Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

Brrrr, it's cold out there!  Just in time for all of the outdoor festivities that go along with the Christmas Season (the tree lighting ceremony, Christmas parade, caroling, etc.), it's gotten unseasonably cold here in Roanoke.  That, of course, makes us think of warm, creamy casserole-type dishes...and inspired this weeks Chicken Pot Pie. 

Suzanne found the original recipe, which also included directions for a biscuit-type topping.  However, in the interest of saving some time, and finding any excuse to eat puff pastry, we switched it out.  We've got the new PointsPlus values listed for WW - I'm having a hard time getting used to them, but trying not to get discouraged/quit!

The great thing about this recipe is that you can make the chicken and gravy mixture ahead of time and just pop it in the oven with the puff pastry topping when you're ready to eat!  We paired this with one of those bagged caesar salads and it was a really satisfying meal!

Chicken Pot Pie from EatingWell.com

PointsPlus™ Value: 11
Servings: 6

3 tsp canola oil, divided
1 cup frozen pearl onions, thawed
1 cup baby carrots
10 oz cremini mushrooms, halved
2 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 1/2 cups roasted chicken breast (chopped)
1 cup green peas, frozen, thawed
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper, to taste
1 Sheet Pepperidge Farm Puff pastry
1 cup cooked frozen corn kernels
1 cup canned potatoes
1 tsp ground thyme
1 cup uncooked string beans

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, peas, green beans, corn, potatoes, sour cream, thyme, salt and pepper. Transfer the filling to a 2-quart baking dish.

Poke holes in thawed puff pastry. Cover baking dish with pastry, trim to fit/overlap. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20-25 minutes or until puffed and golden.

Suz: So, I made a bunch of changes to this recipe.  The original had only mushrooms, onions, carrots and peas.  We added potatoes, corn and green beans.  When I did that, the gravy looked low so I added some extra chicken broth, which ended up making it a little thin.  Rather than baby carrots, I used a peas and carrots frozen blend.  Overall, it was delicious and the sour cream added a nice richness without a whole lot of extra calories.  Also, I'd say it would easily feed 8 with a big salad.

April: The flavor of this was so good and rich. Normally I would add salt and pepper to something like this... I added NOTHING! The gravy was thin. I suggested adding some more cornstarch on the next go round, but there should definitely be more of this one. John loved it as well. Wonderful and warm comfort food.