We’ve finally seen a few glimpses of fall down her in the big easy. It still creeps up to about 90 degrees, but regardless, I’m in the mood to switch out some of my dinner go-tos and start reincorporating some fall food classics.
Chicken pot pies are a comfort food classic and therefore perfect when the weather starts to change. But my version doesn’t have to mean decadent, delicious, and guilty. Nope, it’s lighter, nutritious, and still delicious. And to think I didn’t even like chicken pot pies growing up!
You might noticed the golden yellow color that is unique to my twisted recipe. Tumeric is the magic ingredient here providing warmth in color and taste as well as the nutritional benefits of anti-inflammatory properties!
I’ve also added greens to the dish. Why you ask? Well, why not? It’s already loaded with carrots, celery, and onions, so why not boost the nutrition value even more by adding dark leafy greens rather than starchy and less nutritious veggies like corn and peas.
And, when your hubby is from the south and loves his greens and picky about almost anything else, you add them whenever & where ever you can. I actually asked him first if he would fuss if I added them, and he looked at me like I was strange for even asking. Next time I don’t ask and just sneak them in, I’m sure I’ll hear it.
The final key ingredient swap here (and is also a huge time saver) is using 100% whole grain sandwich thins or rounds instead of biscuits or homemade pastry dough.
To prevent it from drying out, I made sure to add extra filling in each cup, which then ran over the top and burned in the oven. But the good thing is I used non-stick spray and have some pretty good elbow grease to save my vintage pan.
If you plan on eating off of this throughout the week, just save yourself some extra chicken stock to splash into each muffin and prevent it from drying out.
And while I would say this recipe is great for the whole family, if you have a picky and stubborn southerner like I do who doesn’t need to watch his calories, then you can make two bathes pretty easily. One like mine here and in a separate dish pour in the filling and top with frozen biscuit dough. One dish, two happy people.
Chicken Pot Pie Muffins
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
1 medium red onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 carrots, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
3 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour
4 cups unsalted chicken stock
1/4 cup half and half
1 cup frozen greens, chopped
1 cup frozen lima beans
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, carrots, and celery. Saute and allow the veggies to soften and become golden. Sprinkle the whole wheat flour over the veggies and toss to coat well and allow to toast the flour. Pour in the chicken stock.
Cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and allow to simmer for about 30 minutes. Add the half and half, greens, and beans and seasoning. Allow to continue to cook for another 20-30 minutes until everything is warmed through.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a muffin pan with non-stick spray. In each muffin cup, work in half of a sandwich round. Tast for about 5-10 minutes.
Fill each muffin cup with the filling. Finish everything by baking it all together for about 20 minutes.
Enjoy the fall y’all!
Becca
twistednutritionblog.com 