This healthy chicken pot pie soup is super rich, creamy, and comforting. Made in the Instant Pot, it’s paleo, Whole30, dairy free, and gluten-free, too, without skimping on any flavor. This healthy soup comes together in about 30 minutes and is good enough to eat all week!
This recipe is from my digital cookbook The Paleo Instant Pot, which you can buy for $25 by clicking here! It includes over 30 Whole30-approved recipes designed for the Instant Pot and focused on flavor. It’s the perfect last-minute Christmas gift for a healthy food lover, and it’s a must for anyone you know getting an Instant Pot under their tree!
Let’s be really clear:
My husband is the winner here.
We’re testing new, healthy recipes daily, usually Whole30 and paleo, but always as flavorful as I can dooty them up to be. When he does a Whole30? It’s like this: he comes home from lawyering all day and sits down to either a brand new dish or one of our regular faves, like egg roll in a bowl, zuppa toscana, or – let’s face it – the chicken zucchini poppers from One Lovely Life.
Got the context? He tries a lot of really good food. So when he tried this soup and said,
“Definitely the best Whole30 soup you’ve ever made.”
I knew we had a seriously good healthy chicken pot pie soup on our hands.
Why we love this healthy chicken pot pie soup
There’s no surprise, really:
- This healthy chicken pot pie soup is made creamy with a coconut-cashew cream, doubling down on the richness of the soup with no dairy at all.
- It’s made in the Instant Pot, and it’s quick and easy.
- This creamy Whole30 soup is insanely comforting and satisfying.
I was inspired by one of my all-time favorite dishes–chicken pot pie–to make a healthier version that I could eat on a Whole30 or our paleo diet.
Variations
- Use fresh herbs, like thyme or rosemary, if you prefer.
- If you can’t eat coconut or are worried about a coconut flavor, you can simply replace the coconut cream with water, almond milk, or chicken stock. However, the coconut cream is delicious in this recipe and doesn’t leave a coconutty flavor!
- Make this healthy chicken pot pie soup in the slow cooker or on the stovetop instead. See directions below.
Use cooked chicken to make this paleo and Whole30 recipe even faster
To do this:
Simply sauté the mirepoix (the onion, carrots, and celery) and garlic on the stovetop instead of the Instant Pot as detailed in the first step of the recipe, then add the potatoes, chicken broth, and thyme to your pot.
Make your cashew-coconut cream as directed in the recipe.
Bring to a boil and boil until potatoes are fork-tender. Add your chicken and cashew-coconut cream to the pot and stir well. Finish with plenty of salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Is this recipe dairy free?
It is if you use olive oil in the place of ghee. Most people don’t have a problem with ghee, even if they’re lactose intolerant, but if you’re avoiding all, even minute, instances of lactose, or cow’s milk proteins (for a breastfeeding sensitivity, for example), use the olive oil.
What is coconut cream?
It’s more complicated than it sounds. In this recipe, coconut cream means just the white, solid part of a can of coconut milk or coconut cream. Wait, what? Here’s the deal: “coconut cream” in a can means it contains more of the rich, solid cream than a can of coconut milk does. I like to buy cans of “coconut cream” (unsweetened, of course) since I can get nearly a cup of pure coconut cream from those. You may need 2 cans of full-fat coconut milk to produce 1 cup of coconut cream.
Can I substitute something for the cashews?
Sure! Try 1 cup of steamed cauliflower blended together with the coconut milk in place of the cashews if you have an allergy. If not, use the cashews! They are so, so important to this recipe.
How to make this Instant Pot healthy chicken pot pie soup
Start by sautéing your onions, carrots, and celery in ghee or olive oil in the Instant Pot on Sauté mode until onions are soft. Add the garlic and sauté briefly, about 30-60 seconds, until fragrant.
Add the potatoes, chicken broth, chicken, and thyme to the Instant Pot. Seal the lid and cook on Manual High Pressure for 10 minutes. It’ll take about 10-15 minutes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure.
In the meantime, make your cashew-coconut cream. In a high-speed blender, blend your cashews and coconut cream until very, very smooth. If you do not have a high-speed blender, soak your cashews in hot water for a few hours then drain and proceed with the directions.
After the Instant Pot is finished cooking, Quick Release and stir in the cashew-coconut cream. Season with lots of salt and freshly cracked black pepper and garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
How to make this healthy chicken pot pie soup on the stovetop
If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can absolutely make this recipe on the stovetop!
Heat the ghee or olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the onion, carrots, and celery until the onions are soft, then sauté the garlic about a minute or until fragrant. Add the potatoes, chicken broth, and thyme to your pot.
Bring to a boil and cook 4 minutes.
Add your chicken breasts and cook 6 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and potatoes are fork-tender.
Meanwhile, make your cashew-coconut cream as directed in the recipe.
Add your cashew-coconut cream to the pot and stir well. Finish with plenty of salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
How to make this chicken pot pie soup in the slow cooker
Heat the ghee or olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the onion, carrots, and celery until the onions are soft, then sauté the garlic about a minute or until fragrant. Transfer the sautéd mixture to the slow cooker. Add the potatoes, chicken broth, chicken, sage, and thyme to your pot.
Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6.
In the meantime, make the cashew-coconut cream as directed in the recipe. When the slow cooker time is up and potatoes are tender, stir in cashew-coconut cream and season with plenty of salt and pepper.
On our free Whole30 meal plan.
Other recipes you’ll love:
- Dreamy Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
- Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Thighs
- Immune Booster Shot Recipe (Maximum Strength!)
- Instant Pot Brown Rice
- Easy Black Bean Soup
- Mango Habanero Wings
- Egg Roll in a Bowl Meal Prep (Whole30, Paleo, Keto)
- Whole30 Beef Stroganoff
Healthy Chicken Pot Pie Soup (Paleo, Whole30)
Equipment
- Instant Pot or other pressure cooker (see Notes for alternative methods)
- high-speed blender
Ingredients
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized chunks, approximately 1-2 pounds
- 2 tablespoons ghee or olive oil
- 1 onion diced, 1 cup
- 3 carrots diced, 1 cup
- 3 celery stalks sliced, 1 cup
- 5-6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound red potatoes diced
- 2 cups chicken broth or stock
- 1 cup full-fat canned coconut cream or milk
- 1 cup cashews
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried sage
- freshly cracked black pepper
- fresh parsley leaves chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Turn Instant Pot on Sauté mode. Melt ghee in pot, then add onion, carrots, and celery, stirring regularly. Cook until onions are soft, then add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Add potatoes, chicken broth, chicken, dried sage, and fresh thyme to Instant Pot. Secure lid with valve in Sealing position and set to Manual High Pressure for 10 minutes. Once Instant Pot pressurizes, cook time will begin.
- While Instant Pot cooks, add coconut milk and cashews to high-speed blender. Blend until very, very smooth.
- When time is up, Quick Release, then stir in coconut-cashew mixture and add salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
- If you do not have a high-speed blender, soak your cashews in hot water for a few hours then drain and proceed with the directions.
If you don’t have an Instant Pot:
On the stovetop:- Heat the ghee or olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the onion, carrots, and celery until the onions are soft, then sauté the garlic about a minute or until fragrant. Add the potatoes, chicken broth, sage, and thyme to your pot.
- Bring to a boil and cook 4 minutes.
- Add your chicken breasts and cook for 6 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and potatoes are fork-tender.
- Meanwhile, make your cashew-coconut cream as directed in the recipe.
- Add your cashew-coconut cream to the pot and stir well. Finish with plenty of salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Heat the ghee or olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the onion, carrots, and celery until the onions are soft, then sauté the garlic about a minute or until fragrant. Transfer the sautéd mixture Add the potatoes, chicken broth, chicken, sage, and thyme to your pot.
- Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6.
- In the meantime, make the cashew-coconut cream as directed in the recipe. When the slow cooker time is up and potatoes are tender, stir in cashew-coconut cream and season with plenty of salt and pepper.
Nutrition
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Cheryl Malik is the recipe developer, writer, and photographer behind the healthy, flavorful, family friendly recipes at 40 Aprons. She’s been a blogger for 10+ years and is known for her delicious recipes and detailed recipe instructions. Cheryl is a mom of three who lives in Memphis, TN.
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Deb says
Can you do this without the cashews? They’re just so expensive.
Anna Claire | 40 Aprons Team says
You could make this with heavy cream if not adhering to a dairy-free diet. You could also just use a plant-based milk like coconut or oak, but it won’t turn out nearly as creamy without the cashews. Arrowroot or cassava flour may help thicken it if you use it in place of the cashews, but we haven’t tested that and can’t speak to how it would turn out.
Lauren Ordaz says
I’m making this tonight!! So excited because it seems like everyone loves it!!! 🙂 Question… should the cashews be raw or baked?
Anna Claire | 40 Aprons Team says
Raw! We want all of those delicious fats and oils to blend into the coconut-cashew cream sauce.
Jean Edwards says
This is sooo freakin good! I’m not Keto, but it sounded interesting so I tried it. Wow! The flavors are spot on! I will eat this without chicken, & more veggies. I live in podunk, so no Coconut Cream, but had the milk. The sweetness I got was from the cashews. Again. Thank you for an awesome meal! Phenomenal
Anna Claire | 40 Aprons Team says
So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Jean, and could adjust with what’s available!
Momof2Boys says
Absolutely delicious and perfect! This is so creamy and savory, I found no sweetness at all. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
Anna Claire | 40 Aprons Team says
So glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Barb says
Delicious! I used almond milk instead of coconut. It wasn’t as thick as I would have liked so I thickened with some cornstarch. I don’t know if that is whole 30 or not… this soup will surely be a crowd pleaser.
Anna Claire | 40 Aprons Team says
Great idea, Barb! And so glad you enjoyed it. Arrowroot powder would be a good Whole30-friendly substitute for corn starch.
Jennifer says
Oh my word. Fabulous soup. So creamy. I could have eaten the cashew coconut cream right out of the blender. Didn’t know you could use cashews like that. I didn’t find the soup sweet it was just right, maybe it’s the brand of coconut milk that makes the difference. We had family visiting from out of town they loved it too. I will definitely make again and share this recipe. Looking forward to the leftovers, so glad I doubled the recipe. Thank you.
Anna Claire | 40 Aprons Team says
We’re thrilled you enjoyed this recipe so much, Jennifer! Glad your guests enjoyed it, too. 🙂
Candi says
This is easily my new favorite recipe! So delicious and easy to make. Thank you!
Anna Claire | 40 Aprons Team says
We’re so glad, Candi! 🙂
Sharon Steidle says
I made this on Tuesday and tripled the recipe. It turned out ok….kind of sweet from the coconut cream I used and the chicken all but disintegrated. Not sure what I did wrong
Anna Claire | 40 Aprons Team says
Hi Sharon, we’re sorry this didn’t turn out well for you. If the coconut cream is too sweet for you, you can use oat milk or cashew milk. It just may not be as thick or creamy. As far as the chicken falling apart goes, we’re not sure how that could have happened short of it being cooked too long. It may be worth trying a different brand of chicken. Sometimes, chicken breasts are injected with a salt water mixture to keep them juicy, but it can affect the texture. We recommend organic, free-range, if possible.
Stephanie Jeffcoat says
The family enjoyed the recipe although it was a bit sweet for us. Is there a way to cut down the sweetness of the coconut cream? I was thinking of trying oatmilk.
It definitely took me more than 5 minutes to prep though.
We will be trying it again soon!
Anna Claire | 40 Aprons Team says
Oat milk would definitely work! It just may not be as thick or creamy. Regardless, make sure you’re getting sugar-free compliant milk. Labels don’t always advertise the sugar, and they can be sneaky. Let us know how it turns out!
Sharon Steidle says
Yes, the prep was long
Anna Claire | 40 Aprons Team says
It gets easier and more efficient the more you make it. 😉
Rolland says
i LOVE this recipe – one of my favorites.
Question: I’ve always made it on the stovetop, but that was primarily because there wasn’t an Instant Pot version when I first started trying this recipe.
When time isn’t a factor, do you have a preferred method amongst the 3 (stovetop, slow, instant)? Does one of them produce a better flavor?
Thanks
Rolland
Anna Claire | 40 Aprons Team says
This is a great question, Rolland! It’s hard to pick between the three cooking methods because they all have their merits, but if we had to choose one based off of time not being a factor, the traditional stovetop method is the way to go. However, the magic of the pressurized Instant Pot is that you get that cooked-all-day flavor without actually having to cook something all day, so it’s a close second! Almost impossible to choose, though. 🙂
Michele says
This is one of those delicious Whole 30 dishes that you continue to eat once you’re off of it. It’s so dreamy and yummy!!
Anna Claire | 40 Aprons Team says
You know a Whole30 recipe is good when you make it after your 30 days are up! Thanks for the review!
Natalie says
This recipe is fantastic. It is so buttery and delicious and we were so pleasantly surprised thank you so much!!
Anna Claire | 40 Aprons Team says
Thanks for the great review, Natalie!
Brooke says
Hi! I can’t have nuts – any suggestion for what I could add to the coconut milk instead? The recipe sounds delicious and I really want to try!
Anna Claire | 40 Aprons Team says
Hi Brooke, oat milk may work! If you try it, let us know how it turns out.
Tracy says
I made this tonight in my instant pot, i used orange sweet potatoes, and extra carrots instead of celery because of what i had on hand. My 13 yr old daughter and I loved it! Will make again! Thank you for the recipe!
Cheryl Malik says
Awesome! Glad you and your daughter loved it 🙂
David says
Does this recipe freeze fine if I double or triple the recipe?
Megan | 40 Aprons Team says
Yes, it does!
Erin says
Delicious recipe, thank you! Does it freeze well?
Anna Claire | 40 Aprons Team says
Definitely!
Dinah says
Just WOW! I’m an huge fan of chicken pot pie, so I had to try this recipe. Thanks so much for sharing it! I skipped the potatoes and added 3 spoonfuls of puréed carrots instead to give it some more color! I also added diced zucchini at the end. This soup was DELICIOUS! Highly recommended!
Cheryl Malik says
Great additions! So glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for the wonderful review 🙂
Karyn says
This is another great recipe from 40aprons. I love the creaminess and bold flavors. For anyone doing Whole30 this is a winner.
Cheryl Malik says
Thanks for the great review! Glad you enjoyed this recipe 🙂
Connor McIntyre says
how many cups is each serving size? i was hoping to divide these for meal prep. Just made this and tastes delicious! i used 5 teaspoons garlic powder because i ran out of cloves and i used frozen peas instead of celery because i forgot to buy them. I would’ve never thought to use cashews in a soup!
Megan | 40 Aprons Team says
So glad you love the soup, Connor! Your swaps sound delicious. 12 ounces is a cup and a half!
kimberly a thompson says
This was delicious. I tried making this with the unsalted chicken stock to save on sodium but it really took away from the flavor i ended up salting..lol the kids surprisingly liked it too but i left the carrot chunks too big
AJ says
We just made this tonight. We aren’t doing Whole30 but I am ten months postpartum so you know how it goes for a breastfeeding mama. I added peas, doubled the veggies, added more dried herbs directly on the chicken breasts and made some drop biscuits (not whole30…!). We are gobbling this up and will add it to our rotation of meals. Yum! Hearty but not heavy.
Jamie Connors says
This is a winner! Delicious, unique, and easy to make.
Sandra says
I made this recipe as I love creamy meals, but my husband can’t stomach anything fatty. We aren’t Whole 30, but I will definitely make this again. I was sceptical about the cashew/coconut milk mixture, and what kind of texture the soup would have. I was pleasantly surprised. This soup was delicious! Hubby was very impressed – he said it was restaurant quality!
Shendi says
This recipe is beyond delicious! It’s become a go to in my house! Tastes just like chicken pot pie! Amazing!
maurice says
(forgot to rate this on my previous comment)
Oh ya, this soup was the bomb! I felt like a pro after making this. The cashew sauce was just perfect on this. Thank you kindly!
Maurice says
Oh ya, this soup was the bomb! I felt like a pro after making this. The cashew sauce was just perfect on this. Thank you kindly!
Kambree says
I’m new to instapot recipes. I made this and every vegetable was mush. What did I do wrong? The taste is good, but I don’t like mushy vegetables. My potatoes pretty much gone, disintegrated. Help??
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
Seems like they cooked too long! Do you mind sharing your process?