. Return chicken to pot along with carrots, potatoes, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 15–20 minutes until potatoes are tender.
- Remove chicken, shred with two forks, then return to pot. Stir in milk and peas. Simmer 5–10 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Discard bay leaves. Garnish with parsley and serve hot with biscuits or crusty bread.