I know this seems to be a bit of a heavy dish, especially the week after Thanksgiving, but I’m not lying when I say this potpie is actually pretty healthy.  Typically potpie is full of cream and butter, and tastes really, really delicious.  Me being me, I wanted to lighten it up, make it low fat and add some whole grains. Frankly, it’s still really, really delicious. The flavor comes from roasted veggies, a quick roux, yummy chicken and some lovin’.

This would also be the perfect dish for Thanksgiving turkey or some leftover chicken. Veg-heads could easily make this vegetarian or vegan friendly by modifying the ingredients a bit. Use what you’ve got and then revel in your warm, cozy, comfort food that won’t make your pants feel any tighter than they already are.

* Seriously struggling with lighting my food photos when it’s dark out so early. Any tips on artificial lighting for photos?

Chicken Potpie with Biscuit Crust
* Serves four

Ingredients

For the filling:
2 small chicken breasts (or leftover turkey)
2 cups roasted root vegetables (I used butternut squash and carrots)
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 tbsp. butter
1/2 cup low sodium chicken stock
1/2 cup low fat milk
2 tbsp. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
cooking spray
olive oil, salt and pepper to taste for seasoning

For the crust:
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tbsp. melted butter
1/2 cup low fat milk

1.) Heat the oven to 425*F. Cut your root vegetables into bite size pieces and toss with olive oil, and a bit of salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Roast on a baking sheet for about 20 minutes or until soft.
2.) Meanwhile, heat a large skillet to medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Cut the chicken into bite size pieces and season lightly with salt and pepper. Saute until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Once the chicken is cooked remove it from the pan and set aside.
3.) Melt 1 tbsp. butter in the pan then add the 2 tbsp. of flour. Stir together to create a roux. Cook for about 2 minutes, then add the milk and stock. Add in the salt, garlic powder, mustard and a dash of black pepper. Cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly, until smooth and thick. Add the peas and chicken.
4.) In a mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the biscuit crust. Set aside.
5.) When the root vegetables are done cooking, toss them into the pan with the sauce mixture. Spray a 8 x 8 x 2 square dish with cooking spray then pour in the sauce mixture.
6.) Top with the biscuit dough, spreading it out with a spoon as much as possible. Bake at 425*F for 15 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and let it sit for about 5 minutes to set up. Eat!