Chicken Pot Pie Soup (One Pot, 15 Minutes of Prep)

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All the flavor of classic chicken pot pie in one pot, with no crust and no canned soup. Rotisserie chicken, Yukon Gold potatoes, peas, and corn simmer in a thick, herby, creamy broth. Ready in 45 minutes. Make it in the Dutch oven on the stovetop, in an Instant Pot, or in a Slow Cooker.

Make Cozy Chicken Pot Pie Soup at Home!

This chicken pot pie soup is everything I love about a classic pot pie filling, spooned into a bowl instead of a crust. In my usual style, it's heavier on protein. I use a full 3 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken, plus potatoes, carrots, celery, peas, and corn. I add the frozen peas and corn at the very end, just until heated through, so the peas stay bright green instead of turning dull. This recipe uses no canned condensed soup; everything is made from scratch. It takes only 15 minutes of prep and 30 minutes of hands-off simmering.

I make it the same way I make my puff pastry chicken pot pie filling, just loosened with more stock so it ladles into bowls. I love cooking it for my family all through fall and winter, and it's my favorite way to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey, alongside my creamy chicken and wild rice soup.

If you love creamy, protein-packed dinners, you'll love this chicken pot pie soup. Serve it with my garlic butter dinner rolls or my savory bacon and cheddar cheese scones. And if you crave more cozy soups, try my creamy kielbasa potato soup and chicken tortilla soup next.

Why You'll Love This Chicken Pot Pie Soup

• One pot, start to finish. Vegetables, broth, potatoes, and chicken all cook in the same Dutch oven.
• 45 minutes total. Fifteen minutes of prep, thirty minutes of cooking.
• Rotisserie chicken (shortcut ingredient). No poaching, no roasting, no waiting.
• No crust, no pastry, no chilling dough. All the flavor of pot pie without the work.
• Kid-approved vegetables. Peas and corn go in frozen, straight from the bag.
• Thick and creamy, not heavy. A flour base plus ¾ cup of cream does it.
• Great next day. The flavor deepens overnight in the fridge.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Note: you'll find the full ingredient list with exact amounts in the recipe card below.

• Unsalted butter and olive oil. I use both because butter brings the flavor and olive oil keeps it from browning too fast. Use all butter if that's what you have, or all olive oil for a dairy-lighter base.
• Yellow onion, carrots, and celery. I dice all three about the same size, roughly a quarter inch, so they soften evenly in the same 5 to 7 minutes. A sweet onion works too, and pre-chopped mirepoix from the produce section is a perfectly good shortcut.
• Garlic. I mince 4 cloves and add them after the vegetables have softened, since garlic scorches quickly. You can use 2 teaspoons of jarred minced garlic instead.
• Fresh thyme and Italian seasoning. I chop fresh thyme for that unmistakable pot pie aroma, and the Italian seasoning adds oregano and basil. You can substitute 1 teaspoon of dried thyme for the fresh, or use poultry seasoning for a more Thanksgiving-leaning flavor.
• All-purpose flour. I sprinkle it over the cooked vegetables and stir for a full 1 to 2 minutes so the raw flour taste cooks off. For a gluten-free version, use a cup-for-cup blend, or whisk 3 tablespoons of cornstarch into a little cold stock and stir it in at the end instead.
• Chicken stock. I go with low-sodium so I can control the salt myself. Homemade stock is wonderful here, and vegetable broth works if that's what's in the pantry.
• Yukon gold potatoes. I cut them into half-inch cubes so they turn fork-tender in about 12 to 15 minutes and hold their shape instead of dissolving. Red potatoes are a good swap. Russets will break down and make the soup grainy, so skip those.
• Heavy cream. I add it off a hard boil to keep it silky and prevent curdling. You can use half-and-half. For a dairy-free version, use full-fat canned coconut milk.
• Rotisserie chicken. I shred about 3 cups from a store-bought bird, skin removed, mixing white and dark meat. Leftover roasted or poached (cooked) chicken works exactly the same way, and so does leftover turkey after a holiday. Add it at the end so it warms through instead of cooking twice.
• Frozen peas and corn. I add them straight from the freezer with no thawing, and they're ready in 5 to 7 minutes. Frozen green beans or a frozen mixed-vegetable blend also work.
• Fresh parsley. I stir most of it in off the heat so it stays bright colored, then save some for the bowls. Fresh dill is lovely here if you want something a little different.

How to Make Chicken Pot Pie Soup (Step-by-Step Photos)

This is a recipe overview. Scroll down for the complete instructions and ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.

• Soften the vegetables. Melt the butter with the olive oil, then cook the onion, carrots, and celery for 5 to 7 minutes, until they give when pressed. Add the garlic, thyme, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper for 30 to 60 seconds, just until you can smell them.

• Make the roux. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes. Everything will look coated and slightly pasty, which is exactly right.

• Add the stock gradually. Pour in 1 cup of stock first and stir until smooth, then add the rest in a steady stream. Going slowly here is what keeps the soup lump-free.

• Simmer the potatoes. Add the diced potatoes, bring the soup to a gentle simmer, then cook uncovered for 12 to 15 minutes until they're fork-tender. The soup thickens noticeably as it simmers.
• Finish with cream and filling. Lower the heat, stir in the heavy cream, then add the shredded chicken, peas, and corn. Five to seven minutes is all it takes for everything to heat through and for the peas to turn bright green.
• Season and serve. Off the heat, stir in the parsley, then taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and top with more parsley and cracked black pepper.

My Top Tips

• Cut the potatoes small and even. Half-inch cubes cook in the same 12 to 15 minutes it takes the soup to thicken. Bigger pieces will still be firm when the rest of the soup is ready.
• Season at the end, not just at the start. Stock brands vary a lot in salt. I always taste after the parsley goes in and adjust from there.
• Add the first cup of stock slowly. Pour it in a little at a time and stir until the mixture is smooth, then add the rest in a steady stream. Dumping all 5 cups in at once is how you end up with lumps.
• Adjust the thickness to your taste. Too thick, add warm stock ¼ cup at a time. Too thin? Simmer a few extra minutes before adding the cream.
• Shred the chicken into bite-size pieces. Large shreds make the soup awkward to eat with a spoon.
• Keep it at a gentle simmer, never a hard boil.  A hard boil is the only thing that will cause dairy to separate and make the potatoes fall apart. You want small, lazy bubbles around the edge of the pot.
• Save the cream for the end. Add it after the potatoes are fork-tender, with the heat lowered. Adding dairy early and boiling it hard causes curdling.

Serving Ideas

• With something to dunk: This soup was made for bread. I serve it with garlic bread, garlic butter dinner rolls, or warm bacon cheddar scones.
• With pastry on top: Bake a few puff pastry squares separately and float one on each bowl. You get the flaky crust without the soggy bottom - the same idea behind my skillet chicken pot pie.
• With a crisp salad: I recommend my pear salad with walnuts and honey-mustard dressing or an apple spinach salad with feta. In the fall, serve this soup with my fall harvest salad.
• With a green side: Roasted brussels sprouts with balsamic glaze or bacon green beans pair beautifully with chicken pot pie soup.

FAQ

1. Can I use raw chicken instead of rotisserie? Yes. Add 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs whole to the pot along with the stock in step 4. Simmer for 15 to 18 minutes until they reach 165°F (74°C), then remove, shred with two forks, and return the meat to the pot with the cream.
2. Why is my soup thin? Either the flour did not cook long enough with the vegetables, or the soup never came to a real simmer. Let it bubble gently and uncovered for a few more minutes and it will tighten up. Mashing a few potato cubes in the pot helps too.
3. Can I make this without heavy cream? You can. Half-and-half gives you a lighter but still creamy soup. Whole milk works if you keep the heat low and never let it boil.
4. What can I use instead of a pie crust topping? Bake a sheet of puff pastry squares separately and float one on each bowl, the same way I top my skillet chicken pot pie. Split biscuits or garlic butter dinner rolls do the same job with less effort.
5. Can I add other vegetables? Absolutely. Sliced mushrooms go in with the onion, carrots, and celery. Green beans or diced parsnips can replace some of the potato. A handful of spinach stirred in at the very end wilts in under a minute.
6. Is this soup freezer-friendly? It freezes best without the cream. See the storage notes above for the full method.

More Comfort Food

• Puff Pastry Chicken Pot Pie
• Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
• Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
• Chicken Tortellini Soup
• Chicken Tortilla Soup
• White Lasagna Soup with Chicken
• Kielbasa Potato Soup
• Ground Turkey Soup
• Ham and Lentil Soup (Slow Cooker)