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Paleo Chicken Pot Pies (GF/DF)

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Overhead shot of three mini paleo chicken pot pies with a scoop taken out.

These paleo chicken pot pies are equal parts delicious and adorable! Extremely cozy, rich, and satisfying – this recipe will quickly become one of your favorites. These individual paleo chicken pot pies contain all of the flavor of traditional chicken pot pie, but are much lighter and healthier.

Overhead shot of three mini paleo chicken pot pies with a scoop taken out.

I was super worried about this recipe. It seemed like a bit of a stretch and I just wasn’t too confident that it would work. You guys, not only did it work, but it turned out INCREDIBLE! These paleo chicken pot pies quickly moved to my #1 favorite recipes I’ve ever made, knocking my healthy hot chocolate out of its spot. The crust on these pies is incredibly buttery, without actually containing any butter. The filling is super rich and creamy, without actually containing any cream. I honestly just can’t believe the sorcery of these paleo chicken pot pies! I had heard that miracles exist, but didn’t truly believe it until now.

What You Need To Make Paleo Chicken Pot Pies

Almond Flour – Almond flour creates the base of this paleo chicken pot pie crust. If you don’t already have almond flour and plan on doing more paleo baking, I definitely recommend you buy some. Though be sure to use almond flour, and not almond meal.

Palm Oil Shortening – This is the paleo equivalent to vegetable shortening. Therefore, if you’re not paleo you can use vegetable shortening instead. In my experience, shortening makes the BEST pie crusts – better than butter. Though if you’d like, you can use cold butter instead of shortening.

Arrowroot Starch – This is the paleo equivalent of corn starch! Since we don’t use heavy cream in this recipe, we rely on a thickener, such as arrowroot starch, to thicken up the filling. If you’re not paleo, you can use corn starch instead.

Coconut Milk – I promise your pot pies won’t taste like coconut! This is another ingredient that will help thicken the filling. Coconut milk also makes these paleo chicken pot pies taste super rich and comforting.

Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

  • Add Dairy: Use 1/3 cup cold unsalted butter instead of palm shortening and 1/2 cup of whole milk instead of coconut milk.
  • Make it Vegetarian: Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth and about 8 ounces of white button mushrooms in place of the chicken in this recipe. If using mushrooms, chop and then add them in with the vegetables in step 5.
Paleo Chicken Pot Pies
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Paleo Chicken Pot Pies

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Samantha Russo Course: MainCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Intermediate
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

30

minutes
Total time

40

minutes

These paleo chicken pot pies are equal parts delicious and adorable! Extremely cozy, rich, and satisfying – this recipe will quickly become one of your favorites. These individual paleo chicken pot pies contain all of the flavor of traditional chicken pot pie, but are much lighter and healthier.

Ingredients

  • For the pie crust:

  • 1 Cup Almond Flour

  • 1/2 Cup Tapioca Starch

  • 1/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder

  • 1 Teaspoon Salt

  • 1/3 Cup Palm Shortening, see Notes

  • 1 Egg

  • Cold Water, as needed

  • For the filling:

  • 1 Tablespoon Olive oil

  • 1/2 Yellow Onion, chopped

  • 3 Garlic Cloves, minced

  • 1/2 Cup Carrots, chopped

  • 1/2 Cup Celery, chopped

  • 1 Teaspoon Fresh Thyme, see Notes

  • 1 Teaspoon Salt

  • 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper

  • 2 Tablespoons Arrowroot Starch, see Notes

  • 1 Cup Chicken Broth

  • 1/2 Cup Full-Fat Coconut Milk, unsweetened

  • 2 Cups Cooked Chicken, cubed

  • 1/2 Cup Peas (fresh or frozen)

  • For the egg wash:

  • 1 Egg, whisked

Directions

  • Preheat your oven to 400° Fahrenheit.
  • Mix together the almond flour, tapioca starch, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.Paleo-Pot-Pie-Process-Photo-Low-Res-01
  • Add palm shortening and gently break apart with a fork until mixture is crumbly.Paleo-Pot-Pie-Process-Photo-Low-Res-02
  • Fold in the egg and gently mix until a dough forms. If mixture is too dry, add 1 tablespoon of cold water at a time until it forms into a ball. Paleo-Pot-Pie-Process-Photo-Low-Res-03
  • Roll dough between two sheets of parchment paper to about 1/4-inch thick, then place in the freezer.Paleo-Pot-Pie-Process-Photo-Low-Res-04
  • Heat the olive oil in a large pot or skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, thyme, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until vegetables are just barely tender.Paleo-Pot-Pie-Process-Photo-Low-Res-05
  • Add in arrowroot starch and cook for 1 minute before adding in the chicken broth and coconut milk. Simmer for 3-4 minutes or until sauce starts to thicken.Paleo-Pot-Pie-Process-Photo-Low-Res-06
  • Add in the cooked chicken and frozen peas, mix to combine. Transfer filling to 4 ramekins.Paleo-Pot-Pie-Process-Photo-Low-Res-08
  • Remove pie crust from freezer and remove one side of parchment paper. Carefully cut into circles large enough to cover each ramekin. Gently transfer each circle to each ramekin, patching the dough as needed.Paleo-Pot-Pie-Process-Photo-Low-Res-09
  • Brush each pot pie with egg wash and cut a 2-inch slit in the center of the crust.Paleo-Pot-Pie-Process-Photo-Low-Res-10
  • Place on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.Paleo-Pot-Pie-Process-Photo-Low-Res-11

Notes

  • Palm Shortening: You can use vegetable shortening or cold unsalted butter in place of the palm shortening in this recipe.
  • Fresh Thyme: If you can’t get your hands on any fresh thyme, use 1 teaspoon of dried thyme instead.
  • Arrowroot Starch: You can use corn starch instead or arrowroot starch in this recipe.

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Breakfast

Ultimate Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Banana Bread

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Slices of gluten-free and dairy-free banana bread stacked on top of each other.

This gluten-free and dairy-free banana bread is truly the best EVER! Fool your friends and family with this recipe that tastes just like the real thing. Toast up a thick slice of this ultimate gluten-free and dairy-free banana bread, then top it with your favorite non-dairy butter for a heavenly snack!

Gluten-free and dairy-free banana bread with a slice removed.

Not sure why, but I hated banana bread as a kid. Though I started to enjoy it a few years ago. And well, I quickly went from hating it, to enjoying it, to being totally obsessed with it. And I am specifically obsessed with this ultimate gluten-free and dairy-free banana bread recipe. It’s light, fluffy, not too sweet, and yields the perfect amount of that yummy banana flavor. I love this recipe so much that I often use this trick to ripen all of my bananas, because I’m way too impatient to wait for them to ripen on their own.

Lightly toasted, smeared in dairy-free butter, dairy-free cream cheese, and a drizzle of honey is the my preferred method of enjoying this ultimate gluten-free and dairy-free banana bread. I also love enjoying it as an afternoon snack with a big ole’ dollop of crunchy almond butter on top. It’s also totally delicious on its own! I recommend slicing it and then storing it in the fridge, to maintain its freshness. I also recommend doubling this batch and throwing a few slices in the freezer for a later date. Simply remove from the freezer, toast until defrosted and enjoy!

What You Need To Make Ultimate Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Banana Bread

Gluten-Free Flour – I use and love Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour, it has truly never failed me. Though if you’re not gluten-free, you can easily sub all purpose flour for the gluten-free flour in this recipe.

Cinnamon – While developing this recipe, I realized that no other banana bread recipes out there include cinnamon. To me, adding cinnamon was a no-brainer. I honestly thought it was one of those signature banana bread ingredients. When I realized no one else includes it in their recipes, I tried making this recipe without it. Oh man, never doing that again! Cinnamon adds incredible flavor and aroma to this recipe that it simply, to die for.

Mashed Banana – Make sure your bananas are SUPER ripe for this recipe. The more ripe your bananas are, the softer and sweeter they’ll be in this recipe. If you don’t have any ripe bananas but want to make this banana bread, use this trick! I use the quickly-ripen banana method often and can attest to its success. Now as far as mashing goes, remove the bananas from their peel, place them in a bowl and press down on them with the back of a fork. You’ll want to mash your bananas until you achieve a consistency similar to apple sauce. Measure out the 1 and 1/2 cups of banana once they are completely smooth.

Eggs – Remove your eggs from the fridge an hour or two before using them in this recipe. Room temperature eggs are always ideal in baking. If your eggs are too cold when mixed into the batter, they may cause the melted butter or oil you used to harden.

Non-Dairy Milk – Any non-dairy milk will work in this recipe. I used a homemade almond milk and has great results. If you’re not dairy-free, you can easily swap the non-dairy milk with cow’s milk.

Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

  • Make it Vegan: Use two flax eggs or your favorite egg-substitute in place of the flax eggs in this recipe. Expect your bread to be slightly more dense than the one pictured, but still delicious!
  • Add Gluten: Use all purpose flour instead of gluten-free flour in this recipe.
  • Add Dairy: Use melted butter instead of coconut oil and cow’s milk instead of non-dairy milk in this recipe.
Ultimate Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Banana Bread
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Ultimate Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Banana Bread

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Samantha Russo Course: SnacksCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

10

slices
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

50

minutes
Total time

1

hour 

This gluten-free and dairy-free banana bread is truly the best EVER! Fool your friends and family with this recipe that tastes just like the real thing. Toast up a thick slice of this ultimate gluten-free and dairy-free banana bread, then top it with your favorite non-dairy butter for a heavenly snack!

Ingredients

  • 2 Cups Gluten-Free Flour, see Notes

  • 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

  • 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

  • 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon

  • 1/4 Teaspoon Salt

  • 1 1/2 Cups Mashed Banana (about 3 bananas), see Notes

  • 1/2 Cup Coconut Sugar, see Notes

  • 2 Eggs, see Notes

  • 1/4 Cup Coconut Oil, melted

  • 1/4 Cup Non-Dairy Milk, see Notes

  • 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Directions

  • Preheat your oven to 350° Fahrenheit and grease of line a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
  • Mix together the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.
  • In a separate bowl, mix together the mashed bananas, coconut sugar, eggs, melted coconut oil, non-dairy milk, and vanilla extract.
  • Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
  • Transfer batter to your prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-55 minutes. Remove from pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

  • Gluten-Free Flour: I use and recommend Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour. Whatever gluten-free flour you use, make sure it contains xantham gum. If you’re not gluten-free, use all purpose flour instead.
  • Mashed Banana: Remove very ripe bananas from their peel, place them in a bowl, and the mash them with the back of a fork. Continue mashing until you achieve a consistency similar to apple sauce. Measure out the mashed banana then use it in this recipe.
  • Coconut Sugar: Feel free to use white sugar, cane sugar, or brown sugar in place of the coconut sugar in this recipe.
  • Eggs: Bring your eggs to room temperature before using in this recipe.
  • Non-Dairy Milk: Use any non-dairy milk you’d like in this recipe! I use homemade almond milk and have always had great results. If you’re not dairy-free you can easily use cow’s milk instead.

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Dairy-Free

Paleo Enchilada Casserole

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Paleo Enchilada Casserole Recipe

This paleo enchilada casserole is made with the healthiest ingredients! A quick and easy homemade enchilada sauce is bursting with delicious Mexican-inspired flavors. This recipe packs in plenty of veggies and lean protein, making this paleo enchilada casserole a simple a nutritious dinner option.

Paleo Enchilada Casserole served on a plate topped with fresh avocado and jalapenos.

The Story Behind This Paleo Enchilada Casserole

I’m a BIG fan of all things Mexican food. Mexican food is easily my most favorite cuisine (no one tell my Italian grandmother I said that!). My main goal in life, other than creating delicious gluten-free and dairy-free recipes for you guys, is creating EASY gluten-free and dairy-free recipes for you guys. We’re all busy, trust me I get it. And we don’t always have the time to hand-roll 30 paleo meatballs. So I asked myself, what’s easy?? And time and time again came back to casseroles. I might have my mid-western mom to thank for this, she’s a big casserole gal. I find that where I live in the Northeast, casseroles aren’t as big of a part of people’s weekly dinner rotations. Well, I don’t care where you’re from, because I’m gonna make sure you get comfortable and excited about making casseroles!

This paleo enchilada casserole is easy, loaded with flavor, slightly spicy, incredibly healthy, and super satisfying. There are also ways to make this casserole even easier. Not up to making your own enchilada sauce? Simply pick up a bottle from the store! Don’t have time to cook and shred the chicken? Simply pick up some pre-cooked and shredded or chopped chicken from the store! This recipe is really so easy to customize and make your own, which I highly encourage you do. Oh and before I get into the other stuff I should probably note that this paleo enchilada recipe makes a large batch! I got around eight servings out of my casserole and was able to store it in the fridge, then heat it up and enjoy it all week long.

What You Need To Make Paleo Enchilada Casserole

Arrowroot Starch – This is the paleo version of cornstarch. If you don’t have arrowroot starch, you can easily substite it with cornstarch in this recipe. However, do not leave this ingredients out as it is key to making your enchilada sauce thick and creamy.

Chicken Broth – Feel free to use beef broth, vegetable broth, or even bone broth instead. You can use water if you’d like, but I recommend broth for extra flavor.

Sweet Potato – A large sautéed sweet potato replaces black beans in this paleo enchilada casserole recipe. In case you’re not aware, black beans are not paleo-compliant. However, if you are not strict paleo you can easily use one or two cans of black beans instead.

Diced Green Chiles – Though small, diced green chiles pack a TON of flavor. If you’er having a hard time finding diced green chilies at your local grocery store, try looking in the ethnic food aisle – that’s where I almost always find them!

Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

  • Add Dairy: Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded cheese on top of the casserole before baking OR sprinkle queso fresco on top of the casserole after baking.
  • Make it Vegan/Vegetarian: Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth and 2 cans of drained and rinsed black beans instead of chicken.
Paleo Enchilada Casserole
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Paleo Enchilada Casserole

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Samantha Russo Course: MainCuisine: MexicanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

8

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

30

minutes
Total time

40

minutes

This paleo enchilada casserole is made with the healthiest ingredients! A quick and easy homemade enchilada sauce is bursting with delicious Mexican-inspired flavors. This recipe packs in plenty of veggies and lean protein, making this paleo enchilada casserole a simple a nutritious dinner option.

Ingredients

  • For the enchilada sauce:

  • 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

  • 3 Tablespoons Arrowroot Starch, see Notes

  • 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder

  • 1 Teaspoon Cumin

  • 1 Teaspoon Salt

  • 1/2 Teaspoon Onion Powder

  • 1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

  • 1 Teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar, see Notes

  • 6 Ounces Tomato Paste

  • 2 Cups Chicken Broth

  • For the casserole:

  • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

  • 1 Yellow Onion diced

  • 1 Bell Pepper diced

  • 1 Large Sweet Potato cubed

  • 4 Ounce Can Green Chiles

  • 1 1/2 Pounds Chicken Breast cooked and shredded

  • 8 Grain-Free Tortillas halved, see Notes

Directions

  • For the enchilada sauce:
  • Mix together the olive oil and arrowroot starch in a large saucepan over medium heat.Paleo Enchilada Casserole Process Photo 1
  • Once starch has dissolved, add in the chili powder, cumin, salt, onion powder, and garlic powder and cook for 2 minutes.Paleo Enchilada Casserole Process Photo 2
  • Add in the apple cider vinegar, tomato paste, and chicken broth then bring to a boil before reducing to a simmer for 5 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Use immediately in the recipe below.Paleo Enchilada Casserole Process Photo 3
  • For the casserole:
  • Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
  • Sauté the onion, bell pepper, and sweet potato in olive oil over medium heat for 10 minutes.Paleo Enchilada Casserole Process Photo 4
  • Add in the diced green chiles, shredded chicken, and 1 cup of enchilada sauce. Cook for another 2 minutes before removing from heat.Paleo Enchilada Casserole Process Photo 5
  • Evenly spread 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce on the bottom of your baking dish. Follow that up with an even layer of 6 tortillas halves, top the tortillas halves with 1/3 of the chicken mixture, repeat with a layer of 5 tortilla halves, then 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture. Layer the last of the tortilla halves, the last of the chicken mixture, and top casserole with 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce.Paleo Enchilada Casserole Process Photo 6
  • Cover casserole with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes, then remove foil and bake uncovered for another 10 minutes.Paleo Enchilada Casserole Process Photo 7

Notes

  • Arrowroot Starch: If not paleo, you can sub 3 tablespoons of cornstarch for the arrowroot starch.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar: You can sub white vinegar for the apple cider vinegar in this recipe.
  • Grain-Free Tortillas: I love and recommend Siete grain-free tortillas, if you’re not grain-free you can use your favorite corn or flour tortillas instead.

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