Recipe Rehab: Chicken Pot Pie

I love easy meals that contain all the major food groups wrapped into one dish. Chicken pot pie is a classic recipe that combines protein, vegetables, dairy and starch to create a well-balanced meal. Sounds good, right? It's delicious, but the pastry crust and creamy filling add more fat and calories to this dish than I would like. A one cup serving is nearly 500 calories. Additionally, this meal is lacking in whole grains. According to the 2005 Dietary Guidelines, at least half of your grains should be whole grains, so I like to get them in whenever I can.

I will add whole grains to this dish by using soft whole wheat bread cubes instead of the pastry topper. This will also help to reduce the fat and calories. Additionally, I will replace the cream in the filling with evaporated skim milk. This reduces the calories even further without sacrificing protein or calcium. Feel free to use whatever vegetables you have on hand as this is a great dish to use up leftovers!

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup leeks or 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup carrots, chopped
• 1 cup garden peas
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1.5 cups water
• 1 cup evaporated skim milk
• 2.5 cups chicken, cooked and cubed
• 2 cups whole wheat bread, cubed (about 3 slices)

1. Over medium heat, sauté the leeks, mushrooms, celery and bell pepper in the olive oil until the vegetables are tender. Add the carrots and peas and continue cooking another 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the flour and spices. Add broth and milk and cook until thickened, stirring throughout.

2. Add the chicken and continue cooking until heated through.

3. Pour the filling into a 2-quart baking dish. Top with the bread cubes.

4. Bake, uncovered, in a 400 degree F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until the bread cubes begin to brown.

Serves: 6

Nutrition Content (per serving): 254 calories, 5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 25 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 26 g protein, 214 mg sodium, 180 mg calcium

Need a meal in 30 minutes or less? Check out my Tuna Helper!

Readers, I would love to hear from you! Please send me your favorite fattening recipes that need a RECIPE REAHB! Everything from your mom's meatloaf to your kid's favorite dessert -- let me lighten it up.

Celebrity dietitian and motivational life coach Tanya Zuckerbrot, author of www.ffactordiet.com and founder of www.skinnyandthecity.com, has helped thousands of people lose weight and keep it off with her program. Her philosophy? Tanya believes you should never sacrifice taste, even when you're eating healthy foods. Have a recipe in need of rehab? Send us your recipe!