Instant Pot Healthy Chicken Pot Pie Soup (Paleo, Whole30)

“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