Shepherd’s Chicken Pot Pie

I’m not a corned beef and cabbage person. It’s okay! I bought some corned beef at Trader Joe’s so that my husband and son could make their St. Patrick’s Day sandwiches for lunch. 🙂

and…

Although I love a one-dish complete meal, I am also not a Shepherd’s pie person. Ugh. (I’m really not a picky eater!) But, when I saw this Shepherd’s pie twist on a chicken pot pie, I knew it would be the perfect “Irish” meal to serve on St. Patrick’s Day. We ate it with roasted asparagus and green salad- just to add some celebratory green to our meal. Great comfort food!

This recipe was adapted from Food and Wine, contributed by Scott Hocker. I increased both the chicken and garlic and modified the roasting temperature and time in order to coordinate with my roasted asparagus. I loved Hocker’s description of this dish as “a complete meal in every bite.”

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

Total Time: 1 hour

For the Potatoes:

• 2 pounds baking potatoes (I used 3 russet potatoes)
• coarse salt
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter

For the Filling:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 7 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3 large carrots, cut into chunks or chopped in a food processor
• coarse salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 all-purpose flour
• 3 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
• 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
• fresh parsley, for garnish, optional

Make the Potatoes:

1. Peel the potatoes and cut into chunks. In a large pot, cover the potatoes with warm, salted water, then bring to a boil.
2. Boil until the potatoes are very tender, about 25 minutes.
3. Drain the potatoes, then mash them with the milk, butter, and salt to taste.
4. Reserve the mashed potatoes.

Make the Filling:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. (I used the convection roast setting.)
2. Chop the garlic in a food processor, followed by the onion and then the carrots.
3. In a large cast-iron or heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat until hot, then stir in the onion, garlic, carrots, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
4. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 8 to 10 minutes.
5. Stir in the flour and cook, until incorporated, about 2 minutes.
6. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil, then stir in the chicken. Cook until desired thickness is achieved.
7. Season the filling with salt and pepper to taste.

Complete the Dish:

1. Transfer the filling to a 3-quart baking dish. (I used a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish.)
2. Spread the potatoes evenly over top of the filling.
3. Bake the shepherd’s pie pot pie in the preheated oven until the potatoes are browned in spots and the filling is bubbling, about 15 minutes.
4. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

One Year Ago:

• Velvet Chicken with Mustard Sauce

Two Years Ago:

• Baked Pasta with Spinach, Chicken Sausage & Vodka Sauce

Three Years Ago:

• Cannellini Beans with Cabbage & Pasta
• Chicken Teriyaki Plate

Garlic Parmesan Chicken Lasagna Bake

I love dishes that use rotisserie chicken meat. Not only is it a time-saver, but the meat is really flavorful. This cheesy casserole is a cross between a lasagna and a chicken pot pie… basically combining the two ultimate comfort food dishes. It was great! 🙂

This recipe was adapted from A Pinch of Yum, via The Richmond Avenue. I used Herbes de Provence instead of poultry seasoning, increased the amount of garlic and chicken, and used panko instead of seasoned breadcrumbs.

It would be wonderful with a green salad on the side. We ate it with roasted asparagus!

Yield: Serves 8

For the Lasagna:

• 15 no-boil lasagna noodles, or more, if necessary
• 3 to 4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken meat
• 12 ounces frozen organic peas
• ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• ½ cup coarsely grated Swiss or Gruyere cheese
• 1 cup water
• ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
• fresh thyme or parsley, for the topping, optional

For the Sauce:

• 6 T butter
• 8 large cloves of garlic, minced
• 6 T all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp Herbes de Provence
• 3/4 tsp coarse salt, or more to taste
• 5 cups milk (I used a combination of 1% & 2%)

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, preferably on convection.
2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
3. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. (Stir continuously to avoid burning because burnt garlic will taste bitter.)
4. Add the flour, Herbes de Provence, and salt. Whisk and cook for 1-2 minutes.
5. Add the milk, one cup at a time, whisking after each addition and allowing it to thicken slightly each time before adding the next cup. When the sauce is smooth and thick, remove from heat and set aside. Taste and adjust seasoning, as desired.
6. Grease a 9×13 pan with cooking spray. (I used a ceramic pan.)
7. Cover the bottom of the pan with (about 5) broken lasagna noodles, half of the chicken, half of the peas, ¼ cup Parmesan, ⅓ cup water, and 1 1/2 cups sauce.
8. Repeat this layer once more.
9. Lastly, top with a third layer of broken noodles, ⅓ cup water, 1½ cups sauce, and ½ cup Swiss cheese.
10. Spray the underside of the foil with cooking spray. Cover the casserole with the foil and bake for 40 minutes.
11. Remove foil, sprinkle evenly with breadcrumbs, and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and bubbly.
12. Sprinkle with fresh thyme or parsley, if using. Let stand 10 minutes or more before cutting and serving.

One Year Ago:

• Rigatoni & Cauliflower Al Forno

Two Years Ago:

• Baked Orzo, Bacon, Feta, & Spinach Custard

Three Years Ago:

• Roasted Butternut Squash and Bacon Pasta
• Butternut Squash and Sage Risotto

Vegetable (& Chicken) Pot Pie with Puff Pastry Crust

I have made this pot pie many, many times. I love the pearl onions, rosemary-infused broth based sauce, and puff pastry crust. In this version, I loaded it with CSA vegetables- including carrots, kohlrabi, and 5 baby bok choy! It was more of a vegetable pot pie, which I prefer. Tasty. This recipe was adapted from The New Basics Cookbook by Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins.

Yield: Serves 8

• 4 cups chicken stock
• 3 cups sliced carrots (1/4-inch thick rounds)
• 1 large kohlrabi
• 5 baby bok choy or other greens such as kale or chard
• 4 sprigs rosemary
• 2 cups pearl onions
• 4 T unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 pounds cooked chicken breasts (about 2 large), cut into chunks or strips, about 4 cups
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon water

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook. (I used grilled chicken this time but broiled, steamed or poached are also all options.) Cut into bite-sized cubes or strips.
2. Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the carrots, kohlrabi, and 1 rosemary sprig, and boil for 4 minutes. Drain, reserving the liquid, and set aside. Discard the rosemary.
3. With the tip of a paring knife, make a small incision at the root end of each onion; be careful not to cut through completely so that the onion does not fall apart in cooking. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil, add the onions, and cook until just tender, 10 minutes. Using a bamboo strainer, lift onions out of the boiling water, rinse under cold water, and peel. Set aside.
4. Add the greens to the boiling water and cook for 1-2 minutes, until wilted. Drain and set aside.
5. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour, and cook, whisking over medium-low heat, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the reserved carrot/kohlrabi liquid. Cook, whisking, until thickened, another 3 to 4 minutes. Add a sprig of rosemary, cover, and set aside to cool. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
6. Spread the chicken and vegetables evenly over the bottom of a deep 9×11 pan. Pour thickened sauce over the mixture and insert rosemary sprigs.
7. Roll the thawed puff pastry to a rectangle large enough to seal over the baking dish. (I roll it between pieces of plastic wrap or parchment paper.)
8. Whisk the egg and water together, and brush to outside rim of the baking dish with the egg wash. Drape the dough over the top and press the edges to seal. Brush the top with egg wash as well. Chill in the freezer for 20 minutes.
9. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.
10. Transfer the baking dish to the oven, and bake until the pastry is puffed and well browned, 15 to 18 minutes. Serve immediately.