Oh the weather outside is frightful . . .

But, my inefficient oven is so delightful (in the cold of winter anyways). We haven't even had to turn on our heat yet because our oven is like the furnace from . . . well . . .
Since it's actually cold in Vegas now, and we even got a big snowfall that is actually sticking! all I've been craving is something comforting from the oven to warm me up. It especially works well when we don't have to use our heater too! I recently tried a great recipe from CookingLight called Biscuit-topped chicken pot pie. It was exactly what I was looking for in a bowl of comfort and warmth. This time around I made a few slight changes including the topping, because I absolutely love sweet cornbread and thought it would go very well with the pot pie filling. And it did! If you ever get the chance to make this you won't be disappointed and there are lots of leftovers for reheating and savoring.

Before trying this recipe I had never worked with leeks before, but don't be afraid of them. They absolutely make this recipe and should not be substituted. To clean them simply run your knife length wise down the middle of the leek then rinse all the grit from the layers. Then cut width wise using only the white and light green parts.

Cornbread Topped Chicken Pot Pie

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 cups chopped leek
• 1/4 cup chopped shallot
• 2 tsp herbes de Provence or Italian seasoning
  
• 1 1/2 cups small diced fingerling potatoes or sweet potatoes
  
• 1/3 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
  
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups chopped roasted chicken breast
• 1 1/2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2/3 cup non-fat half-and-half
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  

For the Corn bread topping:

• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup corn meal
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup skim milk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 whole egg

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°.

1. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add leek, shallot, and herbs; sauté 2 minutes.
2. Add potatoes; sauté 2 minutes. Add wine or broth; cook 1 minute or until liquid evaporates.
3. Stir in mustard and broth; bring to a boil. Cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Stir in chicken, mixed vegetables, salt, and pepper; cook 1 minute.
5. Combine cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add cornstarch mixture, half-and-half and Parmesan to pan.
6. Reduce heat, and simmer 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
7. Spoon mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
8. Combine dry ingredients for the cornbread with whisk.
9. Use same whisk to combine wet ingredients in separate bowl.
10. Add wet ingredients to dry and whisk until smooth.
11. Dollop and spread onto chicken pot-pie mixture.
12. Bake at 425° for 20-25 minutes or until topping is golden and filling is bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes.
    

This yields 8 servings, each with about 450-500 kcals.

Enjoy!!