Toy Update: I got a new toy!!!! Last summer was sooooo hot that turning on the oven was impossible. So, this year I got a new toaster convection oven and it is AWESOME. It is already hot outside and we have the AC on because of the children’s allergies. I made this pot pie in the toaster oven (reducing the temperature by 25 degrees since it is a convection oven.) What did I do without this? I can bake the fries in it while the fish or main meal bakes in the large oven. We’ve broiled hamburger buns, baked oatmeal fudge squares, made pies, and a host of other things this week. If you need a recommendation, then I really like our Breville Smart Toaster Convection oven. I know it is more expensive than the ones at Target, Walmart, etc. But, many of those models had burn warnings in the reviews because the cheap models get really hot on the outside. This one does not get TOO hot on the outside. And it would take just one trip to the hospital to eat up the difference in price… so I got the non-burning model.
Recipe: Chicken pot pie is normally leftovers thrown in a pot of cream of something soup with veggies added as an afterthought. This version contains no cream of soups and uses the chicken to flavor the broth which I liked. A normal serving of chicken pot pie with two crusts and all the creams is around 610 calories per serving. This recipe made with the puff pastry is only 340 calories. (13 grams of fat instead of 36 grams and 5 grams of saturated fat instead of 17) I did not tally it with the pie crust. I happened to have pie crust in the freezer and thought it would be silly to go out and use puff pastry. Don’t get me wrong – I LOVE puff pastry. But using up what I have is usually a priority for me. So, here are two ways to make this. I’m sorry I don’t have a photo of the inside. We ate it all before I could get a shot.
You can find puff pastry in the freezer department. Pepperidge Farm is the main producer of it. Need a dessert or breakfast to use up the rest of the puff pastry? Try this one! The apple pastry is one my favorite dishes ever.
Servings: a 9×13 is usually too large for our small family of 2 adults and 2 children, so I cut the recipe literally in half and threw it into a 9″ pie dish and threw a pie shell on top. But, I used the same methods, ingredients and everything.
Light Chicken Pot Pie
serves 8
1 – (9.5″x9″) sheet of puff pastry, thawed (or 2 pie crusts, but will increase calories)
1/2 cup AP flour
2 tsp. oil
1 onion, chop fine
1 celery rib, chop fine
3 and 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 Tb. low-sodium soy sauce
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed
3 carrots, peeled, halved and 1/4″ thick pieces ( I chop baby carrots since I have those on hand the most)
1 cup milk (calorie count uses whole milk)
3/4-1 cup frozen peas
2 Tb. fresh parsley, chopped or 1 tsp. dried parsley
2 tsp. lemon juice
salt and pepper
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees (or 375 if using pie crust). Lightly flour your counter and roll the puff pastry into the size of your serving dish – a 9″x13″ pan. Put the pastry on parchment that is on a cookie sheet or baking sheet. Using a sharp knife, make shallow rectangles throughout the pastry – 8 rectangles total. Don’t cut all the way through! Bake the pastry on the sheet for about 8 minutes or until puffy. (Skip this if using pie crust)
2. Now, in a non-stick skillet toast the flour for about 5-6 minutes on medium high. Stir quite often to avoid burning. I have made chicken pot pie before, but I think this step really helps the flavor between the two I made. Once toasted and light golden, put in a bowl to use later.
3. In a dutch oven or 5 qt pot, heat up the oil. Add onion and celery for 8-10 minutes. Add in broth and soy sauce. Add chicken and carrots. Simmer, cover and reduce heat to low until the chicken is done (160 degrees) which takes about 15 minutes. Take the chicken out and shred.
4. Add your 1 cup milk to the flour and mix that up until smooth. A whisk would be good. Then add that to the pot. (Or if you mess up and just dump everything in the pot instead, that is okay too because I did that on accident). Stir and stir for 2 minutes – until it gets thicker.
5. Take your pot off the stove and throw the chicken back in with your peas, parsley and lemon juice. Add some salt and pepper.
6. Pour this mixture into a 9×13 baking dish (or 9″ pie plate if you cut the recipe in half… or you could do 2 – 9″ pie plates with 2 pie crusts on top of each!). Put your lovely pastry on top. Pastry is so pretty! Cut four steam vents in the top. Bake about 15 minutes and cool. Remember pastry needs to be at 425 and pie crust at 375. Bake the pie crust one for 30 minutes.
Recipe adapted from America’s Test Kitchen
