Chicken Pot Pie at Your Service – Make it Tonight!

They say, “April showers bring May flowers”. I say, “bring on the comfort food!” One of my favorite stand-by recipes for this time of year is the hearty old chicken pot pie. This menu staple is packed with protein and good veggies that I usually have on hand. That makes it a snap to whip up and feeds my family of four nicely. We like to delve into the ingredients here at Girlfriend, mostly because it’s fun and interesting to learn! Check out our findings on the key ingredients and then get yourself into the kitchen!

Chicken Pot Pie Carb Count

Well, got to get the bad stuff out of the way first. For anyone who is counting carbs, this one is around 40-50 grams per 1/8 pie. There are always ways around this. Because this chicken pot pie recipe is so low in sugar, you can eat your slice “open-faced” to be less carbs than a sandwich! Hooray! That means, a modest portion is a-okay and so you can dine in peace. Maybe do a good run the next day, just in case.

Chicken is a Woman’s BFF

We all know poultry is a great lean protein source with lots of health benefits. Did you know that chicken reduces PMS symptoms? Chicken is high in magnesium which helps with anxiety and stress. Particularly good for when your hormones are out of whack! Most of us women are deficient in magnesium and chicken pot pie is loaded with this soothing mineral. Be sure to refer to our article on Epsom salt baths to learn more about this healthy nutrient. A slice of pot pie and a soak in the tub? Happy April!

All The Better To See You With

This is also a perfect weekend meal. If you are hitting up your local farmer’s market, chicken pot pie uses easy veggies that are always readily available. As with any recipe, you can make this super easy on yourself all the way down to pre-chopped ingredients. Want to make it a little more special? Use an interesting variety of any or all of the vegetables. Carrots are usually easy to find in different varieties that really picks the pace up in this recipe. They work with the sweetness of the pie crust and are good for your skin and immune system. Yes, they really do help your eyesight, too! I was happy to learn that carrots also contain carotenoids, which is a fancy way of letting you know they lower your blood sugar. I think this means that they cancel out anything bad in your pie crust.

Salt Fix

Generally people crave sweet or they crave salty. Did you know that a stalk of celery helps satiate a salt craving? It’s not just a diet food and you should consider adding more into your diet if you’re looking to improve your skin! Celery is rich in antioxidants and enzymes, not to mention a wealth of vitamins and minerals that are specifically good for your hair and nails. This nutrient-rich veggie is high in potassium and is great for your liver health. That means chicken pot pie is a perfect next-day recipe if you were out kind of late the night before.

Pass the Peas, Plz

Like celery, peas are also a good source of Vitamin K. Vitamin K helps with blood health and is also essential to building strong bones. Peas are also high in fiber. A one-half cup serving of peas contains more fiber than twice the amount of oatmeal! If you recall my sister’s Chocolate No Bake Cookie article, you’ll remember that our family was raised on oatmeal. I was surprised to find that little old peas give our staple oat a run for it’s money! Well, to be fair, we were raised on chicken pot pies, too. It’s not until you’re much older that you appreciate what your mom did in your younger years to keep you healthy.

Onion Power

Finally, the key ingredient in this chicken pot pie recipe is the good old onion. Root vegetables in general are high in vitamins and minerals that they absorb from the ground. This is another reason why organic is always the best choice! Onions not only regulate blood sugar, they give your immune system a power boost as well. I especially love cooking with root vegetables in the winter. Chicken pot pie is a great dinner to transition into Spring with, since it uses light protein. And is a pie.

Chicken Pot Pie Recipe

Ready for the recipe? I’m going to give you the most basic version that I use. This means no farmer’s market veggies and not even a homemade pie crust. Chicken Pot Pie that can be made quickly and easily on a weeknight has it’s golden benefits as well, my dear! Even better, the clean up is a snap and there is usually enough for leftovers. When you have more time and ambition, upgrade your veggies and control the sugar content by making your own pie crust. Play around with different herbs until you get it just the way you like it. No one will mind all the experimenting!

• 2 9″ unbaked pie crusts (I use Trader Joe’s Gourmet Pie Crust – in the freezer section and only $3.99 for 2 crusts)
• 1 lb. cubed uncooked chicken (another cheat is Trader Joe’s Just Grilled Chicken Strips also in the freezer section.  Defrost and done!)
• 1 cup sliced carrots
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 1 cup sliced celery
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/4 t. pepper
• 1/4 t. celery seed
• 1 3/4 c. chicken broth (I use 2 bouillon packets to 1 3/4 c. water)
• 2/3 cup milk (almond milk works great)

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  In a saucepan, combine cubed chicken (leave this out if you’re using the Trader Joe’s strips), carrots, peas and celery. Cover with water and boil 15 minutes. Drain and set aside. In a saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft/ translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Slowly stir in broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove and set aside.  Place pie crust in deep pie dish (I use a Pyrex 2 quart casserole dish).  Place chicken mix (you can mix the defrosted chicken with the veggies now) in the bottom of the pie crust. Pour the hot gravy mix over. Cover with a top crust and seal the edges. Make several slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Bake 30-35 minutes until pastry is golden and filling is bubbly. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Two Peas and Their Pod has another variation of this recipe if you’d like to check it out. It’s a little more dairy-rich, but I’m going to try her herb ingredients the next time around. Hope you enjoy this one!