So instead of making a traditional recipe that’s loaded with fat, I use EatingWell’s healthier version of this dish (see recipe below) to satisfy my comfort-food craving without the extra calories and fat. It’s comfort food without the guilt.
Here’s how we gave Chicken Potpie a healthy recipe makeover:
- Our Chicken Potpie recipe (see below) gets a great creamy texture from reduced-fat sour cream and is just as rich-tasting as the original that uses heavy cream.
- Our version is also bulked up with extra vegetables for a boost of fiber.
- The classic flaky crust is still flaky, but we use buttermilk and just a touch of butter to give it flavor and texture.
Find more delicious chicken recipes here.
Here are a couple more of my favorite comfort-food recipes made healthy:
Baked Mac & Cheese: Mac & cheese can be a true comfort on a gloomy day, and our healthy update takes advantage of extra-sharp Cheddar balanced with creamy low-fat cottage cheese and tucks a layer of spinach into the middle, which may help picky eaters down their vegetables. Whole-wheat pasta adds robust flavor and extra fiber.
Chicken-Fried Steak: Can you really make a chicken-fried steak that isn't loaded with saturated fat and salt? Absolutely. We skip the deep frying, but with rich country gravy as consolation, you won't miss it. Our pan-fried, crispy cube steak has less than one-third of the fat and about 80 percent less sodium.
Chicken Potpie: This chicken potpie is studded with peas, mushrooms, carrots and onions and topped with tender whole-wheat biscuits. The savory sauce gets a rich taste from reduced-fat sour cream, but with less fat and calories. And it ends up just as delicious and comforting as you expect.
Filling
3 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1 cup frozen pearl onions, thawed
1 cup peeled baby carrots
10 ounces cremini mushrooms, halved
2 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken or turkey
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Biscuit topping
3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour (see Ingredient Note, below)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup nonfat buttermilk (see Tip, below)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1. To prepare filling: Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a
large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions and
carrots; cook, stirring, until golden brown and tender, about 7
minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in
the pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring
often, until browned and their liquid has evaporated, 5 to 7
minutes. Return the onions and carrots to the pan. Add 2 cups broth
and bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer. Mix cornstarch with
the remaining 1/2 cup broth; add to the pan and cook, stirring,
until the sauce thickens. Stir in chicken (or turkey), peas, sour
cream, salt and pepper. Transfer the filling to a 2-quart baking
dish.
2. To prepare biscuit topping & bake potpie:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour,
sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and thyme in a large bowl.
Using your fingertips or 2 knives, cut butter into the dry
ingredients until crumbly. Add buttermilk and oil; stir until just
combined. Drop the dough onto the filling in 6 even portions. Set
the baking dish on a baking sheet.
3. Bake the potpie until the topping is golden and the filling is
bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before
serving.
Makes 6 servings.
Per serving: 403 calories; 12 g fat (4 g sat, 4 g mono); 64 mg
cholesterol; 46 g carbohydrate; 29 g protein; 4 g fiber; 667 mg
sodium; 427 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (70% daily value), Fiber (16% dv).
Ingredient Note: Whole-wheat pastry flour is milled from soft wheat. It contains less gluten than regular whole-wheat flour and helps ensure a tender result in delicate baked goods while providing the nutritional benefits of whole grains. Available in large supermarkets and in natural-foods stores. Store in the freezer.
Tip: No buttermilk? You can use buttermilk powder prepared according to package directions. Or make “sour milk”: mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk.
By Hilary Meyer
EatingWell assistant editor Hilary Meyer spends much of her time in the EatingWell Test Kitchen, testing and developing healthy recipes. She is a graduate of New England Culinary Institute.
Related Links from EatingWell:
- Get healthy recipes, health tips, food news and more at EatingWell.com.
- Find more than 100 delicious seasonally-inspired recipes in our newest book, EatingWell in Season: The Farmers’ Market Cookbook.
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