Looking to ditch some of the calories and fat? This lighter chicken pot pie uses phyllo dough and a lightened up sauce to make it waistline friendly!
I love chicken pot pie. It is the absolute definition of comfort food. Well, maybe homemade mac and cheese would win that title, but pot pie sure comes close. In the past year or so, I’ve become a hardcore freezer stocker and from-the-pantry cook. Generally, chicken pot pie would not fall in either of those categories unless we’re talking frozen Swanson’s dinner.
I’d like to introduce my solution to that puzzle. The beauty of this particular pot pie is that it is basically a pantry/freezer staple except for the chicken. Pick yourself up a rotisserie chicken and you’ll be all set. Shred and freeze a rotisserie chicken for later and this does officially become a pantry-only recipe.
The most surprising part is the use of phyllo dough instead of traditional pie crust. It looks like it would be so difficult and in fact is far easier. If you follow my recommendation of using an 8 x 11 baking dish, the phyllo sheets will fit perfectly across the top without trimming. Phyllo is only tricky when you have to cut it and mold it. Here, you just lay it right down and move on. The use of cooking spray even prevents the frustration of a pastry brush tearing the delicate sheets.
lighter chicken pot pie
Ingredients
- 1 rotisserie chicken, meat shredded
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1/4 ts dried thym leaves
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 1/2 cups skim milk
- 1 bag of frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, peas, green beans)
- 6 phyllo sheets, thawed
- Cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add onion and thyme, season with salt and pepper, and cook until onions are translucent and soft. Add flour, cook 1 minute. Gradually add milk, stirring until smooth. Cook, stirring occasionally until mixture comes to a simmer and thickens.
- Remove from heat; stir in chicken and thawed frozen vegetables. Pour filling into an 8×11 baking dish (a 2 qt pan).
- Working quickly, place 2 sheets of phyllo dough across the top of the filling. Spray an even coat of cooking spray. Add another 2 sheets of dough, spray. Place the final 2 sheets of dough and brush evenly with just a bit of real olive oil for better taste and browning, or go easy and use more spray.
- Bake until golden and bubbling, 20 – 25 minutes.
Costume on the back burner
Colet
oooh, I have some leftover chicken and a husband who loves chicken pot pie. Trying this tonight; thanks, Tiff!
Renee
This sounds REALLY good. Husband and son would not eat it, though, so I’m sending it on to my mom who will enjoy it immensely! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Jodie
Question for you about this recipe – do you make the whole thing and freeze it or just the insides and make the pastry fresh? I feel like this is a silly questions, but I am going to embark on freezer filling this week!
Tiffany
Happy to clarify, Jodie. Actually all the ingredients are either frozen separately or from my pantry. I then assemble the entire thing the night I’m going to bake it. So, freeze all the ingredients as ingredients, not as a prepared filling. I even portion out the shredded chicken and vegetables when I’m stocking the freezer so all you have to do is grab the right ingredients and dump them in as needed, they’re already prepped and ready to use.
Lindsay
Ok, I have this in the oven right now. I hope it tastes like a pot pie, I did add more seasoning than just thyme, such as garlic powder, a poultry seasoning, and parsley. Wish me luck!! – Lindsay
Lindsay
I didn’t care much for the phyllo dough, it tasted like paper but other than that it was great. Thanks!