Do you love traditional chicken pot pie, but don’t love the large amounts of calories it comes with? You’re in luck!
This easy chicken pot pie recipe offers all the rich, comforting flavors of a classic chicken pot pie, but in a mini form that’s perfect for portion control and meal prep.
Plus, each of these delicious little pies boasts just 140 calories and an impressive 10 grams of protein!
Prepare yourself for a mouth-watering experience that won’t break your calorie bank. Not only do these mini pot pies make meal planning a breeze, but they also satisfy those comfort food cravings. Trust me, with this lighter version, you won’t miss the extra calories of a classic chicken pot pie.
Let’s dive right into how you can make these incredible mini chicken pot pies, perfect for both a quick weeknight dinner and meal prep for the week ahead.
Is chicken pot pie healthy?
While we all define “healthy” differently, there’s no denying that traditional chicken pot pie can be very high in calories.
A standard serving size of chicken pot pie is usually about one-sixth of a 9-inch pie, which weighs around 283 grams (10 ounces). It can vary, of course, but let’s assume this for now.
A single slice will generally contain 450-600 calories.
The calorie count can be higher if the pie is made with a richer crust, heavy cream, or extra butter. If a chicken pot pie recipe utilizes another protein source other than chicken breast, it may be even higher in calories as well.
If you order a chicken pot pie from Cracker Barrel, which is served in a personal pie pan, it comes out to 960 calories in total.
Cracker Barrel’s Chicken Pot Pie
This is not to say the chicken pot pie is unhealthy. I mean, it’s delicious, and high calories are not necessarily a bad thing in every case.
But if you prefer lower-calorie main dishes, chicken pot pie will not be at the top of your list.
Well, unless you make this healthy chicken pot pie recipe, of course.
Making the perfect lighter chicken pot pie recipe
Let’s get started on how to make the best chicken pot pies that are perfect for meal prep or a quick dinner.
This recipe requires two parts: the crust and the filling.
The first step is to prep the healthy pie crust.
For the crust, we are using a mixture of all-purpose flour and unflavored protein powder. If you don’t have protein powder on hand, feel free to swap it out for the same amount of flour. I like using unflavored protein powder to bump up the protein content, but using extra flour instead will still work great, and the final calorie count will be the same.
For this light chicken pot pie crust, we’re sweetening it with a granular sugar substitute to keep the calories low, and lightening it up with light butter (or butter spread).
We’ll cut the butter into the dry ingredients and add some cold water to bring it all together into a delicious, buttery dough.
Next, divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and press each one into a muffin tin. Remember, no need to spray the tin with nonstick spray, as the butter in these crusts is enough that they won’t stick.
Set aside small pieces of dough from each ball which will become the tops of our perfectly flaky crust.
Just sprinkle flour on top of each piece of dough and press them down into discs that will cover the tops of these pot pies.
A healthy, delicious filling for your mini chicken pot pies
The chicken pot pie filling is where this easy chicken pot pie recipe really shines.
In a large bowl, we’re combining leftover chicken (rotisserie chicken works great, but boneless skinless chicken breasts also work), peas, and carrots, along with fat-free cream of chicken soup. This creates a creamy mixture that is flavorful and comforting, without the heaviness of a traditional pot pie filling.
I didn’t even know fat-free cream of chicken soup was a thing, but it is the perfect way to make this chicken mixture extra creamy. If you can’t find that soup, you can also make a quick healthy sauce by combining Greek yogurt with chicken stock. The taste will undoubtedly be different, but it will work in a pinch.
Divide the filling between your pie crusts, then cover each with the dough you set aside.
The filling will create enough for 12 mini chicken pot pies, and they should be loaded up pretty full. If you want to prep a little more filling, you certainly can!
Poke holes in the top with a fork and brush with an egg wash to create that golden brown crust we all love.
Bake at 400 degrees F for 12 minutes, then let your pies cool before enjoying.
Just like that, you’ve got a healthier take on a classic comfort food!
Enjoying and storing your mini chicken pot pies
These mini pot pies are great the next day, so if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container and reheat them when you’re ready to enjoy them again.
You can also freeze these pies for longer storage as well. Wrap each cooled pie in plastic wrap and store them in an airtight container or a freezer bag. When you’re ready to eat, thaw them in the refrigerator, then bake in a preheated oven until heated through.
When it comes to reheating, you can go with the microwave or oven, but I’ve found the air fryer to produce the best results. Air frying at 365 degrees F for 5-7 minutes produces the best crispy and flaky crust.
The photo above is a mini chicken pot pie fresh out of the air fryer, and you simply cannot argue with that beautifully golden crust.
Variations on this healthier chicken pot pie recipe
The beauty of this recipe lies not only in its lower calorie count and amazing taste, but also in its versatility.
While these mini chicken pot pies are incredible as they are, you have the freedom to cater this recipe to your specific tastes, making it the perfect canvas for anything you can dream up.
If you’re up for some experimentation, why not try adding fresh thyme or a dash of poultry seasoning to the filling for an extra flavor kick? Vegetables swaps are also a great way to switch things up — think sweet potato instead of carrot for a subtle sweetness and a nice change of texture.
The possibilities don’t stop there. This light pie crust isn’t exclusive to chicken pot pies; it’s versatile enough to work with a variety of fillings. Try making mini turkey pot pie or beef pot pie for a change of pace. You can even go the sweet route, using the crust for mini apple pies or fruit tarts.
You can even divide this recipe up (since it makes 12 mini pies) and go with a variety for the next time you’re craving pie but don’t quite know what you’d like.
More healthy comfort food recipes to try
This healthy chicken pot pie recipe is one of my favorite recipes in the comfort food department (no offense to authentic homemade chicken pot pie, but I prefer this version). But why stop at one delicious recipe when we can have lots of them?
Everyone’s definition of comfort food is slightly different, but if you want some healthy spins on traditionally high-calorie foods, here are some of my favorites:
- Protein Pizza with Over 60g of Protein
- Hearty and Flavorful Pulled Pork Burritos
- Loaded Nacho Tater Tot Casserole (Totchos)
- Air Fryer Crispy Chicken Sandwich
Healthy Mini Chicken Pot Pies
Yield: 12 Mini Chicken Pot Pies
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 27 minutes
Meal prep has never been easier than these healthy mini chicken pot pies. Each contains just 140 calories and a generous 10 grams of protein!
Ingredients
Healthy Pie Crust Ingredients
- 180g All-Purpose Flour
- 75g (2.5 Scoops) Unflavored Protein Powder (can swap this out for same amount of flour if needed)
- 50g Granular Sugar Substitute (or regular sugar)
- Pinch of Salt
- 126g Light Butter/ Butter Spread (I use Country Crock original)
- 1/3 Cup Cold Water
- 1 Egg for Egg Wash
Filling Ingredients
- 1 Cup (about 125g) Cooked & Shredded Chicken. I just used leftover rotisserie chicken
- 1/2 Cup (128g) Canned Peas & Carrots- Can also use frozen
- 3/4 Cup Fat-Free Cream of Chicken Soup
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine flour, protein powder, sugar substitute, and a pinch of salt.
- Cut the butter into the dry mixture (in other words, just add small amounts at a time rather than one large scoop of butter) then add 1/3 cup of cold water.
- Mix everything up until it comes together to form a dough ball.
- Lightly flour a surface (I used parchment paper as my surface) and add your dough. Break it apart into 12 equal-sized pieces.
- Break a small portion off of each dough ball and set it aside- these extra pieces are going to be flattened out and used to cover the tops of the mini pies, so they can be small. If you're unsure how much to break off, you can test it out by flattening the piece with your hands and then laying it over the top of your muffin tin to make sure it's the size of one muffin cavity.
- Add each of your 12 dough balls to a muffin tin, then use your hands to press the dough down and onto the sides. It's okay if it feels thin, it is pie crust after all. See the photos above this recipe card to see what this step looks like.
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F while you prep the chicken pot pie filling.
- Shred or dice up one cup of pre-cooked chicken (any leftover chicken or rotisserie works great) and add that to a large bowl.
- Add 1/2 cup of peas & carrots along with the cream of chicken soup, then mix it all together.
- Add a spoonful of the mixture into each mini pie crust until all of the mixture has been used (it should be the perfect amount for 12).
- Now take the extra small pieces of dough you set aside and flatten them into discs to lay on top of the stuffed pies. Use extra flour to prevent sticking while pressing them down. Lay them on top of the pies then press down around the edges to lightly seal your mini pot pies.
- Use a fork to poke holes in the tops of the mini pies. Whisk up an egg in a small bowl and brush the tops of the mini pies to help create a golden color (melted butter will also work).
- Bake at 400 degrees F for 12 minutes.
- Let cool for a few minutes before removing. Enjoy hot out of the oven or save leftovers to reheat throughout the week.
Notes
- To reheat these healthy mini chicken pot pies, I highly recommend using an air fryer. The microwave works in a pinch, but the air fryer gives this pie crust a really nice crisp. 375 degrees F for 5-7 minutes is all it takes.
- The unflavored protein powder I use is PEScience, which is a blend of whey & casein protein. Any protein powder should work, but keep in mind that the type of protein you use could change the final result.
- Feel free to get creative with your filling! I kept mine very basic, but you can add any vegetables you'd like.
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Nutrition Information
Yield 12Serving Size 1 Mini Pot Pie
Amount Per ServingCalories 140Total Fat 5gCarbohydrates 13gProtein 10g
