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Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 25 Minutes |
Ready In: 45 Minutes Servings: 6 |
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Ready, Set, Cook! Special Edition Contest Entry. Shepherd's Pie is a great rustic dish, but not everyone eats beef (I know, but it's true) or wants beef all the time. Here's a variation that uses chicken for a change of pace. Ingredients:
3 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts |
4 cups chicken broth, divided |
1 teaspoon salt |
1/4 cup butter |
1/3 cup all-purpose flour |
1/2 cup cream or 1/2 cup half-and-half |
1 teaspoon ground pepper |
1 teaspoon celery salt |
1 teaspoon old bay seasoning |
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce |
16 ounces frozen corn |
2 green onions, green and white parts, sliced thinly |
1 (24 ounce) package simply potatoes traditional mashed potatoes |
8 ounces bacon, cooked and crumbled |
2 ounces cheddar cheese, finely shredded |
Directions:
1. Submerge chicken breasts in 2c chicken broth and 1t salt in a saucepan. Add a little water if necessary to cover meat. Bring to a simmer and poach chicken until it reaches 160ºF. Do not overcook or let the broth boil vigorously. Set aside to cool slightly.
2. In a saucier or saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour and whisk vigorously to form a roux. Cook until about the color of peanut butter.
3. Add 2c chicken broth and whisk vigorously to avoid lumps. Add cream, pepper, celery salt, Old Bay, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil and whisk until thickened; about 5 minutes. Set aside.
4. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. You could just dice it, but shredding it gives it a much more interesting texture that holds onto the sauce.
5. Place the shredded chicken into an 8 to 9 round high-side casserole or soufflé dish.
6. Pour sauce over chicken, add half of the crumbled bacon bits, and mix well.
7. Heat the frozen corn in the microwave oven until hot (about 5 minutes) and make a layer on top of the chicken.
8. Prepare the Simply Potatoes Traditional Mashed Potatoes according to package directions. Stir in the green onions and 3/4 of the remaining bacon bits until thoroughly mixed. Top the corn layer with the mashed potatoes and even it out to create a top crust for the casserole. Leaving little peaks that will get extra-browned in the oven is a good idea.
9. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese and the remainder of the crumbled bacon over the top of the potatoes.
10. Bake the casserole in a preheated 400ºF oven until heated through and potatoes begin to brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let rest for about 10 minutes before serving.
11. NOTE: The chicken and the sauce can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to assemble. If refrigerated, heat the sauce to just boiling before assembling the casserole.
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