Chicken Shepherd's Pie
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
45 mins
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Total Time
1 hr 5 mins
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Servings
6 people
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Calories
522 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
Chicken Shepherd's Pie
Description
Chicken Shepherd's Pie uses boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs gently simmered in chicken broth until tender, then shredded. The broth is reserved to build a sauce by sautéing diced yellow onion and garlic in butter with a careful blend of dried herbs and spices including thyme, rosemary, sage, and pepper.
Flour is added to make a roux, cooked to eliminate the raw taste, then slowly combined with reserved chicken broth and half and half to form a creamy gravy. Chicken bouillon cube and Worcestershire sauce deepen the flavor. Mixed frozen vegetables are added to this savory filling.
The filling is transferred to a baking dish and topped evenly with warm mashed potatoes before baking at a high temperature until the potatoes form a lightly browned crust. This dish serves six people and pairs well with easy biscuits for a complete meal.
The filling can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to two days or frozen for three months. Reheating can be done on the stove or baked in the oven covered, topped later with mashed potatoes and baked until warmed through.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. chicken breast see notes, boneless skinless, or thighs
- salt
- black pepper
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- ½ yellow onion finely diced, small
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon ground sage
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1/3 cup flour
- ½ cup half and half
- 1 chicken bouillon cube or 1 tsp better than bouillon
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cups vegetables peas, carrots, corn, frozen
- 5 cups potato mashed, warm
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Pat the chicken dry and season with salt/pepper. Add 3 cups of chicken broth to a medium saucepan and add the chicken. Gradually bring it to a gentle boil. Let the chicken cook with the lid cracked for 15 minutes, or until cooked through. Don’t boil rapidly or the chicken will be tough. Remove the chicken and use forks to shred. Set aside and reserve the broth that the chicken cooked in.
- While the chicken cooks, melt 4 Tbsp. butter in a wide (12-inch) pan over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté them for 4 minutes. Add the garlic and seasonings. Toss to coat and cook for 1 more minute.
- Add the flour and toss to coat. Cook for 2 minutes or until you can no longer smell raw flour.
- Reduce heat to low. Add 2 cups of the reserved chicken broth in small splashes, stirring to incorporate. Add the half and half in the same manner. Adding the liquid too quickly will break the roux and interfere with the thickness of the gravy.
- Add chicken bouillon and 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce. Then add the shredded chicken and stir to combine.
- Increase heat to medium and continue to add splashes of the remaining 1 cup of chicken broth while letting the filling simmer, reduce, and concentrate for 10-15 minutes. I usually use ¾ of the remaining cup.
- Add the frozen vegetables and stir to combine and heat through. Remove from heat.
- Transfer filling to a lightly greased 9 x13-inch baking dish if your skillet isn’t oven/broil safe.
- Let the filling cool slightly, then carefully place scoops of warm potatoes on the top. Try to add several scoops that are all almost touching each other to eliminate the amount of spreading you’ll need to do. (See process shots in post above.)
- Use a silicone spatula to gently spread the warm potatoes in an even and smooth layer over the filling. Don't push down hard to ensure the potatoes stay on the top.
- If desired, use a fork to “rake” a design on the top. Place in the preheated oven and bake uncovered for 10 minutes.
- Set broiler to high (550 degrees), and let the top brown for about 4 minutes, watch it carefully during this time to ensure it doesn’t burn. Don’t do this with glass or Pyrex baking dishes.
- Remove and garnish with parsley. Let it sit for 5 minutes prior to serving.
Notes
- The recipe yields 6 servings; nutritional details are provided per serving.
- Bone-in chicken or leftover rotisserie chicken can substitute the fresh chicken breasts or thighs with adjustments in cooking time.
- Prepare the filling ahead and store refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months before assembling with mashed potatoes and baking.
- This dish goes well with buttermilk or cheddar bay biscuits for a fuller meal experience.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 522 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 522kcal | 26% |
| Carbohydrates | 57g | 19% |
| Protein | 41g | 82% |
| Fat | 15g | 23% |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 124mg | 41% |
| Sodium | 931mg | 39% |
| Potassium | 1398mg | 30% |
| Fiber | 6g | 24% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 3441IU | 69% |
| Vitamin C | 58mg | 64% |
| Calcium | 76mg | 8% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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