This Vegan Chicken Pot Pie is everything you crave from the classic: tender vegetables and savory plant-based chicken in a creamy gravy, all tucked under a flaky puff pastry topping.
I didn’t grow up eating pot pie very often, so for years I assumed it was a project reserved for special occasions. Turns out it’s not! The filling comes together in one skillet in about 20 minutes, and if you use a cast iron, you can top it with pastry and pop it straight in the oven.
This is a dish that’s quick and cozy enough to enjoy on a weeknight, yet pretty enough to earn its place on your holiday table with classic sides such as Vegan Mashed Potatoes or Vegan Green Bean Casserole.
Vegan Chicken Pot Pie Overview
- 📝 Recipe Name: Vegan Chicken Pot Pie
- 🕒 Ready In: 1 hour 25 minutes (15 minutes prep, 1 hour cook, 10 minutes rest)
- 🍽️ Serves: 6
- 🌱 Main Ingredients: Vegan chicken, puff pastry, onion, celery, carrots, peas, cashew milk, poultry seasoning
- 📖 Dietary Info: 100% vegan (so vegetarian too!), dairy-free, egg-free
- 😍 Why You’ll Love It: Flaky puff pastry over a creamy, hearty filling. Just like the pot pie you grew up eating but homemade and plant-based!
Featured Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“My family enjoyed this pot pie for Thanksgiving and even the omnivores were in love.” — Jilly ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients
- Onion, celery, carrot, and garlic. The aromatic base that gives the filling its savory, classic pot pie flavor profile.
- Vegan butter & flour. Together, these form a roux that thickens your pot pie gravy. The butter contributes a rich, nostalgic flavor.
- Chicken-style vegetable broth. This is the key to a filling that tastes as savory as the real thing! Better Than Bouillon Not Chicken or Edward & Sons No Chicken are my go-tos. Regular vegetable broth can work in a pinch, but it’s sweeter and less salty. Add a splash of soy sauce to boost the umami.
- Cashew milk. I use a batch of my homemade cashew milk for the creamiest, most neutral flavor. This is my go-to pick for all creamy dishes, like my Creamy Vegan Tomato Soup and my Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup. Unsweetened oat milk or store-bought cashew milk are great swaps.
- Vegan chicken. Just Chicken (from the same brand that makes Just Egg) is my favorite plant-based chicken on the market. Abbot’s and Daring make good vegan chicken too. More on other options below.
- Poultry seasoning. I call this stuff “Thanksgiving in a jar.” It’s an easy, budget-friendly blend of sage, thyme, rosemary, and other herbs.
- Frozen peas. For sweetness and a pop of color. (And some extra plant protein.)
- Puff pastry. My go-to topping for vegan pot pie because it’s easy, flaky, and impressive! Pepperidge Farm is accidentally vegan, but always check the label.
- Salt and black pepper. To taste, as always.
How to Make Vegan Chicken Pot Pie
- Sauté veggies. Sauté all of your veggies in a generous amount of vegan butter till tender.
- Build the filling. Sprinkle your flour over your filling, stirring to make sure everything gets coated. Optionally, deglaze with a splash of dry white wine. Then pour in your broth and plant milk. Stir in the poultry seasoning, chicken and peas.
- Season to taste. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook over low heat until thickened. Season with salt and pepper as needed. How much salt will depend on your brand of veggie broth.
- Transfer into baking pan. Pour your filling mixture into your preferred baking pan, whether it’s a pie pan or a casserole pan. If you prepared the filling in a cast iron pan or other ovenproof skillet, you can leave it in there for baking.
- Cover with puff pastry. Lay your defrosted puff pastry over top and tuck along the sides of the dish. Cut a few slits in the top for ventilation and brush with a touch of plant milk to get that nice browning on top.
- Bake until puff pastry is puffed up and golden brown. This usually takes around 35-40 minutes if you’re using puff pastry. It’ll take less time if you’re topping it with biscuit dough — usually only around 25 minutes. The filling should be nice and bubbly.
- Rest before serving. This will give the filling a chance to set so it’s easier to slice and serve.
The Best Vegan Chicken
- Just Meat Chicken. This is probably my current favorite chicken substitute on the market! It’s a fairly new product still but I can currently find it at Sprouts and Whole Foods.
- Daring Original Plant Chicken Pieces are also fantastic and they’re available at a lot of grocery stores like Sprouts and Walmart. They have a convincing, shreddable texture and they don’t get soggy or rubbery. (They’re also gluten-free.)
- Abbot’s Chopped Chick’n Pieces are another favorite in our house! (I buy them at Sprouts.) I use these all the time in my Vegan Chicken Paprikash. You’ll need more than one pack.
Prefer to skip faux meat? Two cans of white beans or chickpeas, drained and rinsed, make a great whole-food swap.
Soy curls also make a great budget-friendly option. They’re made from whole soybeans and have a nice shreddable texture. Rehydrate them in hot water (or chicken-style broth) for about 10 minutes, then drain and squeeze out the excess liquid. Give them a rough chop before adding to the filling. (Use about 2 cups dry.)
Vegan Chicken Pot Pie FAQs
You can use 1/2 teaspoon each of dried sage, dried thyme, and dried rosemary.
Or you can swap in 1/2 tablespoon each of fresh chopped sage, thyme, and rosemary.
Yes. Use about 8 homemade or canned biscuits and start checking at 25 minutes. For a top and bottom pie crust, bake at 425°F so the bottom crisps up.
Yes. Swap in 2 cans of white beans or chickpeas. Drain and rinse them thoroughly and add when you would add the chicken.
Soy curls are another great economical, high-protein option. Use about 2 cups dry. Rehydrate in hot water, then drain them and squeeze out extra liquid. Give them a coarse chop.
Sweet Loren’s makes a vegan and gluten-free puff pastry.
Make sure to use a gluten-free brand of vegan chicken. (Such as Daring or Abbot’s.)
For the roux, substitute white rice flour or your favorite gluten-free 1:1 flour blend (like the one from Bob’s Red Mill).
Finally, check ingredients on your vegan chicken bouillon to make sure it’s gluten-free.
Store leftovers in the baking dish that you used to make the pot pie. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days. This way, when it’s time to reheat your leftovers, you can just pop the entire dish back into a 350°F oven, loosely tented with foil, for 15-20 minutes, or until warmed all the way through. You can heat it in the microwave, but the puff pastry won’t be crispy.
More Vegan Comfort Food
- Vegan Beef Stew – A classic, hearty cold weather comfort meal. This stew will warm you right up!
- Chili Mac – This one-pot dish is the combination of two of the coziest dishes: mac and cheese and chili.
- Marry Me Tofu – Pan-fried tofu in a creamy, garlicky sun-dried tomato sauce. Serve over pasta or rice.
Did You Make This Recipe?
If you’ve made this recipe and loved it, please leave a 5-star rating and review below! Also, if you post a picture on Instagram and tag me @sarahsvegankitchen_, I’d love to see your work.
Vegan Chicken Pot Pie
Video
Equipment
- large oven proof skillet or deep dish pie pan
- high-speed blender for cashew milk
- pastry brush
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons vegan butter
- 1 white or yellow onion diced
- 2-3 ribs celery diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 medium carrots peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
- 4-6 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup dry white wine optional; see notes
- 1 ½ cups chicken-style vegetable broth see notes
- 1 cup homemade cashew milk (recipe below) or unsweetened plant milk
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning see notes for substitutions
- 12 ounces vegan chicken chopped (see notes)
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- black pepper to taste
Topping
- 1 sheet vegan puff pastry thawed (see notes)
- 1-2 tablespoons unsweetened plant milk optional, for brushing
Homemade Cashew Milk
- 1/4 cup raw cashews soaked 4+ hours or boiled 10 minutes
- 3/4 cup hot water
Instructions
Make the cashew milk (if using)
- Drain the soaked cashews and blend with hot water until completely smooth. Set aside.1/4 cup raw cashews, 3/4 cup hot water
Make the filling
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Melt vegan butter in a large skillet over medium heat. If you're using cast iron or another oven-safe skillet, you can bake the pot pie right in it.4 tablespoons vegan butter
- Add diced onions, celery and carrot and sauté for 6-8 minutes, or until onions are translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute.1 white or yellow onion, 2-3 ribs celery, 2 medium carrots, 4-6 cloves garlic
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir to coat. The flour will form a paste with the butter (a roux). Cook 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.¼ cup all-purpose flour
- (Optional.) Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan. Let it reduce until most of the liquid is gone, about 1-2 minutes.⅓ cup dry white wine
- Pour in the vegetable broth and stir thoroughly to dissolve the roux. Use your spoon to scrape up any bits sticking to the bottom of the pan.1 ½ cups chicken-style vegetable broth
- Pour in the prepared cashew milk (or unsweetened plant milk of choice) along with the poultry seasoning, vegan chicken, and peas.1 cup homemade cashew milk, 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning, 12 ounces vegan chicken, 1/2 cup frozen peas, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and simmer until thickened to your liking (about 3-5 minutes). If it gets too thick, add an extra splash of broth.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. The amount will depend on your broth.black pepper
Top & bake
- If you aren't baking in the skillet, transfer the filling to a deep dish pie pan or casserole dish.
- Place the puff pastry sheet over the pot pie and tuck in any overhang along the edges of the dish. Cut a few slits in the top of the pastry to release steam. Brush lightly with plant milk for a golden finish.1 sheet vegan puff pastry, 1-2 tablespoons unsweetened plant milk
- Place the skillet or pie pan on a baking sheet (just in case there are any drips). Bake for 35-40 minutes, until pastry is puffed and evenly golden brown, and the filling is bubbling at the edges.
- Let the pot pie rest on the counter for about 10 minutes to help the filling set. Then enjoy!
Notes
Ingredients
- Puff pastry: Some brands, such as Pepperidge Farm, are “accidentally” vegan. Always check the label. Thaw it in the fridge overnight, or on the counter for about 40 minutes, until pliable but still cold.
- Chicken-style veggie broth: Edward & Sons and Better Than Bouillon (Not Chicken) are my favorites. Use as much bouillon as the package calls for to make 1 1/2 cups broth. Regular vegetable broth works too, but it is sweeter and less savory, so make sure to add extra salt or a splash of soy sauce.
- Vegan chicken: Just Meat makes our favorite — look for their 8 oz in the freezer section. I use 1 1/2 bags for this recipe. Check the blog post for notes on other vegan chicken alternatives like soy curls.
- Plant milk: If you skip the homemade cashew milk, substitute something unsweetened and neutral, such as oat or store-bought cashew milk.
- White wine: Optional. Something dry like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio works well. Dry sherry works too. If you don’t want to cook with wine, just skip it and go straight to the veggie broth.
Substitutions
- Pie crust topping: Use frozen or homemade crust for the top only, or for both top and bottom. If using a bottom crust, bake at 425°F to help the bottom crisp up. Tent loosely with foil if it starts to brown too fast.
- Biscuit topping: Top with about 8 homemade or canned biscuits (Pillsbury Grands! Southern Homestyle biscuits are accidentally vegan — just double-check the ingredients). Start checking at about 25 minutes and remove when they’re golden brown.
- Poultry seasoning: Swap in 1/2 teaspoon each of dried sage, thyme, and rosemary, or 1/2 tablespoon each of fresh chopped.
- No faux meat: Use 2 (15 oz) cans of white beans, chickpeas, or butter beans. Drain and rinse thoroughly, and add when the recipe calls for the chicken.
Make Ahead & Storage
- Make ahead: Make the filling up to 2 days in advance and refrigerate in an airtight container. When you’re ready to bake, transfer it to your baking dish, then top with the pastry. Add about 5-10 minutes to the bake time since the filling is cold. You may need to loosely tent the pie with foil to keep the pastry from browning too much.
- Storage & reheating: Keep leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven, loosely tented with foil, for about 15-20 minutes. (You can use a microwave too, but the pastry won’t be crispy.)
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided on Sarah’s Vegan Kitchen is an estimate and is offered for general informational purposes only. Values will vary depending on the specific brands and amounts used.
I’m hoping to prep a few of these and freeze them for heating and eating later (as part of my baby prep)! Should I cook it first, let it cool, and then freeze? Or can I just let the filling cool and then freeze it with the uncooked pie crust?
This was delish! I will definitely be making it again! Thank you.
This was amazing! I’m usually very wary of recipes I try for the first time but this was a hit!
Literally 10/10 such an incredible recipe!!!! Made it for Thanksgiving and Christmas this year!!!! Fan favorite!!!!👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Hi! You mentioned puff pastry on the top or the option to do a regular pie crust (bottom & top). But could I just do puff pastry on top and then more puff pastry as a bottom layer? Maybe this is an obvious question. What should I do differently if baking with puff pastry on both top and bottom? Thank you!!!
One of the best recipes for a delicious hearty, not to mention, healthy meal. I’m not a fan of peas, so I replaced them with mushrooms and potatoes. My husband loves this dish and has asked for it several times this year.
Delicious comfort food! Used oat milk and it thickened up just fine. The Daring chicken was great in this—thanks for the suggestion! This was a hit and we will make it again!
This recipe is flawless, no notes. My family enjoyed this pot pie for Thanksgiving and even the omnivores were in love. The ingredients were accessible, the prep was streamlined with the instructions, and the seasoning was simple but flavorful. I did use Daring chicken and Edward and Sons not chicken bouillon (perfect choices) and I did use cashew cream as well; I’m going to try the Country Crock plant cream next time to see how it goes. Sarah, you’ve been feeding me for ten years almost and this is my first review. Thank you for all you’ve done for veganism!
That’s amazing, thank you so much!
I made this for Thanksgiving and it was absolutely incredible! This pot pie will be in my regular dinner rotation.
Easy to prepare and delicious! Thank you!
I LOVE this recipe. It’s become a regular. I haven’t used a pie crust bottom yet – I’m wondering what you suggest: If I use a store bought frozen crust – pre bake it at all before adding the filling?
Thanks!
This was fabulous! I used the ALPHA homestyle chik’n strips- which I had never used before and they were great. I had to quickly microwave them so I could chop up the strips to bite size and for veggies used a small bag of frozen mixed veggies. Felt strange using poultry seasoning since I don’t eat poultry 😉 but it worked great.
This was absolutely incredible. Hearty and flavorful. I made it for my family and my mom said it was the best pot pie she’s ever had. She’s also a vegan skeptic BTW. She didn’t mind for this dish. Haha LOVED it, will make again. Thank you!