Is chicken pot pie healthy?

Whether or not chicken pot pie is considered healthy depends on the recipe and ingredients used. However, there are ways to make chicken pot pie a bit more nutritious. Some tweaks to make it healthier include: - Using a whole grain or almond flour crust or whole wheat biscuits (like our recipe below!) instead of traditional white flour. - Adding more vegetables to the filling, like celery, sweet potatoes, green beans, carrots, or peas. Be sure to saute them with the other veggies in the recipe below. - Avoiding high-fat dairy products and using a lower-fat dairy product, such as milk or plain Greek yogurt, instead of heavy cream. Our recipe uses a little bit of soft herb cheese rather than heavy cream. - Using skinless chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs. Either will work fine. - Using herbs and spices to add flavor instead of extra salt. Try adding in poultry seasoning, Italian seasoning, and pepper to enhance the flavor. By making these types of modifications, you can create a chicken pot pie that is lower in calories and fat, higher in fiber and nutrients, and overall a healthier option.

How can I thicken the chicken pot pie?

If your chicken pot pie filling is too thin, there are a few methods you can use to thicken it: Cornstarch Slurry: In a small bowl, whisk together equal parts cornstarch and cold water to create a slurry. Stir the slurry into the pot pie filling and cook for a few minutes until the filling thickens. (Thickening will take about 30 minutes in the crock pot.) Flour Roux: In a small saucepan, melt a tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add a tablespoon of flour and whisk until smooth. Cook the roux for a minute or two, then whisk it into the pot pie filling. Cook for a few minutes on the stovetop until the filling thickens. Mashed Potatoes: Here's a unique idea. Stir in leftover mashed potatoes to the filling until the desired thickness is reached. Reduction: If you prefer a more intense flavor, you can try reducing the pot pie filling. Pour the filling into a saucepan or the Instant Pot. Cook over medium-high heat or use the Saute setting on the Instant Pot, stirring occasionally, until the filling has reduced to your desired thickness. Remember that the filling will thicken further as it cools, so it's best to err on the side of caution and not over-thicken the filling. If you end up with a filling that is too thick, you can always thin it out by stirring in a bit of chicken broth or milk.

Is chicken pot pie dairy-free?

It can be! Be sure to saute veggies in oil instead of butter. And use dairy-free KiteHill Chive Cream Cheese in place of the herb soft cheese we use in this recipe.

Can chicken pot pie be gluten-free?

Use 1:1 gluten-free baking flour in place of wheat flour in the chicken mixture. Then omit the biscuits, buy gluten-free canned or frozen biscuits from the store or try making these .

Crock Pot Chicken Pot Pie (with Biscuits) (with a Secret Ingredient)

Name: Crock Pot Chicken Pot Pie
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: PT-481891H37M29S
Total time: PT-481891H37M29S
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1-2 tablespoons avocado oil, olive oil, or butter; 1 cup diced yellow onion (about 1/2 large onion); 2 cups diced carrots (about 4 medium carrots); 2 cups diced red potatoes, in 1/2-inch pieces (about 3/4 pound); Salt and ground black pepper; 2 tablespoons white whole wheat or all-purpose flour (sub: 1:1 gluten-free baking flour); 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, homemade or store-bought; 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed; 1 (5-6 ounce) package Garlic and Herb Soft Cheese, crumbled (recommend: Boursin or Alouette brands)*; 1/2 cup frozen peas; 6 freshly baked Whole Wheat Buttermilk Biscuits or store-bought biscuits

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Crock Pot Chicken Pot Pie

Our Crock Pot Chicken Pot Pie recipe (with a secret “flavor bomb” ingredient) is creamy, dreamy, and super easy to make. Plus, it’s healthier than most versions and freezer-friendly, too.

Yield: 6 servings 1x

Prep: 20 minutesCook: 3-4 hoursTotal: 3-4 hours

Scale:

Ingredients

1–2 tablespoons avocado oil, olive oil, or butter
1 cup diced yellow onion (about 1/2 large onion)
2 cups diced carrots (about 4 medium carrots)
2 cups diced red potatoes, in 1/2-inch pieces (about 3/4 pound)
Salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons white whole wheat or all-purpose flour (sub: 1:1 gluten-free baking flour)
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, homemade or store-bought
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
1 (5-6 ounce) package Garlic and Herb Soft Cheese, crumbled (recommend: Boursin or Alouette brands)*
1/2 cup frozen peas
6 freshly baked Whole Wheat Buttermilk Biscuits or store-bought biscuits

*For dairy-free option: Use Kitehill Chive Cream Cheese.

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Instructions

Make It Now:

Saute Veggies: In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat until shimmery. Add the onion, carrots, and potatoes and cook, stirring, until just slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in flour to coat vegetables and cook for 1 minute. Stir in broth until incorporated, scraping up any browned bits.
Slow Cook: Transfer the veggie mixture to the slow cooker. Season the chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper on both sides and nestle them into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on Low for 3 to 4 hours. (The chicken is done when it registers 165°F internally.) (Tip: This is a great time to make the biscuits!)
Shred Chicken: When the chicken is done, transfer it to a cutting board and shred or chop it into bite-size pieces.
Stir in Cheese & Peas: Crumble the garlic and herb soft cheese into the slow cooker and stir until melted. Return the chicken to the mixture in the slow cooker, add the peas, and stir to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Serve: Spoon the chicken mixture into individual bowls and top each one with a warm biscuit.

Freeze For Later: Follow Steps 1-4. Let the chicken mixture cool completely and freeze in an air-tight freezer bag or container (or in individual 2-cup servings using SouperCubes or Pyrex containers). Tip: The uncooked biscuits can also be frozen alongside the chicken pot pie mixture if desired. To do that, dust the cut-out biscuits (that haven’t been baked) with a little flour, place on a sheet pan, and flash freeze for about 2 hours until frozen solid. Toss biscuits into a gallon-size freezer bag, seal, and freeze.

To Prepare From Frozen: Thaw the chicken mixture in the refrigerator or using the defrost setting on the microwave, then warm over low heat on the stove, in the crockpot, or in the microwave. If biscuits were frozen, thaw completely on the counter or refrigerator and bake according to directions. Follow Step 5.

Notes/Tips

Where do I find the Garlic and Herb Soft Cheese? Look in the specialty cheese section. I’ve found that either Alouette or Boursin brands are in most grocery stores.
Dairy-Free Version: Use dairy-free KiteHill Chive Cream Cheese, and use avocado oil or olive oil instead of butter.
Gluten-Free Version: Use 1:1 gluten-free baking flour in place of wheat flour in the chicken mixture. Buy gluten-free canned or frozen biscuits from the store or try making these.
Have an Instant Pot? Try our Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie instead. I like this method because it only dirties up one pot.
Here’s more about how to freeze chicken pot pie in all it’s different versions.
Where We Get Our Chicken: We get our meat from ButcherBox. The chicken is organic and curated from small, trusted farms. We highly recommend this service to source healthy meat–like uncured bacon, wild salmon, and grass-fed beef–and have used it for years ourselves. Read my honest ButcherBox review here.

Cuisine: American Method: Slow Cooker

Find it online: https://thrivinghomeblog.com/crock-pot-chicken-pot-pie/