Chicken Pot Pie after Tramping through The Wellington Botanical Gardens, New Zealand

Here is a recipe loved by my family.  Simple, delicious, full of veggies, and can be amended for less carbs.  Easily made gluten free.

INGREDIENTS – for 2 pies:

• 4 Chicken breast
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Cup chopped onion
• 1 Cup diced celery
• 2 Cups frozen veggies – carrots, corn, peas thawed
• 1/3 Cup full fat butter
• 1/2 Cup all purpose flour (sub almond flour)
• 2 Cups chicken broth
• 1 Cup whole fat milk
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 package of phyllo dough at room temperature, Or 2 pie crusts, (regular or gluten free), (home-made or purchased).

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Heat olive oil in big skillet and cook chicken breasts about 3-4 min per side.  Let them be slightly pink in the middle, then cube (they will continue cooking in the oven later, leaving them a bit pink here will allow the chicken to be tender after being baked in the oven)
2. Sauté the first 2 ingredients in butter in the same big skillet after removing the chicken.  Cook over medium heat until tender.
3. Add flour, stir until smooth.  Cook 1 minute stirring constantly.
4. Add chicken broth and milk.  Cook stirring constantly until thickened and bubbly 2-3 min.
5. Turn off heat and stir in chicken, thawed out veggies, salt pepper.  Cool before pouring into pie dish – VERY Important.  You can freeze the mixture at this point, all or half of it.  Place in zip lock baggies and freeze for later.
6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C)
7. If using phyllo dough refer to step 9 before filling pie dishes.
8. Pour chicken mixture in 2 greased pie dishes.
9. Cover with pie crust, trim edges, poke holes in the top.  OR cut phyllo dough sheets to the size of pie plates, then grease phyllo dough sheets with olive oil 1tsp per sheet and stack about 5-6 on top of the chicken mixtures.  You can add either pie crust or phyllo dough sheets on the bottom, but this recipe cuts the carbs in half just by omitting the bottom crust.  Who needs that anyway?  Serving is a mess regardless of pie crust presence on the bottom.  It’s better to use full fat dairy items and cut down on carbs, rather then low fat dairy and 2 pie crusts per pie.
10. Bake for 30-45 min until crust is golden brown.  Allow the pies to sit for 10 min before serving.

***Health Tip: try to use organic dairy and meats whenever possible.  Full fat organic dairy has  been shown to reduce the risk of diabetes, stroke, and help with weight loss.  Low fat and fat free dairy is full of sugar.

*** Time Saver Tips:  Make extra batches at the same time and freeze them for another week.  Cut up extra onion and celery and freeze in baggies, 1 cup portions.

The Wellington Botanical Gardens: A great tramp to stimulate a hearty appetite.

Life is like a camera, focus on what’s important, capture the good times, develop from the negatives, and if things down work out … just take another shot.  Don’t forget to nourish your body while adjusting your focus, Ana-Maria Temple, MD

Recipes inspired by

• Meal planning magic
• Martha Stewart