I know what you're thinking, there's no way that chicken pot pie is healthy or can be healthy...but, as you know, I love to find ways of making these delicious comfort foods that we all love, healthy...ish. And this recipe is no exception. Keeping its comfort-food qualities such as it's creamy and savory chicken filling and buttery flakey crust, but modifying it in the right areas is what makes this dish healthyish. This chicken pot pie has significantly less sodium than most recipes, plus it's gluten-free. The creamy chicken filling is completely dairy-free and to make this dish completely vegan, substitute the butter in the pie crust for vegetable shortening. I really can't believe how delicious this chicken pot pie is considering how much healthier it is than most...don't believe me? Just ask my husband.
I've been following Erin Clarke (the face behind Well Plated) for a while now and this recipe is completely inspired by her. She's absolutely brilliant! Thank you, Erin!
This recipe is incredible, but thought I'd try it without any gluten, a little less salt, and no mushrooms. I also decided to bake these into individual pies, they're much more fun that way!
To start, preheat the oven to 425 F.
Now, let's begin with the chicken pot pie filling. First, you will need 2 cups of shredded chicken. I went ahead and used my Instant Pot. It's so quick and easy. I put 2 organic medium-large skinless, boneless, chicken breasts, and 1/3 cup of water into the Instant Pot and pressure-cooked them with the vent turned to the sealed position for 15 minutes. Then let it slow release for 5 minutes and force release the rest out. Take the chicken breasts out and either shred them with 2 forks or use a mixer. I prefer using my Kitchen Aid Mixer, with the whisk attachment. It's a much faster and easier way to shred the chicken, definitely worth the extra dish to wash. Once the chicken is shredded, place it in a bowl and set aside.
In a large dutch oven or similar large pot with a thick and heavy bottom, pour in 2 tbsp of olive oil. Heat oil over medium-high heat. Add in 2 medium-sized organic garlic cloves (minced), 1 cup of organic carrots (diced) I used orange and white carrots, 3/4 cup of organic celery (diced), 1/2 tsp of salt, and 1 tsp of freshly ground black pepper. Stir until well combined, then cook for a few minutes, until the carrots begin to soften.
Stir in 1/4 cup of gluten-free flour. I really like Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All-Purpose Baking Flour. Allow the flour to coat the vegetables and brown. Cook for just a couple of minutes or until you no longer see any white bits of flour on the vegetables. Be careful not to let it burn.
Next, slowly add in 2 cups of unsweetened almond milk. I prefer the Almond Breeze Original, Unsweetened, It's delicious. As you add in the almond milk, make sure to scrape the browned bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan. Those bits have a ton of flavor and help make the filling even yummier. Bring to a low boil and allow the mixture to thicken....about 35 minutes or so. Stir occasionally.
Once the mixture has thickened, turn the heat down to medium-low, then add in 2 cups of shredded chicken, 1/2 cup of frozen peas, 3/4 cup of organic yellow onion (chopped), and 1 tbsp of fresh organic thyme (chopped). Stir until well combined. Cook for another minute or two, then cover and remove from heat.
Now let's start on the gluten-free pie crust. This pie crust recipe yields for 2 (10 inch). You will have some leftover, I recommend freezing and using another time.
Cut 12 tbsp or 1 and a 1/2 stick of organic unsalted butter and 1/3 cups of organic vegetable shortening into small dice-sized cubes. You can definitely substitute the butter for vegetable shortening to make this recipe fully dairy-free. The butter helps make the dough a bit more flakey. Place the cubed butter and shortening in the freezer while you get the remaining ingredients ready.
Place 3 cups of gluten-free flour (I use Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All-Purpose Baking Flour), 1/2 tsp of salt, and 1 tbsp of organic raw turbinado sugar into the food processor. Pulse a few times until the mixture is well combined.
Go ahead and take the cubed butter and vegetable shortening out of the freezer. It should be very cold. Add it into the food processor and pulse until the butter is the size of a pea. Some pieces may be bigger or smaller, that's totally fine. With the food processor running, slowly add in the ice-cold water through the feeder. Stop adding the water when you see that the dough is barely moist enough to hold together. You can test this by pressing the dough together with your fingers. You most likely won't use all of the water. Then, pulse the food processor until the dough forms. Be careful not to overdo it. As soon as you see that the dough has formed, stop the machine and take the dough out.
Flour the ball of dough, then flatten it into a disk. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Once the dough has chilled, unwrap it and divide it into 2 portions. You will only need to use one portion for this recipe unless you are doubling. You can refrigerate the dough for up to 2 days or freeze up to 2 months.
Once the chicken pie filling is done and the gluten-free pie crust has chilled for 30 minutes, it's time to start assembling the pies.
In a small bowl, whisk 1 egg and set aside.
Place the pie dough on a large floured surface and begin to roll the dough out into a large circle. Be careful not to roll it out too thin. The gluten-free crust tastes absolutely amazing, but it is a bit more difficult to work with the dough, as it tends o crumble or crack a little easier than a dough with gluten. Place one of the pie dishes upside down on the dough and cut the dough into a circle about a 1/2 inch out from the pie dish. Repeat this process until you have enough pie crusts for each pie dish. Set them aside.
Brush each pie dish edge with the egg wash using a basting brush. This will help the dough adhere to the dish better.
Fill each dish with the chicken pot pie filling. Fill them up to the top.
Center and place each pie crust dough over each pot pie and gently press down the dough onto the edges of the dish to ensure that the pie is sealed. Then, gather the excess dough hanging over the pie dish, and with your pointer finger and thumb, press the dough into a nice crimped edge. Do this all the way around the dish until all edges are nice and crimped. With a knife, make 3 small slits into the top of the dough (for ventilation), then brush a small amount of egg wash over each pie crust, this will help create a golden-brown crust.
Place the pies onto a large rimmed baking sheet and cook in the oven for 25-30 minutes. The crust should be golden-brown. Let the pies rest for a couple of minutes before serving.
Hope you enjoy this recipe! Let me know if you have any questions! :)
INGREDIENTS:
Pie Filling:
2 cups of cooked and shredded organic chicken breast
2 cups of unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup gluten-free flour
2 medium-sized organic garlic cloves, minced
1 cup organic carrots, diced (I used white and orange carrots)
3/4 cup of organic celery, diced
1/2 cup frozen peas
3/4 cup of organic yellow onion, chopped
1 tbsp of fresh organic thyme, chopped
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 egg
Pie Crust:
(Makes 2 (10 inch) pie crusts, you will have some leftover that I recommend freezing and using at another time)
12 tbsp (1 1/2 stick) of organic unsalted butter, very cold
1/3 cup of organic vegetable shortening, very cold
3 cups of gluten-free flour
1/2 tsp of salt
1 tbsp of raw turbinado sugar
1/2 cup of ice water (you might not use all of it)
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Once the chicken pot pie filling (see pie filling instructions below) is done and the pie crust (see pie crust instructions below) has chilled, place the individual pie dishes on a large rimmed baking sheet.
3. In a small bowl, whisk the egg and set aside.
4. Place the pie dough on a large floured surface. Roll it out into a large circle. Place one of the pie dishes upside down on the dough and cut the dough into a circle about a 1/2 inch out from the pie dish. Repeat this process until you have enough pie crusts for each pie dish. Set them aside.
5. Brush the edges of each pie dish with the egg wash, then fill each pie dish with the chicken pot pie filling. Fill them up to the top.
6. Place the pie crust over each pie dish, centered. Gently press the dough onto the edges of the pie dish, then gather the excess dough hanging over and with your pointer finger and thumb, press the dough into a nice crimped edge. Do this all the way around. With a knife, make 3 small slits into the top of the dough, then brush a small amount of egg wash over each pie crust.
7. Place the pies back onto the baking sheet and place in the oven. Cook for 25-30 minutes. The crust should be golden brown. Let the pies rest for a couple of minutes before serving.
Pie filling:
1. For the chicken: place the chicken breasts in the instant pot, add in 1/3 cup of water, salt, and pepper. Pressure cook on sealed for 15 minutes. Let it slow release for 5 minutes, then force release the rest. You can shred the chicken with 2 forks or I like to use my kitchen aid mixer, using the whisk attachment, it's much faster. Place shredded chicken in a bowl, set aside.
2. In a large dutch oven or pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in the celery, garlic, carrots, salt, and pepper. Stir together and cook until the carrots begin to soften.
3. Stir the flour into the vegetables to allow it to brown. Cook for just a couple of minutes or until you no longer see any white bits of flour on the vegetables. Be careful not to let it burn. Next, slowly add in the almond milk and stir. Bring to a low boil, scrape the bottom of the pan to help loosen up any browned bits. This adds extra flavor to your filling as it thickens. Continue to let it boil until the mixture has thickened, about 35 minutes.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add in the shredded chicken, peas, onion, and thyme, stir until well combined. Cook for another minute or two. Then, remove from heat.
Pie crust:
1. Cut the butter and vegetable shortening into small diced cubes, place them in the freezer.
2. Place the gluten-free flour, salt, and sugar in the food processor. Pulse a few times, or until the mixture is well combined.
3. Take the diced butter and vegetable shortening out of the freezer and add it to the food processor. Pulse the processor until the butter is the size of a pea.
4. With the food processor running, slowly add in the iced water through the feeder. Stop adding the water when you see that the dough is barely moist enough to hold itself together. Then pulse until the dough forms.
5. Flour the ball of dough, flatten into a disk, then wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
6. Once the dough has chilled, divide it up into 2 portions. You can either use both immediately or you can place one in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
NOTES
- To make this recipe completely dairy-free, substitute the butter in the pie crust recipe, for vegetable shortening.
- To make this recipe vegetarian, substitute the shredded chicken for 2 cups of more vegetables.
Enjoy!!!
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