Can I swap soy milk for cream in a chicken pot pie?
I'm going to be making a chicken pot pie for a friend who is trying to eliminate dairy. Part of the instructions call for making a roux, then adding chicken stock (5 cups) and heavy cream (1/4 cup) to create the sauce for the filling.
I can substitute an oil for the butter, and I think that the relatively small amount of cream is more for appearance than flavor or thickening. If I use soy milk instead of heavy cream, will the consistency stay essentially the same? Are there going to be any impacts on the flavor?
Best Answer
Yes, you can use soy milk, but it will definitely affect the flavor. If you like the flavor of soy milk, go ahead, but I don't find it that appealing.
Instead, I suggest using full fat coconut milk or coconut cream (you can find it in the international foods aisle in most grocery stores). I have used this subsitution several times before, and it will give a hint of coconut taste, but I think the overall flavor for your recipe would be richer.
Another alternative is to just use an additional 1/4 c. of broth and leave out the cream or any dairy substitute all together.
Edit: I'm not 100% sure on the texture, but soy milk is fairly "watery" compared to cream, so, again, I think a richer/fattier "milk" would be better.
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What can substitute cream in a chicken pie?
If you have butter and milk (whole milk and half-and-half work best), you can make your own heavy cream substitute. To make 1 cup of heavy cream, melt 1/4 cup of butter and slowly whisk in 3/4 cup milk. This works for most baking or cooking recipes that require heavy cream, but it will not whisk into stiff peaks.What can I substitute for heavy cream in pot pie?
The 10 Best Substitutes for Heavy CreamWhat can you replace with soy milk?
Some soy milk substitutes include:- Almond Milk.
- Cashew Milk.
- Hemp Milk.
- Pea Milk.
- Rice Milk.
- Oat Milk.
- Coconut Milk.
Do you put milk in chicken pot pie?
Stir in flour, salt and pepper until well blended. Gradually stir in broth and milk, cooking and stirring until bubbly and thickened. Stir in chicken and mixed vegetables.How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie Stew | Chicken Recipe | Allrecipes.com
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Answer 2
Soy milk/soy drink is, consistency wise, more of a milk than a cream substitute - but actual soy "cream" exists and is nowadays commonly found in many localities. It is undrinkably thick and creamy, like heavy cream. Ask your grocer if you have difficulties finding it. Read the ingredients lists, these products range from the simple to the very artificial.
There are also cream alternatives based on other non dairy ingredients (oats, rice, similar to what is used for nondairy drinks).
Probably the very best ones are based on almonds or cashews, but these are also going to be the most expensive. Both are actually traditionally accepted cooking ingredients (cashew pastes in indian cuisine, almond based in medieval european cuisine). Cashew based cream can be made at home if you have a high speed blender (just boil some cashews, and blend with the minimum amount of fresh water needed). Low end blenders can lead to a rather grainy result though.
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