When the temps start dropping, I start craving all the comfort foods! One of my favorites being Chicken Pot Pie. Nothing quite says fall like a piping hot bowl of my momma’s Chicken Pot Pie. The buttery, flaky crust that melts in your mouth. And that creamy, hearty filling bursting with chicken, peas, carrots, and onions. My mouth is salivating just talking about it! It’s been a Snyder family favorite dish ever since I can remember, not to mention I often requested it for birthday dinners, because it’s just that DANG GOOD.

Chicken Pot Pie gives me all the fall feels, however its nutrition facts are less than savory. Don’t get me wrong, I love indulging in comfort foods, but because of this dish’s high fat and calorie content, it’s best to keep it as a special occasion dinner. That’s why I created two recipe hacks on this classic, because when it comes to making wise nutrition choices, you should never sacrifice flavor.

That’s honestly a really good motto to live by in the kitchen. All too often I think people think that you have to cut all the “bad foods” out of your diet in order to be “healthy”. But unfortunately, that’s not how our bodies function. Having a restriction mentality can lead to some extremely unhealthy habits. Not to mention, vitamin deficiencies, anemia, fatigue, hormone dysregulation, metabolism dysfunction, etc. Our bodies need energy to survive, and that comes in the form of healthy fats, proteins, and carbs. All these fad diets out there are trying to convince us that carbs are the devil and that sugar is gonna make you obese. Well, I have news for you: all foods in excess can be detrimental to your health, but moderation is the key to maintaining a healthy diet. We need to quit with the restrictive diet mentality.

Okay, now I’ll get off my soapbox. But I truly do hope that more people see that the answer to living a healthy and happy lifestyle isn’t restriction, it’s dynamically changing the way we view foods.

And on that note, let’s talk about some Healthy Chicken Pot Pie Hacks!

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Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Calling this Chicken Pot Pie in soup form is a bit of a stretch. It’s kinda more like Chicken Noodle Soup but without the noodles and add in some peas and potatoes. It has all the components of the Chicken Pot Pie filling just without the crust and a bit more brothy. Get the picture?

Not only is this dish husband-approved, it’s also super hearty for those fall and winter weeknight dinners. Great for feeding a crowd or meal prepping for the week.

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Chicken Pot Pie Soup Recipe (gluten-free)

1-1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken tenderloins, diced
olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 cup carrots, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
2 1/2 cups yukon gold potatoes, diced
2 1/2 cups cauliflower florets, diced
1 tsp dried thyme
salt & pepper
1 tsp Herbes de Provence
2 cups unsweetened almond milk (alternatives: skim, cashew, or 2%)
3 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 cup frozen peas

1. Place a large dutch oven or stainless steel cooking dish over medium high heat. Add a Tbsp of olive oil, and when oil is hot, add the diced chicken tenderloins. Add salt and pepper as it cooks (approximately 5-7 minutes) until it is no longer pink. Remove the chicken from the dutch oven and set aside in a small bowl.
2. Now add another Tbsp of olive oil to the dutch oven along with the chopped onion, carrots, celery, potatoes, cauliflower, thyme, and Herbes de Provence. Saute until the onion softens slightly. Then add the almond milk, chicken broth, and more S&P. Simmer for 10 minutes without the lid on.
3. This step makes ALL the difference in the consistency of this broth! Remove 2 cups of the soup (vegetables and broth) from the dutch oven and blend with either an upright blender or immersion blender. Blend until completely smooth throughout (no lumps or bumps) then transfer back to dutch oven. Add your frozen peas and chicken into the pot. Cover and let simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes.
4. Serve with crackers, wheat rolls, or biscuits.

Crustless Chicken Pot Pie

This recipe incorporates everything you love about Chicken Pot Pie sans crust. It’s dense, hearty, and delish! You honestly don’t even miss the crust in this dish, because it’s so filling on its own. However, we did eat wheat rolls with this last time we made it, so maybe that cancels out all our health efforts. Oh well, at least it’s not Marie Callender’s.

Crustless Chicken Pot Pie Recipe

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup carrots, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
1 cup frozen peas
1 15oz can cream of mushroom soup
1 28oz can cream of chicken soup
salt & pepper, to taste
Herbes de Provence

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Add 1 Tbsp of olive oil to a medium-sized frying pan. Turn the heat to medium-high and saute all your diced veggies until slightly softened (approximately 8 minutes).
3. In a separate saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add chicken breasts and boil until thoroughly cooked. Place cooked chicken breasts on a cutting board and let cool. Then using two forks, shred the chicken until it comes apart into bite-sized portions.
4. In a large mixing bowl, mix the sauteed vegetables, shredded chicken, and soup together. Then add the frozen peas. Transfer mixture to a greased 9×13 casserole dish.
5. Cook for 40-45 minutes. Let sit a few minutes before serving.
6. Serve with wheat bread or crackers. Enjoy!