Paleo Chicken Pot Pie

You know those Marie Callender's frozen pot pies that cook in the microwave?

So me and those were besties when I was around 15-16 years old...  

But, unfortunately, it was one of those abusive relationships that you don't realize you're in.  Everyone around you sees it, but you just don't... it seems so perfect from the inside... Until someone intervenes & fills you in on what your relationship actually looks like, and what it's doing to you.  So you have to break up.

Then comes the recovery period, and it's hard to trust again...

Until the Paleo diet comes into my life, introducing me to foods that I can love again & not feel afraid.  That I can trust, for real this time.

Thanks to some of my favorite Paleo ingredients (coconut milk, chicken broth, ghee, meat, veggies, and a couple Paleo-approved flours), I can be friends with Chicken Pot Pie again.  

And this time it's for the long haul.

Enjoy~ and keep in mind that all of these ingredients are trust-worthy compliant, even for you Whole30ers...  It's just up to you whether the "crust" topping & overall deliciousness of this pot pie makes this a SWYPO* food.  If so, you could always go "crust-less"!

*(see the Whole30 site for definition of SWYPO, I keep it PG around here.)

 Makes 4 hearty servings.
Ingredients:
For the filling~

• 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) grass-fed butter or ghee
• 1/2 white onion, diced
• 1 tsp garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup arrowroot flour* 
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup canned coconut milk
• 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
• 2 cups mixed vegetables of choice* (I used carrots and green beans)
• salt & black pepper to taste
• crumbled bacon (optional)

For the crust~

• 1 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 4 Tbsp grass-fed butter, coconut oil, or ghee, softened
• 2 eggs
• pinch of salt

Tools:

• oven safe bowls or baking dish
• large, deep skillet or a shallow pot
• mixing bowls

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the crust ingredients to form the "dough" for your topping~ then set aside.  Combine the broth and coconut milk (for your "filling") in a small bowl & keep it by the stove.
3. In a large skillet, melt the butter or ghee over medium heat.  Add the onion & garlic, and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring often, until soft.  
4. Stir in the arrowroot flour using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.  Slowly and gradually pour in the broth/coconut milk mixture a little at a time, while continuously stirring.  Continue cooking & stirring for a couple more minutes, until it becomes thickened and bubbly.
5. Add the cooked chicken and vegetables of your choice (the vegetables should be raw), stir, then remove from the heat.  Season with salt & pepper to taste, and stir in crumbled bacon if you like.
6. Pour the mixture into your baking dishes.  Top it evenly with the crust mixture, by pressing the dough into a flat/round shape in your hands then laying over top the filling, or by sprinkling the dough over top in "crumbles".  (I did it both ways-- it just gives a slightly different look but works either way!)
7. Bake at 400ºF for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.  Let the pot pie sit for a few minutes before serving.

*Notes:

• Try different vegetables like celery, mushrooms, or broccoli
• Substitute tapioca or coconut flour for the arrowroot flour, for a slight texture difference.  Coconut flour is a bit more "gritty" but would still work if that's what you have on hand.
• I used four 20-oz oven safe bowls, but you could also use a 9 x 9" baking dish.  If you use a large 9 x 13" baking dish, you may need to make more "crust".
• The oven safe bowls were a gift from my mom, but you can find them at Costco or Amazon.com