Individual Chicken Pot Pies

This is a healthier substitute to traditional pot pie, however this should be eaten only on occasion.


Ingredients: 

Filling

Olive oil cooking spray

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced

1 large yellow onion, diced

2 large carrots, peeled and diced

1 cup frozen peas

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

4 tsp minced fresh thyme

2 Tbsp whole-wheat flour

Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Biscuits

3/4 cup skim or fat free milk

2 1/4 \tsp apple cyder vinegar

2 cups plus 2 Tbsp whole-wheat pastry flour, divided

1 Tbsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp sea salt (optional)

1 Tbsp safflower or olive or olive oil


Instructions:

ONE:  Preheat oven to 450 degrees F

TWO:  Prepare filling:  Heat a large cast-iron or ovenproof pan over medium heat-high heat for one minute.  Mist with cooking spray.  Saute chicken until no longer pink, about three minutes.

THREE:  Add onions and carrots.  Saute until onion is slightly browned, about five minutes.  Add peas and saute for one minute or until thawed.

FOUR:  Stir in broth and thyme and cook until broth is warmed, about two minutes.  Stir in two tablespoons of flour and reduce heat to medium.  Stir constantly until broth is thickened, about two minutes.  Season with pepper and turn off heat, but do not remove pan from burner. 

FIVE:  Begin preparing biscuits: Pour milk in a cup, then add vinegar to milk.  Let stand for two minutes.

SIX:  In a large mixing bowl, blend two cups whole-wheat pastry flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, if desired.  Stir in milk-vinegar mixture, a quarter-cup at a time, add oil, and then add remaining two tablespoons whole-wheat pastry flour. (The dough will be slightly sticky.  If it is too sticky, add another tablespoon or two of flour.)

SEVEN:  Using your hands, form 12 small biscuits about two inches in diameter.  (You can dust your hands with a little bit of flour to make this easier.)  Ladel chicken-vegetable mixture into four large ramekins, individual casserole dishes or soup toureens, about three-quarters of a cup serving.  Place three biscuits on top of each  ramekin and place all ramekins onto a cookie sheet or baking pan lined with aluminum foil.  (The biscuits will bake on top of the chicken vegetable mixture.)  Place pan on rack in the middle of the oven.  Bake for 10 minutes or until chicken vegetable mixture is bubbling and biscuits are slightly browned on top.  To serve, place ramekins on individual plates, as they will be too hot to handle.

Note:  Adding apple cider vinegar to the skim milk slightly curtles it, which will give the biscuits a buttermilk flavor.