How to Cook a Light Chicken Pot Pie Recipe

Chicken pot pie is one of the top comfort foods. Gravy mixed with chunks of chicken and vegetables and topped by a flaky crust is enough to make you cheat on your diet. A chicken pot pie doesn't have to be loaded with calories to be comforting. A chicken pot pie can actually be made with fewer calories and still taste just as decadent. You'll only need a few simple ingredients.

Things You'll Need

• 4 tbsp. butter
• 4 tbsp. flour
• 4 cups chicken broth
• Sea salt, to taste
• Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
• 3 cups boneless, skinless chicken breast, chopped
• 3 cups of frozen mixed vegetables
• 1 refrigerated pie crust

Instructions

1. Use flour and butter to create a roux. (This light recipe does contain butter but it does feed six to eight people so there will not be a lot of fat or calories per serving.) To create the roux, melt the butter in a large pot and whisk in the flour. Cook the roux until light brown and the flour smell is gone.

2. Whisk in chicken broth, salt and pepper to prepare a sauce. Whisk in the chicken broth, making sure to whisk out any lumps of flour. Add salt and pepper and turn the heat to medium-high. Allow the mixture to boil and thicken to desired consistency.

3. Add chicken breast and frozen vegetables. The frozen vegetables don't have to be thawed. The heat of the gravy, plus the additional baking time, will thaw the vegetables. Best of all, by using this method you help ensure the vegetables don't overcook.

4. Place the filling into a pie pan. A bottom crust is not needed, which eliminates many calories and fat grams.

5. Top with the refrigerated crust. Crimp the edges and vent the pie. Crimp the edges of the pie by folding over the edge, placing two fingers on the top of the crust and your thumb on the bottom, in between your fingers. Push your fingers and thumb together and repeat until the entire crust is crimped. Use a paring knife to cut slits in the top of the crust to allow the pie to vent.

6. Bake at 350-degrees Fahrenheit until the crust is brown and the filling is bubbly, about 30 minutes. Because everything except the crust is cooked, the pie only needs to bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.

Tips & Warnings

• Herbs can be added to the gravy for additional flavor. Leftover chicken can be used to save time.

• Place the pie pan on a cookie sheet to catch any drips from the filling.