Guilt-Free Chicken Pot Pie

Winter as we know it here in SoCal is nothing compared to what the rest of the nation experiences, still, with temperatures dipping into the frigid 50’s, we shiver in our coats and crave homey, comfort food.  Today, I’m sharing a personal family favorite (and ssshhh low-calorie version) of an always popular homestyle dish: Chicken Pot Pie.

The TM style is always one that includes more fresh vegetables, less fat, and less sodium, inspired by a life-time interest in health and nutrition and spurred on by the heart-health issues that came close to taking my husband, The Don, before his time.

Guilt-Free Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken pot pie is one of my family’s favorite comfort foods but I used to cringe when my daughter would order it at restaurants because I know how many calories all that yummy pastry shell and creamy sauce contains. (drumroll) Cringe no more!

Filling:

2 half chicken breasts, boned/skinless

2 lg. carrots, peeled and chopped

1 lg. celery, chopped

1/2 lg. onion, chopped

2 T. canola oil

1 c. frozen small green peas

1 can Healthy Choice Cream of Chicken soup (lower sodium than other brands)

1 c. lowfat milk

1 t. curry

Note: Try to buy only organic, kosher, or minimally processed chicken – it makes all the difference in taste.

1. Bake the chicken breasts, sprinkled with a garlic herb spice, in a tin foil packet in the toaster oven for about 30 min. at 400 degrees.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Saute the carrots, celery and onion until softened but not browned, about 7 minutes. Remove pan from burner.

3. Meanwhile, microwave the green peas for 2 minutes. Mix in the peas. Spoon into baking dish.

4. In a glass bowl mix the soup, milk, and curry seasoning with a fork to break up lumps of soup. Blend into the vegetables.

Topping:

1 c. low fat Bisquick baking mix and 1 c. low fat milk

Mix well with spoon until batter is fairly smooth. Pour on top of filling. It may seem a bit more liquid than you think it should be but it will rise and make a nice light crust. Bake for 30 minutes. Enjoy all the love you’ll get for making this!