Healthy Chicken Pot Pie Soup

When I say that this might just be my new go-to comfort food, I'm not exaggerating. With the changing of the seasons, I've been craving everything nourishing and grounding, and this meal has it all going on.

Growing up, chicken pot pie was one of my absolute favorite meals ever. While you can't beat homemade, I have to say that the Costco chicken pot pie is absolutely delicious - don't knock it until you try it.

While I haven't had it for years, I do still find myself craving that cozy meal once the temperature outside drops.

To give my longtime favorite a bit of a healthy twist, we've updated this classic with this Healthy Chicken Pot Pie Soup. I love that it's a simple, one-pot version that you can make once and enjoy the leftovers for days to come.

I made sure I added ample veggies, including carrots, celery, potatoes, and onion. These add lots of flavor and gut-loving fiber. In addition, chicken breast adds great protein to make this a satisfying meal all-in-one.

While traditional chicken pot pie would use a flour roux to thicken the chicken and veggie mixture, we're making a soup of chicken broth and milk. Then you'll blend a few cups of the veggie and broth mixture that, when added back in, thickens up the soup perfectly. This is a simple, easy hack to make any brothy soup feel heartier!

I personally served this up with some buttered crusty bread, but you could enjoy it with flaky biscuits, crackers, you name it.

I hope this recipe brings y'all some comfort this season, and as always, give me a shout if you give it a try :)

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 3 total), cut into bite-sized chunks
• 2 - 3 large carrots, cut into small circles
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 generous cup of celery, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 cups Yukon gold potatoes, diced
• 3 cups chicken broth (or bone broth)
• 1 cup milk of choice (more if you prefer a creamier texture)
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme
• 1/4 tsp dried parsley
• 1/4 tsp dried basil
• salt & ground pepper to taste
• fresh parsley & shredded cheese to garnish
• crunchy bread, biscuits, crackers, or corn bread to serve

Directions

1. Place a large pot or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add in 1 tbsp of olive oil and diced chicken breast. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Cook chicken until no pink remains, about 4-6 minutes. Transfer chicken to a bowl, and set aside for later.

 3. In the same pot, add another tablespoon of olive oil, onion, carrots, celery,  potatoes, thyme, parsley, basil, salt, and pepper.

4. Sauté for a few minutes, until veggies begin to soften. Add in minced garlic, and cook for another 1-2 minutes.

5. Add in chicken broth and milk. Mix, and simmer for about 10 minutes (or until potatoes are fork-tender).

6. Remove ~ 3 cups of the mixture, and add to a blender. Blend until smooth and completely combined. Pour this back into the pot, and mix to combine.

7. Add in the frozen peas and already-cooked chicken. Simmer for another 5 - 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste.

8. Serve with fresh parsley, shredded cheese, bread, biscuits, etc. Enjoy!