Warning: If you're looking for a gourmet version of this classic, you will not find that recipe here. This is basic, use-what's-in-the-pantry, lazy-cook comfort food. I'm not even trying to be "semi-homemade" here. Now that we're all clear on that...
I'm estimating the calorie count for one serving (~1.5 cups) of this to be around 350 calories. That's not too bad - just serve it with salad or fruit, fill up on that good stuff too, and let this just be part of your meal, not the whole meal. Otherwise it's realllllllly easy to eat 3 cups of pot pie, which is just...too much...unless you're a football player. :)
It's cold here in SA right now & kind of cozy (unless, of course, you are allergic to mountain cedar like my honey is - in which case you're miserable, not "cozy"). Whether you're feeling cozy or miserable, it's not a bad idea to turn back to the old favorites - but the hard part is the calories most of those favorites pack! Have you ever noticed the per-serving calorie counts on dishes like lasagna, creamy casseroles, roast beef with potatoes, fried chicken...or pot pie? Well, it's easy to blow your diet with just one meal, unless you get creative and learn to mimic the richness of those original recipes with other lighter, cleaner ingredients. That's what I set out to do with pot pie.
I was craving that creamy consistency, the green peas (one of my fave veggies) and most of all, the flaky, buttery biscuit topping. I know some people would prefer pie crust but I like a thicker topping that soaks in the creamy sauce, so I'm a biscuit girl all the way. I found a base recipe and decided to play around with it a little bit. Here's what I did, and it turned out so much better than I'd even hoped. I always feel a little silly using cornstarch to thicken a sauce - it seems like a "real" chef would make a nice roux and do other things to get the desired result - but I didn't want to use flour in the dish so cornstarch is next-best. I supplemented with pureed sweet potatoes as a thickener & natural, subtle sweetener -- and to my surprise, the result was really divine.
Give it a shot.
Chicken Pot Pie (Serves 4 - takes approx 1 hour)
- 2 cups baby carrots
- 1/2 onion (red or white) chopped
- 2 tsp garlic powder (or minced garlic)
- 1 tsp. fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp. dried
- 1 tsp TrueLemon lemon powder or fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 small jar of pureed sweet potato (I used...yes...baby food! or, puree 1 cup of cooked sweet potato chunks in a food processor with a drop or two of honey)
- 2 cups cooked chicken - I have to be honest, I sometimes use canned drained white meat chicken in dishes like this. I think it tastes great, but you can cook your own, or get a rotisserie chicken from the store & use the meat from that!)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1.5 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup skim milk
- 2 tsp dried parsley
- pinch salt and ground black pepper
- 1 recipe for 9 Bisquick biscuits, made and rolled out to the size/shape of the baking dish you're using
1. Heat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Drizzle some olive oil in a pan with high sides. Combine carrots, onion, bay leaves, garlic powder, thyme, lemon powder (or juice), and salt in the pan. Cook until the onions are getting translucent and the carrots are starting to look darker. Add the chicken broth and pureed sweet potatoes & simmer until the carrots are getting soft on the outside. Stir in white wine & bring back to a simmer.
3. While the veggie/liquid mixture cooks down and concentrates, whisk the cornstarch into the milk and athen dd to the simmering pot. Simmer until the mixture is really thick, then turn off heat.
4. Take out the bay leaf, stir in the peas, chicken, and parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Pour the filling into a baking dish (I used a Le Creuset 8" stoneware gratin dish...because we are only 2 people and this recipe is just enough for, like 4 people.) Top the dish off with your biscuit crust (it should be no more than 1/2 inch thick). It should be the size & shape of your dish, so just lay it right on top of the filling. I brush the top with milk and sprinkle salt, pepper, garlic powder, & parsley on top - you can get creative, use whatever you want.
6. Bake on the middle rack until the crust is golden brown and the sauce is bubbly... 20-25 minutes. Serve with fruit or a green salad!
As a bonus, I'll give you my recipe for canteloupe, which I served on the side - it's delish! At least I think so. I accidently used too much vinegar last night (sorry, husband) but the version below is accurate...
Canteloupe Salad (serves 2)
1/2 canteloupe, rinds removed & flesh cut into 1" pieces
1 tbsp white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dry basil
1/4 tsp salt
- Mix all the ingredients together & serve! Room temp is best for canteloupe, in my opinion...
Happy winter! Keep each other warm and be kind to everyone - it's rough out there.
xoxo
You should try this with almond flour for even less guilt. 1.5 cup ground almonds, 1 egg, .25 tsp baking powder. :)
Posted by: summer | Thursday, January 19, 2012 at 03:21 PM