Low Sodium Chicken Pot Pie Recipe — Creamy & Homemade

Chicken pot pie is the definition of comfort food — creamy filling, tender chunks of chicken, sweet vegetables, and a golden baked top that cracks when you cut into it. The problem with most recipes (and definitely with frozen versions) is how much sodium hides in there: canned soup, bouillon cubes, and pre-made crusts can push one serving past 800–1000 mg easily.

This homemade version cuts the sodium down significantly by making the cream sauce from scratch (it is easier than it sounds), using low-sodium broth, and topping with a simple biscuit dough instead of a store-bought crust. The result is still rich and satisfying — the kind of meal you want on a cool evening.

In this recipe: from-scratch cream filling + biscuit top, ~195 mg sodium per serving, serves 6, about 1 hour 30 minutes total.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Creamy from scratch — a simple roux-based sauce replaces condensed cream soup entirely.
• Biscuit top — fluffy, golden, and much lower in sodium than a typical frozen pie crust.
• Packed with vegetables — carrots, peas, corn, and celery bulk up the filling so a smaller portion feels satisfying.
• Uses leftover chicken — a rotisserie chicken (remove the skin) or leftover roasted chicken works perfectly here.

Ingredients

The Filling

• 2 cups cooked chicken, cubed (about 1 lb / 500 g raw weight)
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1½ cups low-sodium chicken broth (<140 mg per cup)
• ¾ cup milk (whole or 2%)
• 1 cup frozen peas and corn (mixed)
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• A pinch of nutmeg (optional, rounds out the cream flavor)

Biscuit Topping

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt (this is the only added salt — distributes across 6 servings)
• 4 tbsp cold butter, cubed
• ¾ cup milk

Instructions

1. Preheat. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Cook vegetables. Melt 2 tbsp butter in a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrots. Cook 7–8 minutes until vegetables begin to soften. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
3. Make the roux. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 1–2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.
4. Add liquids. Gradually whisk in broth, then milk. Add thyme, black pepper, garlic powder, and nutmeg. Bring to a simmer and cook 3–4 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
5. Add chicken and peas/corn. Stir in cubed chicken and frozen peas-and-corn. Simmer 2 more minutes. Remove from heat. Taste and adjust pepper if needed.
6. Make biscuit dough. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in cold butter with a pastry blender (or your fingers) until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Pour in milk and stir just until combined — the dough will be slightly lumpy and that is fine.
7. Top and bake. Drop spoonfuls of biscuit dough over the filling (it does not need to cover completely — gaps let steam escape). Bake 25–30 minutes until the biscuits are golden brown and the filling is bubbling around the edges.
8. Rest and serve. Let the pot pie rest 10 minutes before serving. The sauce thickens further as it cools slightly.

Recipe Tips

• Roux tip. Cooking the flour for 1–2 minutes before adding liquid prevents a raw flour taste in the final sauce.
• Keep butter cold. For flaky biscuits, the butter must stay cold until it hits the oven. Cube it and chill again if your kitchen is warm.
• Vegetable size. Dice the carrots and celery into similar-sized pieces so they cook evenly.
• Make ahead. You can assemble the filling up to a day ahead. Store it separately from the biscuit dough, then top and bake when ready.

FAQ

Can I use a store-bought pie crust?

You can, but check the nutrition label — many refrigerated pie crusts contain 200–400 mg sodium per serving. The homemade biscuit topping keeps sodium much lower.

What if I do not have an oven-safe skillet?

Prepare the filling in a regular skillet, then transfer everything to a 9×13 inch baking dish before topping with biscuit dough and baking.

Can I use leftover Thanksgiving turkey?

Absolutely. Cubed leftover turkey works exactly like chicken here. Consider adding a bit of dried sage to the filling for a seasonal twist.

More low sodium recipes: Low Sodium Quick Breakfast Ideas, Low Sodium One-Pot Meals.

Nutrition (per serving, makes 6)

• Calories: ~395 kcal
• Sodium: ~195 mg
• Protein: ~28 g
• Fat: ~18 g
• Carbohydrates: ~34 g

Sodium value is an estimate based on ingredients used. Actual amount varies by brand of broth. This recipe is designed for home cooking and is not a substitute for medical nutrition therapy.