Chicken Shepherd's Pie

A comforting twist on the classic, swapping in tender, savory chicken for a lighter yet equally hearty dish. Filled with a vegetable medley in a creamy sauce and topped with fluffy mashed potatoes, it's the perfect meal for cozy evenings.

Course dinner, Main

Cuisine British

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 20

Total Time 50

Servings

Calories 760kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

Mashed Potato Topping

1½ pounds (680g) russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
½ teaspoon (2-3g) salt (for boiling the potatoes)
1-2 tablespoons (15-30ml) whole milk
4 tablespoons (56g) unsalted butter
⅓ cup (80g) sour cream
salt and pepper to taste

Savory Pie Filling

2 tablespoons (30ml) canola oil or butter
2 cups (300g) cooked chicken, shredded (breasts or thighs)
2 teaspoons (2g) thyme
1-2 bay leaves
1 medium carrot, diced (about ½ cup)
1 stalk celery, diced (about ½ cup)
1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1 tablespoon (15g) minced garlic
1 cup (240ml) white wine
2 tablespoons (15g) flour
1 tablespoon (15ml) Worcestershire sauce
1 cup (240ml) chicken broth
1 teaspoon (2g) bouillon, beef or chicken (optional)
1 cup (150g) frozen sweet peas, rinsed and drained
1 cup (165g) frozen sweet corn, rinsed and drained
salt and pepper to taste
parsley to garnish

Instructions

Mashed Potato Layer

Rinse the potatoes and transfer them to a large saucepan. Cover them with cold water by at least 3 inches.
Season with a generous amount of salt and bring it to a boil over high heat. Once the water reaches a rolling boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer the potatoes until tender (12-15 minutes).
Drain the potatoes and transfer them to a large mixing bowl.
Use a potato masher or a hand mixer to combine the boiled potatoes with the milk, butter, sour cream, salt, and pepper until nice and creamy. Set aside.

Chicken Filling

Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Cook the shredded chicken for about 2 minutes.
Add the thyme, bay leaf, carrot, celery, onions, and garlic to the skillet. Stir well and cook for 4-6 minutes or until the vegetables soften.
Lower the heat to medium, add the white wine, and simmer on low until most of the liquid has evaporated.
Add flour, Worcestershire sauce, chicken broth, and optional chicken bouillon.
Simmer the mixture on low. Stir occasionally until the sauce thickens slightly (10-15 minutes).
Add peas and corn, stir well, and heat through. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

Assembly

Preheat oven to 425°F/218℃. Spray a 9x13 casserole dish generously with nonstick coating.
Add the chicken filling. Spread the mashed potatoes evenly using a spatula until the filling is covered.
Transfer the shepherd's pie to the oven and bake until the potatoes brown slightly around the edges (18-20 minutes).
Let it rest for about 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired.

Notes

The chicken mixture should have some sauce. So, if your chicken filling seems dry, feel free to add a little more chicken stock, white wine, or other liquid to make it nice and saucy before assembling.
On the other hand, if your chicken filling is too runny, you can add a cornstarch slurry to help thicken it. Stir a tablespoon of cornstarch into two tablespoons of cool water, stir it into the sauce, turn up the heat, and stir until it thickens.
Want a fancy shepherd's pie? Carve designs into the potato topping with a fork before baking. It delivers an elegant presentation.
Let the chicken filling cool a bit first so it will be easier to spread the potato topping.
Refrigerate the filling layer for 20 minutes after spreading it in the baking dish to keep the mashed potatoes from sinking.
Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition