If you liked our Skinny Mac and Cheese Meal Makeover, you’re going to love this…

Typically, what makes a comfort food a comfort food is that it’s packed with butter and heavy cream, and heated to perfection, making for a rich, warming dish. What we’re trying to show you through these meal makeovers is that you can keep all of the flavor and ooey gooey, warming goodness, without the extra calories and fat. Because what’s really comforting is eating foods that are healthy and nourishing to your body!

One classic comfort dish is Chicken Pot Pie. The original is full of chicken, carrots, peas and creamy sauce, then surrounded by flakey pie crust.  This Chicken Pot Pie is slimmed down by packing it with more veggies, using milk instead of cream, and only putting crust on top.  Oh and also, there is no butter…no, really!  

Usually to make a creamy sauce, you need butter, flour, and rich cream, also known as fat and more fat. Instead, we make a slurry of milk and flour and add that to chicken broth. Over heat, it thickens to make a sauce with extra flavor and none of the fat.  Then by adding fresh herbs, the sauce comes alive. 

To us, the most important part about making over delicious food is to keep it delicious! This meal is quick to put together and perfect for a family week night dinner.  This dish also reheats very well if you have leftovers.  Need we say more? Keep reading for the how to!

Low-Fat Chick Pot Pie Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 cups of fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups frozen green peas, thawed
• 2 cups carrots chopped into ½ inch pieces
• 2 cups sweet potatoes chopped into ½ inch pieces
• 1 ½ cups chopped onions
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour (about 3 ounces), divided
• 1 1/2 cups 1%  milk
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 piece pre-made pie dough

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Bring broth to a boil in a large pot. Add peas and next 3 ingredients (through onions) to pan; cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 6 minutes. Add chicken; cook for 5 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove chicken and vegetables from broth with a slotted spoon; place in a large bowl.

2. Increase heat to medium. Place all but 1 tablespoon flour in a medium bowl; gradually add milk to bowl, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Add milk mixture to broth; cook for 5 minutes or until thickened, stirring frequently. Stir in chicken mixture, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper. Spoon mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

3.Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon flour on a work surface; roll dough into a 13 x 9-inch rectangle. Place dough over chicken mixture, pressing to seal at edges of dish. Cut small slits into dough to allow steam to escape; coat dough lightly with cooking spray. Place dish on a foil-lined baking sheet.

4. Bake at 400° for 20 – 25 minutes or until crust is browned and filling is bubbly.

5. Enjoy!

Editor: Nicole Walker