Guilt-Free Chicken Pot Pie with Flaky Puff Pastry
Indulge in a heart-healthy twist on a classic comfort food with our Guilt-Free Chicken Pot Pie! Packed with nutritious vegetables like sweet potatoes, celery root, and parsnips, this dish is a wholesome addition to your meal rotation. The filling, made with low-sodium chicken broth and boneless skinless chicken breast, is creamy yet low in fat, allowing you to enjoy the delightful flaky puff pastry without the guilt. Perfect for chilly nights, this savory pie serves up delicious flavor while keeping your health goals in check. Get ready for a meal that's both satisfying and nourishing!
N/A
Servings
N/A
Calories
16
Ingredients
Ingredients
fat-free low-sodium chicken broth
3 cups (none)
frozen peas
1 1/2 cups (thawed)
baking potato
1 cup (cut into 1/2 inch dice and peeled)
sweet potato
1 cup (cut into 1/2 inch dice and peeled)
celery root (celeriac)
1 cup (cut into 1/2 inch dice and peeled)
parsnip
1 cup (sliced 1/2 inch thick)
frozen white pearl onions
10 ounces (none)
boneless skinless chicken breast
1 lb (cut into bite-sized pieces)
all-purpose flour
2/3 cup (divided)
nonfat milk
1 1/2 cups (none)
fresh parsley
1/4 cup (chopped)
fresh thyme
2 tablespoons (chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried))
salt
1 1/2 teaspoons (none)
black pepper
1 teaspoon (none)
cooking spray
to coat (none)
frozen puff pastry
1 sheet (thawed)
Instructions
1
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
2
In a large dutch oven, bring the fat-free low-sodium chicken broth to a boil. Add the thawed peas, baking potato, sweet potato, celery root, parsnip, and frozen pearl onions. Cover the pot, reduce the heat, and let it simmer for about 6 minutes to soften the vegetables.
3
Add the diced boneless skinless chicken breast to the pot. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
4
Using a slotted spoon, carefully remove the chicken and vegetables from the broth and transfer them into a large mixing bowl.
5
Increase the heat to medium. In a separate medium bowl, lightly spoon the flour into a measuring cup, leveling it off with a knife. Take all but 1 tablespoon of the flour and combine it with the nonfat milk, whisking until smooth and well blended.
6
Gradually add the milk and flour mixture to the simmering broth in the dutch oven. Stir frequently, cooking for about 5 minutes or until the mixture thickens.
7
Once thickened, return the chicken and vegetables to the pot. Stir in the chopped fresh parsley, thyme, salt, and black pepper until combined.
8
Spoon the chicken and vegetable filling evenly into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish that has been coated with cooking spray.
9
Sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of flour onto a clean surface and roll the thawed puff pastry into a rectangle measuring 9 x 13 inches. Carefully lay the pastry over the filling, pressing the edges to seal.
10
Cut several slits in the puff pastry to allow steam to escape, and lightly spray the top with cooking spray.
11
To catch any drips, place the baking dish on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 16 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
Nutrition Information
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Guilt-Free Chicken Pot Pie?
It is a heart-healthy version of the classic comfort dish featuring nutritious root vegetables and lean chicken breast in a creamy yet low-fat sauce.
What vegetables are included in this recipe?
The recipe includes frozen peas, baking potatoes, sweet potatoes, celery root (celeriac), parsnips, and frozen white pearl onions.
How is this pot pie made guilt-free?
It uses fat-free low-sodium chicken broth, nonfat milk, and boneless skinless chicken breast to keep the fat content low while maintaining flavor.
What temperature should the oven be set to?
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) before baking the pot pie.
How long do you simmer the vegetables?
The vegetables should simmer in the chicken broth for about 6 minutes to soften them.
How long does the chicken cook in the broth?
After adding the chicken to the pot with the vegetables, cook it for an additional 5 minutes or until cooked through.
How do you thicken the pot pie filling?
Thicken the sauce by whisking flour into nonfat milk and gradually adding it to the simmering broth for about 5 minutes until thickened.
What size baking dish is needed?
You will need an 11 x 7-inch baking dish that has been coated with cooking spray.
How should the puff pastry be prepared?
Roll the thawed puff pastry on a floured surface into a 9 x 13-inch rectangle to fit over the filling.
Why do you need to cut slits in the puff pastry?
Cutting slits in the top of the pastry allows steam to escape during the baking process.
How long does the pot pie bake?
Bake the pie for 16 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
Can I use dried herbs instead of fresh?
Yes, you can substitute 2 teaspoons of dried thyme for the 2 tablespoons of fresh thyme called for in the recipe.
Should the puff pastry be frozen or thawed when rolling?
The puff pastry should be thawed before you attempt to roll it out and place it over the filling.
What is the best way to prevent oven messes?
Place the baking dish on a foil-lined baking sheet to catch any filling that might drip over the sides.
What kind of chicken is used?
The recipe calls for 1 pound of boneless skinless chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces.
Do the pearl onions need to be fresh?
No, this recipe specifically uses 10 ounces of frozen white pearl onions.
How should the potatoes be prepared?
The baking potato and sweet potato should be peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice.
What is celery root?
Also known as celeriac, it is a root vegetable that adds a savory, earthy flavor to the pot pie filling.
How many ingredients are in this recipe?
There are 16 total ingredients including the herbs and seasonings.
Is there any butter in the filling?
No, the filling uses a flour and nonfat milk mixture for creaminess instead of a traditional butter-based roux.
Can I use regular milk instead of nonfat milk?
While nonfat milk is used to keep it guilt-free, you can use other milk, though it will change the fat content.
How do you handle the flour for the sauce?
Lightly spoon the flour into a measuring cup and level it off. Use all but one tablespoon for the milk mixture.
What should I do with the remaining tablespoon of flour?
The remaining tablespoon of flour is used to dust the surface for rolling out the puff pastry.
Is the chicken broth fat-free?
Yes, the recipe specifically recommends fat-free low-sodium chicken broth.
Should the peas be frozen when added?
The frozen peas should be thawed before being added to the boiling broth.
What seasonings are used?
The pie is seasoned with fresh parsley, fresh thyme, salt, and black pepper.
How many people does this serve?
While the serving count is not specified, an 11 x 7-inch dish typically serves 4 to 6 people.
Is the parsnip peeled?
The recipe instructions note that the parsnip should be sliced 1/2 inch thick.
How do I know when the chicken is done?
The chicken is ready when it is opaque throughout, which takes about 5 minutes in the simmering broth.
Can this be used for meal prep?
Yes, this is an excellent savory pie for meal rotation and dinner preparation.