We are officially in Fall and the weather is getting cooler each day! It’s definitely bittersweet. We miss our Summer, but cooler weather brings fun holidays, traditions, family, and comfort food like this delicious Deconstructed Chicken Pot Pie our family absolutely LOVES!

The first time I made this, I was actually pretty proud of myself. I grew up on Mexican food, so that’s really my specialty, so this pretty traditional American dish was a fun one for me to master!
I call it a deconstructed chicken pot pie because it basically has everything from the filling, but no crust. Excluding the crust, lowers the carb count and honestly, just makes this dish easier to prepare. We love serving this alongside some cauliflower rice. We also lower the fat content significantly by using one of my favorite healthy swaps: 2% evaporated milk instead of heavy cream.

I’ve learned that the key to making this deconstructed chicken pot pie, or really any chicken dish is not to overcook the chicken! It is so easy to overcook, especially when we worry about salmonella, etc. but when you overcook chicken it gets more tough and just less tasty. So be sure to follow the steps I outline and REMOVE the chicken from the pan after it’s cooked and add it back in later. If you do this, your chicken will literally melt in your mouth with every bite!! YUM! What could be better?
When preparing the cauliflower rice, I keep it simple. I like to purchase the Kroger brand frozen cauliflower that steams in the microwave. No thawing necessary. I also don’t have to cut any veggies which is awesome! I toss the bag in the microwave. When I’m making mashed cauliflower I usually microwave according to the directions, but when I’m doing rice I typically take 1 minute off of the cooking time. After which, I just throw it in my Food Processor and pulse a few times until it resembles rice. Then I add a little salt and pepper and in this case, a dash of paprika and voila! The perfect side dish is done!

Deconstructed Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tbs butter
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 cup 2% evaporated milk
- 4 green onions, diced
- 12 oz frozen peas & carrots
- 8 oz sliced mushrooms
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 (more) tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp dried parsley
- additional salt to taste
- 1 tbs cornstarch mixed with 1 tbs cold water
Instructions
- In a large saucepan melt butter with garlic, add chicken.
- Season with 1 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper and cook until done.
- Remove from pan.
- Add frozen veggies followed by fresh veggies.
- Add chicken stock, evaporated milk, and remaining seasonings.
- Make a slurry with cornstarch and cold water & add to mix to thicken.
- Lastly, add chicken back to pan and serve with cauliflower rice.

Jennifer | The Deliberate Mom
Monday 17th of October 2016
Mmm, this looks and sounds like the perfect fall dish!
Thanks for sharing (and for linking up to the #SHINEbloghop).
Wishing you a lovely week. xoxo
Sara Syrett
Monday 10th of October 2016
Yum! Thanks for sharing at Merry Monday!