Recipe: Chicken Pot Pie…Without The Pie

The cold weather here in Boston has me craving warm, hearty dishes (this week the high has been 10 degrees!). Chicken pot pie sounded really good but I didn’t want all the fat and carbs that come with the pie part. I came up with this recipe on the fly and it turned out so delicious. I am very pleased! I didn’t miss the crust at all so I’d say it’s a really nice alternative to standard chicken pot pie. You could also totally leave out the chicken to make a vegetarian option too.

Domestocrat’s Chicken Pot Pie…Without The Pie (yields 5 servings)
3 carrots, chopped into small pieces
5 celery stalks, chopped into small pieces
1 large onion, chopped into small pieces
1 zucchini, chopped into small pieces
1 summer squash, chopped into small pieces
1.5 cups baby bella mushrooms, chopped into small pieces
1/2 cup frozen peas
4 cloves garlic, finely minced (2 tbsp. total)
2 cups shredded chicken (I use rotisserie chicken)
1.5 cups chicken stock (I make my own the day before with the rotisserie bones)
1.5 cups 1% milk
4 oz. cream cheese
1 tbsp. EVOO
1/2 tsp. pepper
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. italian seasoning

Nutritional information per serving: 272 calories, 13 g fat, 20 g protein, 19 g carbs, 5 g fiber.

Start by chopping the carrot, celery, and onion into small, uniform pieces. Saute over medium heat with 1 tbsp. EVOO for 10 minutes. The consistency after this time should be tender but not browned.

While the mire poix cooks, chop the squash, zucchini, and mushrooms into small, uniform pieces. Add to the pan and stir to combine. Cook on medium-low heat for 7-10 minutes. Again, you don’t want vegetable mush – just tender, cooked through veg. After this time, add the chopped garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Next add the chicken stock, milk, and spices.

Then increase the heat to high and add the cream cheese. Whisk until melted and the mixture is bubbling. Add the chicken and peas, put the lid on the pan, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

If you find the consistency isn’t thick enough, you can raise the heat to high and boil for the last 5 minutes with the lid off to reduce the sauce a bit. I did and the sauce was exactly what I wanted. Totally optional though!

The flavors in this dish were perfect, and I’m so happy with how it turned out. If you miss the crust you could totally use this filling with a crust-based recipe, but I encourage you to try it without. It’s everything a warm, hearty winter recipe should be – nourishing, filling, and full of healthy veggies. You can serve this right away or store in tupperware for 3-5 days and reheat in the microwave.