Chicken Pot Pie and Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Magnificent Mothers
Lisa Grentz, MS, RDN, CD/LDN, FAND
As we wrap up our month-long celebration of magnificent moms, we have two more talented GIE teammates’ stories and recipes to share. Not only are Becky and Elisabeth sisters, but they are two of the best moms we know.
Elisabeth Kraus, Parent Coach
Elisabeth writes:
We live in the part of the world that doesn't just get cold in the winter – it gets cold and WET! Which means that, in my house, snow boots, rain boots, and socks with just a little bit of cold in the toes are common barriers to those who want to walk safely through my front door! But it also means that the fall and winter months are filled to the brim with every soup you can think of! For my youngest, soup was incredibly challenging because she aspirated on thin liquids, so traditional broths weren't safe for her savory-loving heart. That meant that I had to go on a bit of a journey to find recipes that she could love safely, right alongside the rest of us. That journey led me to Chicken Pot Pie, and to this day, it remains #1 on my kids' list of "Top-Best-Ever-In-The-Whole-Wide-World Comfort Food". If they've had a rough day, this is the go-to meal that will bring us all back to the table to rest and reconnect.
Chicken Pot Pie
Serves 6-8
3 chicken breasts (or shred up a rotisserie chicken)
1 medium yellow onion
2-3 stalks of celery
4-5 Tbsp. butter, divided
minced garlic (to taste)
salt and pepper
oregano
1 small bag of frozen mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, corn, and green beans)
1/3 cup flour
32 ounces of chicken broth
2 store-bought pie crusts
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Shred up a rotisserie chicken OR boil some chicken breasts in chicken broth until soft and easily shredded. Set aside.
Chop the onion and celery, then sauté in a medium stockpot over medium heat in about a tablespoon of butter, adding in minced garlic to the quantity that you enjoy. Sauté until slightly softened, about 5-8 minutes.
Season with salt, pepper, and oregano to taste, and add a small bag of mixed vegetables to sauté together until heated through, about 5 more minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
Make a small circle in the mixture, and add the remaining butter and the flour, mixing together with the vegetables to make a roux.
Add in the broth and bring to a boil until thickened. Add in the shredded chicken, and let simmer together for a few minutes while you roll out the pie crusts.
Put one pie crust in the bottom of a pie dish, and then pour the mixture inside the pie crust. Cover the mixture with the remaining pie crust and then cut a few slits into the top of the crust.
Using small strips of aluminum foil, crimp it around the edges of the pie crust before putting it in the oven to bake.
Bake for 30 minutes or until the crust is nice and brown.
*Take the filling to smash, mash, or blend for young or new eaters.
Becky Keifer, Co-Founder and Feeding Therapist
Becky writes:
I have a wide variety of kids, and finding something they all like (read: will eat) is a challenge. There is one thing I make that everyone finds a way to eat and that is chicken gnocchi soup. I have one kid who eats this down to the bottom of the bowl, no matter what. I have another who eats all but the carrots and another who eats all but the spinach. One of the children only eats the gnocchi out of the soup. No matter how it gets eaten, it is a happy and satisfying meal that they know is made with love.
Chicken Gnocchi Soup
*Note there are not specific quantities for this recipe, instead Becky recommends you use what you have on hand and measure with your heart.
Chicken breasts or rotisserie chicken
Butter/oil
Onion, diced
Carrot, chopped
Celery, diced
Chicken bone broth
Gnocchi (gorgonzola or flavor of your choice)
Cream cheese
Salt
Pepper
Spinach, chopped
Romano cheese for serving
Cook and chop several chicken breasts or remove the meat from a rotisserie chicken and set aside. In a large stockpot over medium heat, add the butter or oil, then the onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté until softened, about 8-10 minutes. Stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
Add broth and bring to a simmer. Then add the gnocchi and a large scoop of cream cheese. Stir and cook until a creamy soup forms.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add a few handfuls of spinach to wilt at the end before serving. Serve with grated Romano cheese, if desired.