Recipe: Cancer Fighting Chicken Pot Pie

I recently have added organic, locally-raised chicken back into my diet. However, I love to adapt recipes so I still consume beans and some soy at each meal. Here is a favorite - chicken pot pie - with many added ingredients that have cancer-fighting activity.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil + 1 tsp. olive oil
• 3 Tbsp. whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 can (14 oz) veggie broth (if using homemade veggie stock, may need to add salt to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 2-3 teaspoon fresh rosemary
• 12 oz. organic soy milk or organic milk (unflavored)
• 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
• 16 ounce bag mixed frozen veggies, thawed and drained
• 1/2 -16 ounce can of beans (I used Adzuki beans - save the other half to add on top of a homemade pizza later in the week or add to a can of ready-to-eat soup)
• Hot sauce - just a few drops is enough for a slight kick
• 1 whole chicken breast (~3/4 pound), roasted and cut into cubes (can use leftovers)
• 2-3 sheets of phyllo dough (thawed- I was lucky - I had some whole wheat phyllo dough thawed in my refrig that I had not used during the holidays. Otherwise, pull it out of the freezer before you go to work in the morning.)
• 1 egg white, slightly beaten

Directions:

• Start by roasting chicken breast if not using left-overs. I simply sprinkled the chicken with dried Italian herbs and baked for ~ 30 minutes at 350 degrees, cooled, and then cut into cubes.
• Increase oven to 400 degrees after the chicken is done cooking.
• In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add flour, stirring with a whisk to make a paste. Stir for a minute or two to toast the flour.
• Mix in the broth, a quarter cup at a time, until smooth.
• Whisk in the rosemary, turmeric, and salt (if using salt, start with only 1/4 teaspoon, add more to taste after sauce is done cooking). Continue whisking after broth is added for an additional 5-7 minutes until sauce is starting to thicken.
• Add milk and continue cooking with occasional stirring for 5-7 more minutes. Reduce heat slightly if boiling too rapidly. The sauce will be a beautiful golden yellow.
• Heat the additional teaspoon of olive oil in a non-stick skillet. Add the onions and heat over medium heat until caramelized (10-15 minutes). Add drained veggies and beans along with the hot sauce. Stir together.
• Spray a 9x9 baking dish with non-stick spray. Place chicken and veggie mixture into dish and then add the sauce over all. The dish will be nearly full.
• Simply put 2-3 sheets of the phyllo dough (see directions on box for how to handle so they do not dry out) over the dish, tucking in the edges. Brush the top of the dough with the egg whites. Cut a few slits into the top of the dough.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes or until crust is golden and the dish is piping hot. I baked it on a cookie sheet with a sheet of parchment paper, for an easy clean up just in case the filling spilled over the sides (it did not).

I served this over whole wheat cous-cous with fresh fruit and a green salad. Nothing else was needed. 4 generous servings.A friend of mine cooking meals for people undergoing cancer treatments tells me that this recipe is a favorite among her clients! Yum, yum, yum, I believe it!