Chicken Shepherd's Pie
By Jeremy SauerPublished on October 6, 2014
Time
2 hours
Yield
Serves 6
Ingredients
2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs, trimmedSalt and pepper 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces1 onion, chopped3 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut crosswise ½ inch thick2 garlic cloves, minced1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh thyme ¼ cup dry sherry 2 cups chicken broth 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks¼ cup cornstarch 1 cup frozen peas, thawed1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 large egg, lightly beaten
Before You Begin
You will need a 10-inch ovensafe skillet for this recipe. You can use dry white wine in place of the sherry. Swanson Chicken Stock is our taste-test winner. Make sure to use russet potatoes here.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in ovensafe 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken until well browned, about 5 minutes per side (skillet will be crowded). Transfer chicken to plate and pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from skillet.
- Return skillet to medium-high heat, add onion and carrots, and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add sherry and cook until pan is nearly dry, scraping up any browned bits, about 1 minute. Stir in broth.
- Return chicken to skillet, skin side up, along with any accumulated juices, and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until chicken registers 175 degrees, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and transfer chicken to plate. Once cool enough to handle, shred chicken into bite-size pieces; discard skin and bones.
- Meanwhile, place potatoes and 1 tablespoon salt in large saucepan and cover with water by 1 inch. Bring to boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium, and cook at strong simmer until tender, 15 to 18 minutes. Drain potatoes and return to saucepan. Place saucepan over low heat and cook to drive off any remaining moisture from potatoes, about 1 minute. Off heat, gently fold remaining 5 tablespoons butter, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper into potatoes. Cover and set aside.
- Whisk cornstarch together with 1/4 cup water in bowl. Bring broth mixture in skillet to boil and whisk in cornstarch mixture. Return to boil and cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in peas, lemon juice, and shredded chicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Spoon potatoes over entire surface of filling. Brush potatoes with egg. Transfer to oven and bake until pie is bubbling, about 15 minutes. Turn oven to broil and cook until potatoes are golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes. Serve.
Time
2 hoursYield
Serves 6Ingredients
2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed
Salt and pepper
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut crosswise ½ inch thick
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh thyme
¼ cup dry sherry
2 cups chicken broth
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
¼ cup cornstarch
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed
Salt and pepper
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut crosswise ½ inch thick
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh thyme
¼ cup dry sherry
2 cups chicken broth
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
¼ cup cornstarch
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed
Salt and pepper
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut crosswise ½ inch thick
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh thyme
¼ cup dry sherry
2 cups chicken broth
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
¼ cup cornstarch
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
To make shepherd’s pie using chicken instead of the traditional beef or lamb, we use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs that we cook and then shred. This is a little more work than using ground chicken, but the results are well worth it. To flavor the pie, we swap out beef broth for chicken broth and brighten it using lemon juice and fresh thyme. Instead of having to make mashed potatoes and pipe them on top, we simplify the traditional topping by using boiled, cubed potatoes and stirring in butter. Brushing this rustic topping with egg wash makes sure it browns well in the oven.
Before You Begin
You will need a 10-inch ovensafe skillet for this recipe. You can use dry white wine in place of the sherry. Swanson Chicken Stock is our taste-test winner. Make sure to use russet potatoes here.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in ovensafe 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken until well browned, about 5 minutes per side (skillet will be crowded). Transfer chicken to plate and pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from skillet.
- Return skillet to medium-high heat, add onion and carrots, and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add sherry and cook until pan is nearly dry, scraping up any browned bits, about 1 minute. Stir in broth.
- Return chicken to skillet, skin side up, along with any accumulated juices, and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until chicken registers 175 degrees, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and transfer chicken to plate. Once cool enough to handle, shred chicken into bite-size pieces; discard skin and bones.
- Meanwhile, place potatoes and 1 tablespoon salt in large saucepan and cover with water by 1 inch. Bring to boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium, and cook at strong simmer until tender, 15 to 18 minutes. Drain potatoes and return to saucepan. Place saucepan over low heat and cook to drive off any remaining moisture from potatoes, about 1 minute. Off heat, gently fold remaining 5 tablespoons butter, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper into potatoes. Cover and set aside.
- Whisk cornstarch together with 1/4 cup water in bowl. Bring broth mixture in skillet to boil and whisk in cornstarch mixture. Return to boil and cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in peas, lemon juice, and shredded chicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Spoon potatoes over entire surface of filling. Brush potatoes with egg. Transfer to oven and bake until pie is bubbling, about 15 minutes. Turn oven to broil and cook until potatoes are golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes. Serve.
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