Chilly Winter Weather = PCOS Friendly Cozy Pot Pie

We have been freshly buried in over 3 feet of additional snow during the last few weeks with sub zero temps to match. It seems some evenings that the only thing to do is to snuggle up with a soft blanket in front of a warm fire.   In the middle of winter when temps are this low, I believe we need heartier, stick to your ribs/comfort food type of fare.  For me, chicken pot pie fits the bill. Most chicken or meat pies pose a problem for women enjoying the PCOS Diva Lifestyle.  The gluten-laden sauce and crust just won’t work for me. It will taste wonderful when I eat it, but I know that I will pay for it later and all the soul-soothing good that my meal did will be undone with that sick, logy feeling of being “glutened.”

I decided to take a stab at a Diva version of this classic, cozy favorite with great results.  I used a store bought gluten-free pie shell for a base, but you can leave that step out and go crustless on the bottom.  I know many of you are cooking for families, and if they are like my husband and kids, they love pie crust.  When I serve myself I’ll leave the crust behind.

I also decided to top this chicken pie with a white sweet potato (alternatively, you could use yams) “crust.”  I love the delicate, light flavor of true sweet potatoes.

The sauce is prepared with a traditional roux  (butter and flour) to thicken the stock, but I used King Arthur gluten-free flour and organic butter.

The recipe makes 2 pies.  You can easily freeze one for later. Just partially cook the assembled pie, cool completely and then freeze.

Remember, this dish needs to be eaten in a balanced way.  Make a big greens salad and fill 2/3rds of your plate with salad and 1/3 with the chicken pot pie, and savor every cozy bite.

Stay warm and live well!

If you enjoy this recipe, you will love the recipes in my Winter Meal plan.  They are packed with more recipes which will satisfy your cravings while they nourish and heal your body.  You will enjoy Chicken Gumbo Soup, Cincinnati Chili, Yankee Pot Roast, Gingerbread Waffles and much more. Check them all out here: PCOS Diva Winter Meal Plan.

Chicken Pot Pie

Makes 2 pies

4 split chicken breasts, bone in skin on

1T + 2 tsp. olive oil (divided)

1tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

2 cups onion, chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

1 cup carrots, peeled and sliced

4 green onions, chopped

½ cup parsley, chopped

2 gluten-free pie crust shells

4 T butter (divided)

2T gluten-free flour

1 cup hot water

2 cups organic chicken stock

¼-1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning (to taste)

sea salt and black pepper to taste

3 medium white sweet potatoes

1/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk

paprika

Preheat oven to 350. Place chicken in roasting pan, drizzle with 1T olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast 1 hour or until chicken is cooked through.

While chicken is cooking, prepare vegetables. Saute vegetables (except sweet potatoes) in 2 tsp. olive oil in a skillet over medium heat until vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes.

Peel and cube sweet potatoes and boil until soft, about 15 minutes. Drain and whip or mash with coconut milk and 2T butter and set aside.

When chicken has finished cooking, remove from pan. Remove skin, debone and coarsely chop.

Drain fat off pan and add 1 cup very hot water.  Deglaze pan by scraping brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 2T butter and add flour to create a roux. Heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture starts to bubble. Then add deglazed pan drippings and chicken stock. Add poultry seasoning, sea salt and black pepper to taste. Stir occasionally and let sauce thicken, about 10 minutes.

Place baking shells on a lined cookie sheet. Fill with veggies and chicken, and then pour sauce on top. Spread potatoes over the pie mixture. Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika.

Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes until pot pie is bubbling. Enjoy!