There’s no getting around it. It’s February in Maine. Cold, bleak, and slushy. We desperately need comfort foods like cozy chicken pie. This recipe is sort of a hybrid. It is neither a shepherd’s pie nor a pot pie – neither, or, is it both? I hope you like it. Definitely use chicken thighs and try this turnip-infused potato top – they add creaminess without weight. Not that this is a light dish, but what does it matter now. I’m tucking in, under a down comforter on the couch, snacking on butter and caramels, and hibernating until spring.
Cozy Chicken Pie
Ingredients
- 4 turnips, peeled and cubed
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 medium-size potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 5 tablespoons butter, cubed
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil
- 1 sprig of rosemary, chopped
- sage leaves, chiffonaded
- 1/2 an onion, minced
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
Method
Step 1: Boil turnips and potatoes together in salted, sugared water for twenty minutes, drain and mash with 4 tablespoons butter, season with black pepper to taste.
Step 2: In a hot skillet flavor oil with rosemary, then brown chicken, three thighs at a time, seasoned with salt, pepper, and sage. Let it rest then cut into small cubes. Deglaze the pan with wine. Return chicken to the pan over low heat.
Step 3: Melt a tablespoon of butter in a small pot over medium heat and cook the onions until softened, about five minutes, stir in peas and broth, reduce heat and simmer for another five minutes. Combine with cubed chicken.
Step 4: Remove the chicken and vegetable mixture to a casserole dish and spread potatoes over the top. Bake at 400 for 30 minutes, finish under the broiler to brown, about ten minutes.
I am making this tomorrow…it sounds perfect for this greasy snow that just doesn’t seem to want to quit falling…
Oooh, yes, what a lovely winter dinner! For our vegetarian household, I make something similar (with plenty of sauteed mushrooms and some mushroom powder to oomph it up) when the sky is heavy with snow.
Turnips make such a wonderful addition to those flavors, balanced between sweet and peppery. And homemade pot pie or shepherd’s pie is the only reason we keep frozen peas around. They’re perfect little bites of bright green freshness in all that savory gravy.
I’m so impressed that new parents are managing to cook regularly, much less to blog about it. Congratulations!
Thanks, Elsa! I thought mushrooms would be a great addition to this, and I am sure a sauteed mushroom layer will make it into our next version of this dish. What, pray tell, is mushroom powder?
Thanks for the “new parent” nod, as well…we’re doing our best.
Mushroom powder is a jar of powdered dried mushroom to sprinkle into sauces and stews. It adds depth and roundness.
I saw mushroom powder in a spice catalog and thought, “Hmm, that sounds like something a mushroom wholesaler would make from the unsellable nubbly leftover bits. I wonder if I could make it myself?”
And I could! I bought a packet of mixed dried mushrooms from Trader Joe’s for two bucks, whizzed them (still dry) in the blender, and tapped them through a sieve to sift out the few big chunks.
The resulting powder goes into sauces a half-spoonful at a time. It’s an easy way to add some extra oomph to mushroom dishes.
One warning: it should be cooked thoroughly; apparently uncooked shiitakes can produce a blistering rash in some people. [cite] I add it, for example, to the roux for a veloute, so I know it’s getting well-heated. It’s great stuff to keep on the shelf!
Wow, I’ve never heard of such a thing! Thank you so much for the info; we will try doing some experiments with it.
I made this Thursday night, it was delicious. Thanks for all the great recipes and restaurant reviews. We are new here.
That’s so great to hear, Terri. You are most welcome!