When it comes to recipes, there can be big differences in how many calories are packed into meals that have some of the same essential ingredients. In recent weeks, I tried out two chicken pot pie recipes that bring down the calorie count but still keep the food tasty.
For anyone who is trying to eat healthy, chicken pot pie is generally a no-go. It has a flaky pie crust and a creamy gravy that is made with heavy cream and butter. Sure, is has lots of vegetables in it, but the value of those gets lost in all the luxury of the crust and gravy.
I decided to see if a lower-fat option for chicken pot pies would produce a satisfying alternative by using skinless chicken breast, lots of vegetables and a few other ingredients. The key to both of the recipes below is that the pot pie does not have a typical crust.
They both eliminate the bottom crust entirely. The top crust for one is made of phyllo dough and the other uses reduced-fat crescent rolls as sort of an accent around the edge of a casserole dish.
Both dishes also eliminate most of the butter and replace it with cooking spray or a little bit of olive oil. The heavy cream is gone, too. One uses fat-free evaporated milk and another used fat-free milk. The result was a meal packed with vegetables that still had flavors reminiscent of the original dish.
Old-fashioned chicken pot pie
Recipe courtesy of Weight Watchers
Cooking spray
1 tsp. salted butter
1 small onion, chopped
2 c. fresh mushrooms, sliced
¼ tsp. paprika
¼ tsp. dried thyme, crushed
½ tsp. table salt or more to taste
¼ tsp. black pepper
2 c. frozen mixed vegetables
1 c. canned chicken broth
3 c. cooked skinless, boneless chicken breast, chopped
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
½ c. fat-free evaporated milk, divided
4 reduced-fat crescent roll dough, unrolled
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Coat a 10-inch round shallow baking dish with cooking spray.
Coat a large pot with cooking spray. Add butter and melt over medium heat. Add onion and mushrooms and cook, until tender, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Stir in paprika, thyme, salt and pepper. Add vegetables, broth and chicken. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.
In a small cup, combine flour and 1/4 cup of evaporated milk; stir into chicken mixture. Cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/4 cup of evaporated milk and cook until mixture is slightly thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes more.
Spoon chicken mixture into prepared baking dish. Unroll crescent rolls and arrange dough around inside edge of baking dish to form a border (there will be a hole in the middle). Bake until rolls are golden brown and filling is bubbly, about 15 minutes. Cut into 6 pieces and serve.
Calories: 473.6; Total Fat: 13.5 g; Saturated Fat:3.5g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.9g: Monounsaturated Fat: 0.9 g; Cholesterol: 94.6 mg; Sodium: 677.7 mg; Potassium: 974.4 mg; Total Carbohydrate: 42.1 g; Dietary Fiber: 5.8 g; Sugars: 7.1 g; Protein: 46.4 g
You and me chicken pot pies
Recipe courtesy of Ellie Krieger
Cooking spray
1 1/4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 leeks, bottom 4 inches only, washed well and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 medium potatoes cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 lb. green beans, trimmed and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 c. low-fat milk
1/3 c. all-purpose flour
2 c. low-sodium chicken broth
1 c. frozen peas
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
3 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
2 tbsp. grated Parmesan
Calories: 355.7; Total Fat 9.2 g; Saturated Fat: 2.0 g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.3 g; Monounsaturated Fat: 6.3 g; Cholesterol: 18.2 mg; Sodium: 709.2 mg; Potassium: 1,142.3 mg; Total Carbohydrate: 52.9 g; Dietary Fiber: 6.5 g; Sugars 9.6 g; Protein 16.7 g
Chicken pot pies
Recipe courtesy of Ina Garten
3 whole (6 split) chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on
3 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
5 c. chicken stock, preferably homemade
2 chicken bouillon cubes
12 tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 c. yellow onions, chopped (2 onions)
3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. heavy cream
2 c. medium-diced carrots, blanched for 2 minutes
1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas (2 cups)
1 1/2 c. frozen small whole onions
1/2 c. minced fresh parsley leaves
For the pastry:
3 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c. vegetable shortening
1/4 lb. cold unsalted butter, diced
1/2 to 2/3 c. ice water
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
Flaked sea salt and cracked black pepper
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then remove the meat from the bones and discard the skin. Cut the chicken into large dice. You will have 4 to 6 cups of cubed chicken.
In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock and dissolve the bouillon cubes in the stock. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce. Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick. Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and heavy cream. Add the cubed chicken, carrots, peas, onions and parsley. Mix well.
For the pastry, mix the flour, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the shortening and butter and mix quickly with your fingers until each piece is coated with flour. Pulse 10 times, or until the fat is the size of peas.
With the motor running, add the ice water; process only enough to moisten the dough and have it just come together. Dump the dough out onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic and allow it to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Divide the filling equally among 4 ovenproof bowls. Divide the dough into quarters and roll each piece into an 8-inch circle. Brush the outside edges of each bowl with the egg wash, then place the dough on top. Trim the circle to 1/2-inch larger than the top of the bowl.
Crimp the dough to fold over the side, pressing it to make it stick. Brush the dough with egg wash and make 3 slits in the top. Sprinkle with sea salt and cracked pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling hot.
Calories: 2,115.3; Total Fat: 153.8 g; Saturated Fat: 77.8 g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 22.1 g; Monounsaturated Fat: 47.6 g; Cholesterol: 490.8 mg; Sodium: 1,886.5 mg; Potassium: 1,599.8 mg; Total Carbohydrate: 116.2 g; Dietary Fiber: 9.1 g; Sugars:6.1 g; Protein 67.8 g
