What can I use instead of cream in chicken pie?

Dairy swaps that work

Cream does two jobs in a pie filling: it adds richness and it thickens as it reduces. Any substitute needs to cover both, usually with help from the roux.

• Whole milk: the closest everyday swap, but add roughly 25 percent more roux since it is thinner
• Creme fraiche: rich and slightly sharp, stirred in off the heat at the end
• Evaporated milk: concentrated and stable, good for freezer pies
• Soft cheese or mascarpone: 2 to 3 tablespoons melted into the hot sauce
• Half milk and half stock: lighter, with the veloute doing the thickening

Dairy free options

Oat cream is the most neutral plant substitute and can be swapped one for one. Unsweetened cashew cream is richer and behaves well under heat.

Coconut cream thickens beautifully but tastes of coconut, which suits a curried filling and fights a tarragon one. Soy based single cream alternatives also hold up in the oven, though brands vary, so warm a spoonful in the hot sauce first before committing the whole carton.

Whatever you choose, check it is unsweetened, and thicken the sauce with the roux or a cornflour slurry rather than relying on the substitute to reduce.

Keeping the sauce stable

Lower fat substitutes split more easily than cream. Bring the sauce together over medium heat, never a hard boil, and add anything acidic, such as lemon juice or wine, before the dairy goes in rather than after.

Aim for a filling that is slightly thicker than you want to eat, because it loosens as the pie bakes and the chicken releases juices. Taste before assembling too, since most cream substitutes carry less richness and the seasoning usually needs a small lift to compensate.