Healthier Chicken Pillows

Chicken Pillows are a favorite of my children and husband (me, not so much). Being kind of a health nut, I don't like making these as often as they are requested (which is weekly). The original version calls for a cream cheese, sour cream and chicken mixture inside of crescent roll dough, with the uncooked rolls dipped in melted butter, bread crumbs and then covered with a condensed chicken soup gravy. While still not the healthiest meal ever, this version makes me a little more comfortable serving it to my family frequently.

Healthier Chicken Pillows 

• Shredded chicken taco meat (I usually plan to make these the day after I make chicken tacos with the leftover meat) or plain shredded chicken meat. 
• 2 containers of Pillsbury Crescent rolls
• 1 8 oz. package of cream cheese 
• Fresh spinach (or other vegetable, such as zuchinni, shredded carrot, etc)
• Olive oil
• Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• Homemade cheese sauce from Skinnytaste 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Mix shredded chicken and cream cheese together. Lay out the Pillsbury triangles so two triangles go together to form a square. Put a scoop of the chicken mixture on each square and add some torn spinach leaves. Bring the corners of the dough together at the top. Brush each "pillow" with a little olive oil on the top and bottom of the pillow and roll it in a bowl of Italian seasoned bread crumbs. Put the pillows on the cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes.

For the cheese sauce:

1 1/2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup flour

2 cups skim milk
1 cup fat free chicken broth (vegetarians use vegetable broth)
8 oz (2 cups) reduced-fat sharp cheddar (Cabot 50%)
salt and fresh pepper to taste

In a large, heavy skillet, melt butter. Add flour and cook another minute, or until the flour is golden and well combined. Add milk and chicken broth and whisk, raising heat to medium-high until it comes to a boil; cook about 5 minutes or until the sauce becomes smooth and thick. Season with salt (or seasoning salt) and pepper. Once the sauce is thick, remove from heat, add cheese and mix well until cheese is melted. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Cover a pillow with cheese sauce and enjoy.