These little bites of heaven take the old-school classic chicken pot pie and turn it into a healthier, handheld form. Healthier Chicken Pot Pie Pockets taste like all of the indulgence but with less of the guilt!
Little pockets of deliciousness, that’s what we’re talking about today. You already know that here at CaliGirl Cooking we’re all about that balance, and today is no exception. I’m bringing you an easy, mouthwatering recipe for Healthier Chicken Pot Pie Pockets. You may never want to make regular chicken pot pie ever again.
I made these last week and we enjoyed them in oh so many ways: as a snack, dipped in tomato soup, or even as a full-on dinner. The beauty of Healthier Chicken Pot Pie (especially in handheld form) is that you can really enjoy it anytime, anywhere. Come to think of it, this would even make a perfectly suitable food to pack for a picnic!
We’re well into the third week of January right now, and I know there are many of you out there who are probably bending under the pressure of all of those New Year’s resolutions you made. They say it takes up to 30 days to form a new habit, so hang in there! You’re more than halfway and I have all the faith in you that you can stick it out.
The good news is, you can still enjoy these Healthier Chicken Pot Pie Pockets, even if you’re trying to incorporate more whole foods into your diet (and less junk!)
Now, I’m not going to lie and say that these are THE healthiest version of chicken pot pie you’ve ever had, but you should know by now that I am not about giving up ALL of the delicious flavor in a recipe when I make it over. Balance, balance, balance! No restrictions, just trying to make slightly healthier decisions whenever we can.
So, how, I bet you’re wondering, do we make these pockets “healthier” than your average chicken pot pie? The main change I’ve made to the original recipe is using my OG cashew cream in place of the typical heavy white sauce the binds all of the fillings together. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, cashew cream is pretty much a magical healthier alternative to any cream sauce you’ve ever made. You first saw me use it on my Sweet Potato Toast with Broccoli Rabe, Tomato and Cashew Cream, then again on my Spicy Stuffed Pasilla Peppers with Cashew Cream Sauce, and once again in my Curry Gnocchi with White Lamb Bolognese. I think it’s going to be a very rare occasion that I ever make a REAL cream sauce again. Once you try these Healthier Chicken Pot Pie Pockets, I bet you’ll be in the same boat as me!
With a little planning, these pockets come together in no time at all. I made the pastry dough the day before (using the crust recipe I used in this Cream Cheese-y Pumpkin Pie,) soaked my cashews for the cream sauce overnight, and whipped up the sauce in my Vitamix in the morning. I also simply used some grilled chicken breasts I already had in the refrigerator (something everyone should meal prep every week!) After you have the dough and cashew cream sauce made, and the cooked chicken breast on hand, you’ll spend 15 minutes max whipping together the pot pie filling, and 25-30 minutes baking the pockets. No sweat.
These Healthier Chicken Pot Pie Pockets are not only incredibly versatile in how they can be enjoyed, they also reheat incredibly well. We enjoyed them over a course of a few days and they tasted fantastic every single time we reheated them.
So that’s the deal! That’s how we make tasty, tummy-warming Healthier Chicken Pot Pie Pockets that are the perfect comfort food for this time of year but will still keep us on track with all of our New Year’s goals. I hope you enjoy them as much as we did!
Healthier Chicken Pot Pie Pockets
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
- 4 tablespoons water
For the cashew cream:
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in filtered water for at least 4 hours
- 3/4 cup filtered water
- 1/2 teaspoon nutritional yeast
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the filling:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 large onion, diced
- 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
- 1 stalk of celery, diced
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1 medium cooked chicken breast, diced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 egg
Instructions
- First, prepare the dough. Combine all dough ingredients in a large mixing bowl and, using fingers, incorporate until dough begins to come together (it will still be slightly crumbly.) Using hands, form dough into a ball and then flatten slightly into a disc. Wrap in saran wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Next, prepare the cashew cream. Drain soaking water from the cashews and place in a high-powered blender. Add filtered water, nutritional yeast and salt and blend on high until a smooth cream forms. Set aside.
- Now, time to prepare the filling. In a large saute pan, warm the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute for a few minutes, until they start to become translucent. Add the carrot, celery and garlic and saute for another 5-10 minutes, until vegetables begin to soften. Add the frozen peas and chicken breast, and then the cashew cream. Stir to combine and continue to cook until mixture is warmed through. Turn heat down to low and move on to prepping the dough.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a large baking pan with nonstick cooking spray, or line it with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator. You may need to let it warm up to room temperature a bit before you can roll it out. Once the dough is soft, roll it out to about ½ inch thickness. Using a large circle cookie cutter (I actually used a large ramekin since I didn’t have a large enough cookie cutter,) cut the dough into circles that are about 7-8 inches in diameter.
- Scoop about two tablespoons of filling onto one half of each of the circles, and then fold the other half over top. Use your fingers to pinch the dough up around the edge and seal. Place pockets on the prepared baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg to make the egg wash. Brush the wash over each of the pockets, then cut a small slit in the top of each to allow the filling to vent during cooking.
- Place in preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the pockets are a nice golden-brown color. Serve warm.
Nutrition
Little bites of heaven right here!
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