Gluten Free Crustless Chicken Pot Pie style means all of the cream, herbs, and tender chicken you remember from the classic dish. There is no crust to worry about. I built this recipe around a simple gluten-free 1:1 flour roux. It thickens the sauce the same way a wheat-based filling …
Gluten Free Crustless Chicken Pot Pie style means all of the cream, herbs, and tender chicken you remember from the classic dish. There is no crust to worry about. I built this recipe around a simple gluten-free 1:1 flour roux. It thickens the sauce the same way a wheat-based filling does, without the risk.
This is the version I make on a Tuesday when I want something that tastes like Sunday dinner. In my kitchen, I tested it with both cream and a coconut milk swap side by side. I will walk you through exactly which one held up better in the pot.
What makes this different from most gluten-free pot pie recipes online is the ingredient detail. Every item with hidden gluten risk gets a named, certified brand, not a vague “use your favorite gluten-free flour” instruction. If you have celiac disease, that level of detail matters.
Key takeaways
This crustless chicken pot pie is gluten free and ready in 40 minutes, made in one skillet with a certified gluten-free 1:1 flour roux (King Arthur Measure for Measure), certified gluten-free chicken broth (Bare Bones or Imagine Organic), and a toasted certified gluten-free panko topping (Kikkoman).
A cornstarch slurry can replace the flour entirely for a flour-free version of the same thickened sauce. Heavy cream gives the richest texture, while unsweetened full-fat coconut milk (Native Forest) makes it dairy-free without separating during cooking. The recipe serves 4, uses 1½ pounds of cooked chicken, and relies on fresh rosemary, thyme, and sage for a deeper flavor than dried poultry seasoning alone. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or the freezer for up to 2 months.
Prep Time: 20 mins · Cook Time: 20 mins · Total Time: 40 mins
Table of Contents
Why You Will Love This Crustless Chicken Pot Pie
Ready in 40 minutes: one skillet, no crust to roll, no oven time required for the filling itself.
Celiac-safe by default, not as an afterthought: the gluten-free flour, broth, and panko topping are all named, certified brands, not generic swaps.
Rich, cream-based sauce: heavy cream gives this a fuller texture than the milk-based versions you will find elsewhere.
A full fresh-herb trio: rosemary, thyme, and sage build a deeper, more savory flavor than dried poultry seasoning alone.
Dairy-free option included: tested with coconut milk and dairy-free butter, with honest notes on how the texture changes.
Great for leftovers: this is my go-to way to use extra Thanksgiving turkey, not just weeknight chicken.
2tbspbutter (or certified gluten-free dairy-free butter; we tested Miyoko’s Creamery European Style Plant Milk Butter, unsalted, GFCO-certified)
2tbspolive oil
1/2cupyellow oniondiced
3/4cupcarrotspeeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2cupcelerydiced into 1/2-inch pieces
3clovesgarlicminced
1/4cupcertified gluten-free 1:1 all-purpose flour (King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure, GFCO-certified)
2cupcertified gluten-free chicken broth or stock (Bare Bones Organic Chicken Bone Broth or Imagine Organic Free Range Chicken Broth, both GFCO-certified)
1/2cupheavy cream or half-and-half (or unsweetened full-fat coconut milk for dairy-free; we tested Native Forest Organic Coconut Milk, labeled gluten free, no GFCO-certified full-fat option currently available)
Celiac Safety Note: Please ensure all packaged ingredients carry a certified gluten-free label. For this recipe, check specifically: your gluten-free 1:1 flour (King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure), chicken broth or stock (Bare Bones Organic Chicken Bone Broth or Imagine Organic Free Range Chicken Broth), gluten-free panko breadcrumbs (Kikkoman Gluten-Free Panko), and dairy-free butter if using (Miyoko’s Creamery European Style Plant Milk Butter). Cross-contamination at packaging facilities is a real risk for people with celiac disease.Make-ahead: The filling can be made up to a day in advance and reheated gently on the stovetop before serving. Toast the breadcrumb topping fresh right before eating.Storage: Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days. Freeze the filling (without the breadcrumb topping) up to 2 months.Substitution: To make this without flour, whisk 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water and stir into the simmering broth instead of using flour.
Gluten-Free Note
This recipe is designed to be gluten-free when prepared with certified gluten-free ingredients. Always check labels, as ingredient formulations and manufacturing practices can change. If you have celiac disease or a severe gluten allergy, verify that all ingredients are certified gluten-free and appropriate for your dietary needs.
2 tablespoons butter (or dairy-free butter; we tested Miyoko’s Creamery European Style Plant Milk Butter, unsalted, GFCO-certified)
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup yellow onion, diced
¾ cup carrots, peeled and diced into ½-inch pieces
½ cup celery, diced into ½-inch pieces
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup certified gluten-free 1:1 all-purpose flour (we tested King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure, GFCO-certified)
2 cups certified gluten-free chicken broth or stock (we recommend Bare Bones Organic Chicken Bone Broth or Imagine Organic Free Range Chicken Broth, both GFCO-certified)
½ cup heavy cream or half-and-half (or unsweetened full-fat coconut milk for dairy-free; we tested Native Forest Organic Coconut Milk, labeled gluten free, no GFCO-certified full-fat option currently available)
A gluten-free 1:1 all-purpose flour is what turns this sauce into something that clings to the chicken instead of running thin. King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure produced a smooth, glossy roux in my testing, with none of the graininess I have gotten from rice-flour-only blends. Whisk it into the fat first, cook it for a full minute before adding liquid, and the starches gelatinize evenly instead of clumping.
Chicken broth carries a real cross-contact risk, since many brands are produced in facilities that also process wheat-based bouillon. Bare Bones Organic Chicken Bone Broth and Imagine Organic Free Range Chicken Broth are both GFCO-certified. A third party has verified the facility and the product, not just the label copy.
Heavy cream is naturally gluten free, but if you need this dairy-free, unsweetened full-fat coconut milk is the closest substitute for richness. I tested Native Forest Organic Coconut Milk side by side with the cream version. It held together well through the simmer and did not separate, though the flavor leans slightly sweeter and the sauce is a touch thinner.
No GFCO-certified full-fat coconut milk currently exists on the market, so this swap relies on the FDA’s gluten-free labeling standard rather than third-party certification. If you enjoy a rich, cream-based filling like this one, our gluten free quiche uses a similar technique with eggs instead of a roux.
Certified gluten-free panko is worth sourcing by name. Kikkoman Gluten-Free Panko toasts up crisp and holds its crunch even after a few minutes on top of the hot filling. Regular gluten-free breadcrumbs often fail to do that.
Fresh rosemary, thyme, and sage are frequently sold together as a poultry herb blend at the grocery store. That makes shopping for this recipe faster than buying three separate packages.
Celiac Safety Note: Please ensure all packaged ingredients carry a certified gluten-free label. For this recipe, check specifically: your gluten-free 1:1 flour, chicken broth or stock, gluten-free panko breadcrumbs, and dairy-free butter if using. Cross-contamination at packaging facilities is a real risk for people with celiac disease. When in doubt, look for the certified GF symbol on the package rather than relying on marketing language alone.
Avoiding Cross-Contact in Your Kitchen
Use a dedicated cutting board and knife for raw chicken, separate from any board that has touched gluten-containing bread or dough in your kitchen. Wash the skillet or Dutch oven thoroughly before starting if it was used for non-GF cooking recently. Residual wheat flour is one of the most common hidden cross-contact sources in a shared kitchen.
Store your certified gluten-free panko breadcrumbs in a sealed, labeled container, separate from any regular breadcrumbs or panko already in your pantry. A wooden spoon that has stirred a wheat-flour roux should not be reused here unless it has gone through a full wash cycle. Wood retains gluten residue in its grain, and a quick rinse cannot fully remove it.
How to Make Gluten Free Crustless Chicken Pot Pie
Step 1: Toast the Breadcrumb Topping (Optional)
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the certified gluten-free panko and cook, stirring frequently, until evenly golden brown, about 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Toasting the panko before it touches the filling is what keeps it crisp. Sprinkling raw panko on top of a hot, creamy sauce just steams it into mush.
Step 2: Soften the Vegetables
In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat the butter and olive oil together over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
Step 3: Build the Roux
Sprinkle the certified gluten-free flour over the vegetables. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. This step coats the vegetables and cooks off the raw flour taste before any liquid goes in.
Gluten-free 1:1 flour blends behave differently here than wheat flour does. Wheat flour’s gluten proteins create a stretchy, elastic paste as soon as liquid hits it. A gluten-free blend relies almost entirely on starch granules swelling with heat. The sauce needs a full minute of dry cooking time before liquid is added, or the finished roux can taste slightly chalky.
Step 4: Add the Broth, Cream, and Herbs
Slowly whisk in the certified gluten-free chicken broth, working out any lumps as you go. Stir in the cream, rosemary, thyme, sage, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce begins to thicken, about 4 to 6 minutes.
If you are testing the dairy-free version, this is the point where coconut milk goes in instead of cream. I watched both versions closely during this stage. Neither one broke or separated, which is not always the case with dairy-free swaps in a hot roux-based sauce.
Step 5: Add the Chicken, Peas, and Corn
Stir in the cooked chicken, peas, and corn. Continue cooking for 5 to 7 minutes, until everything is heated through and the sauce is thick and bubbly. Frozen peas and corn can go in directly from the freezer; there is no need to thaw them first.
Step 6: Finish and Serve
Remove and discard the rosemary sprig, thyme sprigs, sage sprig, and bay leaf before serving. Ladle the pot pie filling into bowls and top with the toasted gluten-free breadcrumbs, if using. Serve warm.
Expert Tips for Best Results
These tips come directly from my testing notes for this Gluten Free Crustless Chicken Pot Pie , covering the small details that make the biggest difference.
Whisk the broth in slowly. Pouring it in all at once is the most common reason a roux-based sauce turns lumpy instead of smooth.
Cook the flour for the full minute before adding liquid. This one step prevents a starchy aftertaste in the finished sauce.
Dice your vegetables uniformly. Carrots and celery cut to the same ½-inch size cook through at the same rate, so nothing ends up raw in the middle while the rest overcooks.
Toast the panko separately, and add it just before serving. Mixing it into the filling early defeats the crunch entirely.
Use rotisserie chicken to save time. This is one of the easiest ways to turn this into a genuine 30-minute meal on a weeknight.
If the sauce seems thin after 6 minutes, keep cooking. A gluten-free roux takes a little longer to reach full thickness than a wheat-flour version does. Patience here matters more than adding extra flour.
Check your chicken broth label every time you buy it. Brands occasionally reformulate, and a product that was gluten free last year is not guaranteed to stay that way.
Substitutions and Variations
Cornstarch instead of flour: If you would rather skip the flour step entirely, whisk 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water. Stir the slurry into the simmering broth in Step 4. This gives a similar thickened texture without a roux, and it is naturally gluten free.
Dairy-free version: Swap the butter for Miyoko’s Creamery European Style Plant Milk Butter and the cream for Native Forest Organic Coconut Milk. The result is slightly sweeter and a touch thinner than the cream version, but still rich enough to feel like real comfort food.
Turkey instead of chicken: Leftover Thanksgiving turkey works perfectly here in place of chicken. Dark meat especially stays moist through the second round of cooking.
Extra vegetables: Diced potatoes or mushrooms can be added along with the carrots and celery in Step 2. Add an extra 2 to 3 minutes of cooking time if you include potatoes, so they soften fully. For another creamy, potato-forward comfort dish, our gluten free potato soup uses a similar cream base.
Arrowroot instead of cornstarch: Arrowroot powder works as a 1:1 substitute for the cornstarch slurry method above. It holds up slightly better if you plan to freeze leftovers.
What to Serve With Gluten Free Crustless Chicken Pot Pie
This dish is rich enough to stand on its own, but a few sides round out the meal nicely.
Warm biscuits: A gluten free biscuit on the side gives you something to scoop the sauce with, which is the closest you can get to a crust without actually making one.
A simple green salad: Something light and acidic, like arugula with a lemon vinaigrette, balances the richness of the cream sauce.
Crusty bread: A slice of gluten free sandwich bread, toasted and buttered, works well for the same reason biscuits do.
Roasted vegetables: Simple roasted Brussels sprouts or green beans add texture without competing with the pot pie’s flavor.
A cup of soup to start: If you are feeding a crowd, a small cup of gluten free chicken noodle soup as a starter keeps the comfort-food theme going all the way through the meal.
Storage and Make-Ahead Instructions
This crustless chicken pot pie holds up well as leftovers, which makes it a solid meal-prep option for busy weeks.
Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The sauce thickens further as it chills, which is normal.
Freezer: This filling freezes well for up to 2 months. Cool it completely before transferring to a freezer-safe container, and leave the breadcrumb topping off until serving, since panko does not freeze or thaw well.
Reheating: Warm gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of broth or cream if the sauce has thickened too much. The microwave works too, in 60-second intervals, stirred between each one.
Make-ahead tip: The filling can be made up to a day in advance and reheated just before serving. Toast the breadcrumb topping fresh right before you eat, so it stays crisp.
Why Trust This Recipe
I develop recipes the same way I approached lab work, with documented testing and controlled variables. The results hold up in any kitchen, not just mine.
This recipe has been tested multiple rounds in my dedicated gluten-free kitchen, including a side-by-side comparison of the cream and coconut milk versions. I have noted what fails, what works, and why, so you are not just following steps but understanding the process.
What that means for you:
Multiple test batches before publishing
Science-based notes on key steps throughout
Honest substitution guidance, not guesswork
Safe for celiac disease, with cross-contamination taken seriously at every step
Frequently Asked Questions
Does chicken pot pie have gluten in it?
Traditional chicken pot pie almost always contains gluten, both from the pastry crust and from a regular wheat-flour roux in the filling. This crustless version is gluten free when made with certified gluten-free flour, broth, and panko. It skips the pastry entirely, so there is no crust to worry about at all.
Can I make chicken pot pie without flour?
Yes. Replace the gluten-free flour in Step 3 with a cornstarch slurry made from 2 tablespoons of cornstarch whisked into 2 tablespoons of cold water. Stir it into the simmering broth in Step 4 instead. It thickens the sauce through a different mechanism than a roux, but the result is just as creamy.
What can I use instead of heavy cream in this recipe?
Half-and-half or whole milk both work as lighter substitutes for heavy cream. For a dairy-free version, unsweetened full-fat coconut milk gives the richest result, though the flavor leans slightly sweeter than a dairy-based sauce.
Is crustless chicken pot pie healthier than the traditional version?
Skipping the pastry crust does cut down on refined carbohydrates and saturated fat while keeping the same protein and vegetables. It is a lighter take on the classic dish. It is not a low-calorie meal on its own, since the cream-based sauce still carries real richness.
Can I make this without a top crust or a breadcrumb topping at all?
Yes. The breadcrumb topping is entirely optional. The filling is a complete, satisfying dish on its own, closer to a thick chicken stew than a casserole. It also reheats a little more easily without a topping to keep crisp.
What brand of gluten-free broth should I use for this recipe?
Bare Bones Organic Chicken Bone Broth and Imagine Organic Free Range Chicken Broth are both GFCO-certified. A third party has verified the product and the facility, not just the ingredient label. Self-declared gluten-free broths without third-party certification carry more cross-contact uncertainty.
Final Thoughts
This Gluten Free Crustless Chicken Pot Pie is the recipe I reach for when I want classic comfort food, minus the pastry work. It comes together in one pot, it reheats beautifully, and every ingredient is something you can trust if you are cooking for celiac disease. Give it a try this week, and keep the cornstarch method in your back pocket for the nights you want it even faster.
The recipes on this site come from a scientist who went gluten-free and refused to settle for dense, gummy results. BSc in Molecular Biology & Genetics. Former laboratory analyst. Full-time founder of Gluten Free Feast.
Every recipe is mine, developed, tested and written by me.
My Commitment: Every recipe on Gluten Free Feast is created with gluten-free ingredients and thoroughly tested. Because brands and manufacturing practices can change, always verify that your ingredients are certified gluten-free if you have celiac disease.
Molecular Biologist · Laboratory Analyst · GF Recipe Developer 🎓 BSc Molecular Biology & Genetics — Boğaziçi University, Istanbul, Turkey Former Biological Laboratory Analyst Founder & Recipe Developer — Gluten Free Feast Claire's scientific background means every recipe on this site is built on a genuine understanding of food science — from why gluten-free flours absorb moisture differently, to how specific binding agents replicate gluten's structural role in baking. Read Claire's full story →
