Curry powder spices up this chicken pot pie

To shorten the cooking time, sprinkle seasoned breadcrumbs over the ingredients instead of a pie crust and bake 10 minutes.

If you like, open a washed, ready-to-eat bag of salad to go with it.

Helpful hints:

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Shopping list:

To buy: 1 package frozen diced onion, 1 package frozen diced green bell peppers, 1 package frozen peas, 1/4-pound sliced baby bello mushrooms, 1 jar mild curry powder, 3/4-pound cooked chicken breast and 1 package ready-to-bake pie dough.

Staples: canola oil, flour, fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth, salt and black peppercorns.

Curried Chicken Pot Pie

Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer

1 tablespoon canola oil

1/2 tablespoon mild curry powder

1 1/2 cups frozen diced onion

1 1/2 cups frozen diced green bell pepper

1/4 pound sliced baby bello mushrooms (about 1 1/2 cups)

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup frozen peas

3/4 pound cooked chicken breast, skin and bones removed (about 3 1/3 cups)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 ready-to-bake pie crust

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the curry powder, onion, green pepper and mushrooms. Saute 5 minutes. Add the flour to the vegetable mixture, stir to blend and add the chicken broth. Simmer to thicken about 1 minute. Mix the peas into the sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces and place in a deep oven-proof pie dish or a souffle dish about 6 inches in diameter. Pour the sauce over the chicken and mix well. Place the pie crust over the top and prick it with a fork in several places. Bake for 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Yield 2 servings.

Per serving: 637 calories (31 percent from fat), 25.7 g fat (7.3 g saturated, 5.6 g monounsaturated), 137 mg cholesterol, 49.6 g protein, 55.8 g carbohydrates, 7 g fiber, 423 mg sodium.