Chicken Pot Pie Casserole

On a cold winter's day, there is nothing more yummy than cozy comfort food. Chicken potpie is a classic example, but with the wedding countdown in full swing alterations must be made to the recipes or you risk having to make them on the clothes. For starters, forget the flaky tender pie crust. That's got to go! Substitution: Bread crumbs. Advantages: quick fix, lower in calories, still provide the carbs and the crunch. The second alteration: More veggies. I packed this pot pie casserole (which I forgot to take a picture of) with carrots and celery. Advantages: High in fiber, vitamins and flavor. Third and final change: chicken stock instead of heavy cream. This really cuts down on the calories, but still adds flavor. Disadvantage: You don't get the gooey-ness that usually comes with a pot-pie. Still, its not a bad trade-off when you need to look your best in a dress.

I made this recipe off the cuff so the proportions are approximate, but definitely reproducible!

Chicken Pot Pie Casserole (serves 4)

1 pre-cooked rotisserie chicken (huge time-saver)
3 carrots
3 large celery stalks
1 large onion
4 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of flour
1 cup of chicken stock
4 slices white or whole wheat bread, crumbled
1 pinch herbs de provence
salt and pepper to taste

Cube the chicken, carrots, celery, and onion. Mince garlic. In a large sauce pan, melt butter and add in flour, then saute onions and garlic. After a few minutes add in carrots and celery. Then add chicken cubes. Finally pour in the chicken stock and let it reduce down for a few minutes. Add salt, pepper and herbs de provence. Pour it all into a glass baking dish and add the bread crumbs on top. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until the bread crumbs are golden brown.

Serve and enjoy!