Chicken Pot Pie Pasta Casserole is the blending of two of America’s most beloved comfort foods (pot pie and pasta) into its other passion, the casserole! You get all the creaminess and flavors of pot pie that you love without having to make a crust. This dish is packed with love and will fill your house with the most amazing aromas!
When you think of pot pie, you probably remember the little frozen dinners in foil containers, tossed in the oven and baked. They were fairly boring with soggy vegetables and if you were lucky you might find 10 tiny cubes of processed pressed chicken. It is no wonder that most children don’t like pot pies.
When I was little my mom used to buy the frozen kind for us when she and my father would go out to dinner – making it easy for my older brothers or baby sitter to get dinner on the table.
Many people dislike or are afraid of making the pie crust dough required by traditional pot pies. This recipe doesn’t have a crust, saving you time and clean up! It has all of the flavors we crave without the hassle.
I like using a pasta shape like penne or farfalle that are designed to hold the sauce, but you can use whatever type of pasta that you and your family likes.
These days finding good gluten-free pasta is getting easier. I love DeLallo’s line of Gluten-Free pastas. I’ve included a link to their online store in case you want to try it for yourself. And Barilla brand is found in many of the larger grocery store chains across the country.
If you want a soothing, rich, and creamy casserole for dinner tonight, try this Chicken Pot Pie Pasta Casserole. And the leftovers are great too. We ate it for a few days (just two of us) and enjoyed it every time! I hope you love it as much as The Artist and I do.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Key Ingredients for Chicken Pot Pie Pasta Casserole:
- Boneless chicken thighs, onion, celery, carrots, red bell pepper
- Butter, GF flour blend, chicken stock, heavy cream
- Rosemary, thyme, GF pasta, chopped parsley or green onions
PRO Tip:
You can start the filling while the pasta is cooking, shortening the time it takes to pull this meal together.
PRO Tip:
If you hate chopping vegetables to use in cooking recipes, check the produce section of your grocery store. Many of them now stock pre-chopped vegetables that can save you a lot of time. The other place to check is the salad bar, you can often find much of what you’re looking for there. (This option will hopefully be back up and running soon.)
White Sauce vs. Bechamel Sauce?
Did you know that a common white sauce is the same as a fancy French bechamel sauce. So, every time you’ve whipped up a quick white sauce for a recipe you have actually been making one of the Mother sauces of French cuisine!
PRO Tip:
The recipe tells you to taste and adjust seasonings. This is because the saltiness of the stock you use will vary from brand to brand. You may need more salt or pepper.
How to make Chicken Pot Pie Pasta Casserole:
- Cook the pasta according to package directions to al dente; drain and toss with a little oil, set aside
- Sauté the chicken cubes about 5 min then transfer to a 9×13 baking pan; add vegetables to the same skillet and cook until softened, then spread over the chicken
- Add butter to the same pan, sprinkle in the flour and whisk until smooth then cook for 2 minutes; whisk in the chicken stock until smooth then boil until thickened, whisking constantly
- Off the heat, whisk in the cream, rosemary, and thyme and season to taste with salt and pepper; then pour into the 9×13-inch baking pan
- Bake at 375°F about 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbling hot; let stand 5 minutes before serving and garnish with chopped parsley or onions
PRO Tip:
Seasoning with a pinch of salt and sprinkling of pepper as you cook helps flavor each component independently and gets you closer to the right amount in the finished dish. Lightly season the chicken as it cooks and the vegetables as you sauté them. Be sure the pasta water is well salted before adding the pasta.
Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- 9×13-inch baking pan
- Large deep skillet
- Whisk
- Slotted spoon
- Large stockpot (for pasta)
Gluten-Free Tips:
Use a cup-for-cup style of gluten-free flour blend to make the white sauce. If the sauce doesn’t thicken enough (not all blends are equal), make a cornstarch slurry and add to sauce before adding in the chicken and vegetables; bring to a boil and cook until thickened. Continue with the rest of the recipe. To make the slurry, follow the directions in the note below the recipe in the card.
Chicken Pot Pie Pasta Casserole (Gluten Free)
Chicken Pot Pie Pasta Casserole is the blending of two of America's most beloved comfort foods into its other passion, the casserole! You get all the creaminess and flavors of pot pie that you love without having to make a crust. This is a soothing, rich, and creamy casserole, perfect for any night of the week.
Ingredients
- About 12 oz gluten-free shaped pasta such as penne or fusilli (see Note)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1-1/2 to 2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 med onion, finely chopped
- 3 celery stalks, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 carrots, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 red bell pepper, stem and seeds discarded, minced
- 8 tbsp (1 stick; 113 g) butter, sliced
- 1/2 cup (60 g) gluten-free flour blend or all-purpose flour
- 3 cups gluten-free chicken stock
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half
- 1/2 tsp kosher or fine sea salt, or to taste
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1 tsp very finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
- 1 tsp thyme leaves
- Chopped fresh parsley or green onions, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Set out a 9x13-inch baking pan or similarly sized casserole baking dish.
- Cook the Pasta: Cook according to package directions, to al dente. Drain and toss with a little olive oil to keep them from sticking together. Set aside while you make the filling.
- Make the Filling: While the pasta is cooking, in a large, deep skillet, heat the 2 tbsp oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and sauté, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked chicken to the baking pan and set next to the stove. Add the vegetables to the skillet and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to add to the pan with the chicken, spreading them evenly over the top.
- Place the butter in the same skillet and melt. Sprinkle the flour over the top and whisk until it is smooth with no lumps. Cook for 2 minutes, whisking often, but do not brown. Pour in the chicken stock and whisk until the mixture is completely smooth. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, until it is thick and creamy. (See Note below)
- Remove from the heat, whisk in the cream, salt, pepper, rosemary, and thyme until completely smooth and creamy with no lumps. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed.
- Scoop the cooked pasta into the baking pan, spreading it out evenly. Pour the sauce over the top, spreading it to cover all the ingredients.
- Bake the Casserole: Place in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling hot. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
If the sauce isn't thickening to your liking, you can make a cornstarch slurry and add it to the sauce. Mix together equal parts of cornstarch and water, whisking until smooth with no lumps. Slowly add to hot sauce, whisking constantly, before you stir in the cream and seasoning. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring, until thick and smooth. Whisking is the key to no lumps!
I like the gluten-free pastas from DeLallo or Barilla brands. I buy the DeLallo pastas directly from their website – I prefer the pastas in the blue bags which is a rice and corn blend. Barilla is available in many large grocery store chains across the country.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 880Total Fat: 38gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 24gCholesterol: 396mgSodium: 1122mgCarbohydrates: 52gFiber: 3gSugar: 5gProtein: 84g
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