Chicken Pot Pie, Skinny-fied Review!

             Chicken Pot Pie, Skinny-fied

This is really good. I only gave it 3 and a half stars because I felt the thyme was to much. Maybe half of it, but just way to much of it. Other than that, this is delicious. I did cook the biscuits on the

side. I was afraid the bottoms would not be cooked through, and or it would be soggy lying on the pot pie. I am glad I did. They were so good with this. I would definitely make this again, but without all the thyme. Also, was a really nice size helping. 

This time of year is all about comfort foods.  Chicken pot pie is considered the ultimate comfort food!  It’s a savory pie filled with a luxurious chicken stew.  When you take that first bite it provides a warming feeling that really satisfies an empty stomach.  One big problem-it’s actually one of the 30 worst foods in America. Why? Because a typical chicken pot pie you buy in the freezer section has a shocking 680 calories and 48 grams of fat.  That’s just for the original kind.  Marie Callenders takes it one step further with their Creamy Parmesan Chicken Pot Pie which  has 1,060 calories and 64 grams of fat.  I know you’re thinking you’ll never be able to eat this dreamy pot pie again, right? Don’t worry…using skinny ingredients like boneless, skinless chicken breasts, reduced- fat milk, reduced-sodium chicken broth, plus adding a whole lot of vegetables, you still can, guilt-free!  This skinny chicken pot pie recipe has only 266 calories, 6 grams of fat and 7 Weight Watchers POINTS PLUS per serving!  It doesn’t need the top and bottom crust either.  It’s served spooned onto a plate or bowl and garnished with a flaky biscuit.  Relax and enjoy this fabulous pie.
Prep and Cook Time: 25 minutes
Bake Time: 14 minutes

                                     Ingredients

Pour broth in pan

Bring to a boil

Add onions

Potatoes

Sweet potatoes

carrots

celery

Simmer for 6-10 minutes

Add chicken

frozen peas

Simmer

Drain vegetables and keep broth

Pour broth back into pan

Add spices

While vegetables are simmering put flour in bowl

Add milk

Whisk well

Pour in broth

Thicken

Add vegetables back in

with thyme, salt, and pepper

spray with pam

Pour mixture into dish

Bake in 350 oven for 20 minutes

(I cooked it for 15 minutes, turned up to 400 and

cooked biscuits)

I did not put my biscuits on top of vegetables

so they wouldn't be soggy

I cooked biscuits and mixture at same time

Remove biscuits

Remove mixture

Put biscuit on top 

Enjoy!

Recipe:

3 cups Swanson’s reduced-sodium chicken broth
1½ cups onions, chopped
1 cup potato, peeled and cubed (½ inch cubes)
1 cup sweet potato, peeled and cubed (½ inch cubes)
1 cup carrots, peeled and chopped
1 cup celery, sliced
1 lb chicken breasts (boneless, skinless), cut into bite-size pieces
1½ cups frozen peas (not defrosted)
1½ cup reduced-fat milk
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped or 1 teaspoon dried
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 pkg. Pillsbury Golden Layer Flaky Biscuits (100 calories for each biscuit)

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large pan, add the chicken broth and bring to a boil.
2. Stir in the onions, potato, sweet potato, carrots, and celery. Bring back to a boil, reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 6 minutes.
3. Add the chicken pieces and frozen peas, breaking them up. Bring back to a boil, turn the heat to simmer, cover, and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Place a colander into a large bowl. Pour the chicken, vegetables and broth into the colander. Add the strained broth back to the pan. Set aside the chicken and vegetables.
5. In separate small bowl, add the flour. Gradually add the milk to the flour stirring with a whisk, until well blended.
6. Increase the heat to medium with the broth. Stir in the milk/flour mixture with a whisk. Cook for 5 minutes or until thicken. Stir often.
7. Add back the chicken and vegetables, along with the thyme, salt and pepper. Mix well.
8. Coat an 11 x 7 baking dish (see Shopping Tip) with cooking spray and pour in the chicken stew.
9. Open the package of biscuits, separate them and place on top of the chicken stew. Line them evenly over the top.
10. Place the pie on a foil lined baking sheet and bake for 14 minutes until the biscuits are golden brown.
11. To serve, spoon into each bowl and top with one biscuit. There will be two extra biscuits for whoever desires.
Serves 8 (each serving, ⅛ of recipe and 1 biscuit)

Food Fact
The pot pie dates back to the medieval era. In fact, savory pies were an important part of any royal chef’s menu. Recipes for pot pies appeared back in 1877. In those days they used a deep pot lined with a crust. They didn’t eat the crust. It was there to protect the stew from the flavor of the metal.  Swanson’s introduced the first frozen pot pie in 1951!
Storage Tip
If you’re cooking for one or two people, don’t let this stop you from making this wonderful pot pie. It freezes great. Divide the leftovers into single serving containers and freeze.

Weight Watchers (old points) 5
Weight Watchers POINTS PLUS 7

Love that biscuit!

Enjoy!