Recipe: The Shepherd's Other Pie

Shepherd’s Pie is usually made with lamb (you know, a shepherd = sheep). But this is another pie the shepherd might make, this time with chicken. The shepherd doesn't really have much imagination: everything is a casserole topped with mashed potatoes. Let’s begin!

Chicken and mashed potatoes - a match made in heaven? Yes

INGREDIENTS

• 4-5 lb Whole Chicken, thawed
• 4-5 Medium Carrots, sliced thin
• 2 Ribs Celery, medium dice 
• 1 Medium Onion, medium dice
• 1 16 oz Bag of Frozen Peas
• ½ Cup Flour
• 3 Cups Chicken Broth/Stock
• 6 Tbs Butter
• 6-7 Medium Potatoes
• 1 Cup Half & Half
• Salt & Pepper
• Poultry Seasoning

INSTRUCTIONS
Chicken

1. Remove the innards from the chicken (they are usually placed in a convenient bag) and discard. We will not need any chicken guts this evening, but feel free to save them for your special organ meat luncheon that is coming-up.
2. Rinse the chicken well, inside and out. Dry the outside of the chicken with paper towels, and place in a roasting pan large enough to hold the chicken and the juices that are bound to escape
3. Coat the outside with a small amount of vegetable oil (rub it into the meat with your hands) and sprinkle a generous amount of salt inside and outside the bird. The salt with give it flavor, and is very important.
4. Roast in a 350 degree oven for ~90 minutes. Remove from oven, let sit for ~15 minutes, and then separate the meat from the carcass – you only need the meat. Cut the meat into large bite-sized pieces (or shred) and set aside.

Potatoes (we've been here before)

1. Peel and quarter the potatoes. Place into a large pot. Add enough water to barely reach the top of the potatoes. Sprinkle-on 1 Tbs of kosher salt, cover, and set on medium high heat.
2. When the pot comes to a boil, drop the heat to low and simmer for ~20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
3. Drain the water, and rice or mash your potatoes to completion. Add the Half & Half and stir together. You will notice that the mashed potatoes are silky and delicious – oh, that’s good!
4. Set the potatoes aside 

Stew

1. In a large saucepan, melt 2 Tbs of butter over medium heat.  Add the carrots, onion, and celery and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Be sure to “sweat” the veggies and not brown the veggie. The goal is to cook them to release their flavors, not to add new caramelized flavors. About half-way through the sweating, add ~2 tsp of Poultry Seasoning (or 1 tsp of Thyme) and 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper. This will give the seasoning a chance to soften (especially Thyme: it’s particularly woody, and can be a little spiky in the dish)
2. Add 2 Tbs of butter and the flour. It’s like a roux (again), and this with thicken the sauce. Cook the flour in the butter and veggies for a few minutes – enough time to allow the flour to cook. Add the broth (1 cup at a time) and stir. Allow the mixture to thicken before adding the next amount. When all the broth has been added, add the frozen peas and allow them to cook in the broth (5 minutes). Add the chicken you have already set aside and bring everything up to proper temperature.

Pie

1. Dump the stew in a decorative casserole dish. Be sure it’s deep enough to contain the stew here.
2. Top with the mashed potatoes – be sure to smooth-out the potatoes to cover the entire dish.
3. Now, you can take a fork and gently carve designs into the potatoes. Melt the remaining 2 Tbs of butter and pour over the potatoes – it will be delicious and also help the potatoes brown in the oven.
4. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until the potatoes begin to brown. Remove and eat.

RECIPE NOTES

• This seems tough, is it really worth it? >> Yeah, it is – this was awesome!
• Whole chicken – can I substitute parts? >> Yes, that’s fine. The whole chicken was the right amount of meat. So, I’d go with 2 breasts and 2 thighs or 3 breasts if you want an all-white-meat version.