Southwestern Chicken Pie With Cheddar-Spoon-Bread Crust
Published September 2, 1995
- Total Time
- 1 hour 30 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
THE PIE
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut in 1-inch cubes
2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 medium onions, peeled and diced
3 cups carrots, cut into ¼-inch dice
3 ribs celery, diced
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
3 cups chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
8 cups shiitake mushrooms in 1-inch pieces
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
THE CRUST
3 cups water
2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 ½ cups yellow cornmeal
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 eggs, separated
1 cup milk
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
½ cup grated Cheddar cheese
2 large scallions, thinly sliced
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
59 grams carbs; 291 milligrams cholesterol; 703 calories; 11 grams monosaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 28 grams fat; 8 grams fiber; 1807 milligrams sodium; 54 grams protein; 12 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
For the pie, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken and sear until browned, about 5 minutes. Place in a 12-by-3 ½-inch round clay casserole dish. Add 1 teaspoon of oil to the skillet and brown the remaining chicken. Place in the dish. Season the chicken with 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper.
- Step 2
Place 2 teaspoons of oil in the skillet, lower the heat slightly and add the onions, carrots, celery and jalapenos. Saute for 8 minutes. Add 1 cup of broth and stir, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the skillet. Stir in the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Stir the vegetable mixture into the chicken. Stir in the remaining broth, cumin, cayenne, ½ teaspoons of salt and pepper. Stir ¼ cup of the stew liquid into the flour, then stir the mixture back into the stew. Set aside.
- Step 3
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. To make the spoon-bread crust, bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the salt. Whisking constantly, pour the cornmeal in a slow, steady stream. Whisk for 20 seconds and remove from the heat. Place in a large bowl, mix in the butter and let cool. In another bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, milk, baking powder and pepper. Gradually stir the egg mixture into the cornmeal mixture. Stir in the cheese and scallions. Whip the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold into the cornmeal mixture. Spread the spoon bread over the chicken mixture and bake until the bread is cooked through, about 45 minutes. Serve hot.
Private Notes
Comments
My cheats, which I do not think substantially altered the taste or texture of the final dish: To save 45 min. of prep/cooking time, I omitted the carrots, celery, and mushrooms and substituted 2 cups of frozen corn, a can of drained garbanzos, and a can of drained black beans. I do not own a clay casserole, so I used the insert of a 6-qt oval slow cooker. For the crust, I did not separate the eggs. Instead, I mixed it in the KitchenAid until it was fluffy. Everyone loved it.
Tastes OK and the spoon bread is good but nothing special. It is a lot of effort for the result. Ironic because Ms. O'Neill's original article is about easing back on her kitchen prep time.
Easy to modify. I used much less carrot, added a chopped zucchini and cup plus of frozen corn. Didn’t bother with the broth and had enough moisture. Added some cilantro before the cornbread mix went on. Barely measured anything. Yummy and enticed my kids (even my husband) to eat veggies.
My cheats, which I do not think substantially altered the taste or texture of the final dish: To save 45 min. of prep/cooking time, I omitted the carrots, celery, and mushrooms and substituted 2 cups of frozen corn, a can of drained garbanzos, and a can of drained black beans. I do not own a clay casserole, so I used the insert of a 6-qt oval slow cooker. For the crust, I did not separate the eggs. Instead, I mixed it in the KitchenAid until it was fluffy. Everyone loved it.
Tastes OK and the spoon bread is good but nothing special. It is a lot of effort for the result. Ironic because Ms. O'Neill's original article is about easing back on her kitchen prep time.