Chicken Shepherd's Pie

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 3 carrots, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices
• 3/4 lb red potatoes, quartered lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 large celery ribs, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken (the meat from a 3-pound chicken)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, minced
• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
• 2 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening, cut into bits
• 1/3 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 large egg
• about 1/3 cup buttermilk

Recipe

• 1 for the filling:
• 2 in a saucepan bring the broth to a boil, add the carrots, the potatoes, and the celery, and simmer the vegetables, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until they are tender.
• 3 transfer the vegetables with a slotted spoon to a large bowl, reserving the broth, and add the chicken to the bowl.
• 4 in another saucepan cook the onion in the butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until it is softened, add the flour, and cook the roux, stirring, for 3 minutes.
• 5 add 3 cups of the reserved broth in a stream, whisking, reserving any remaining broth for another use, and bring the mixture to a boil, whisking.
• 6 add the thyme and simmer the sauce, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
• 7 stir in the nutmeg, the parsley, and salt and pepper to taste, pour the sauce over the chicken mixture, and stir the mixture gently until it is just combined.
• 8 transfer the mixture to a 2-quart shallow baking dish or divide it among four 2-cup shallow baking dishes.
• 9 the filling may be made 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled.
• 10 bring the mixture to room temperature before continuing with the recipe.
• 11 biscuit crust:
• 12 into a bowl sift together the flour, the baking powder, the baking soda, and the salt, add the butter and the shortening, and blend the mixture until it resembles meal.
• 13 add the cheddar and toss the mixture.
• 14 into a liquid measuring cup break the egg, add enough of the buttermilk to measure a total of 1/2 cup, and beat the mixture with a fork.
• 15 add the egg mixture to the flour mixture, stirring until the mixture just forms a dough, gather the dough into a ball, and on a floured surface pat it out 1/2 inch thick.
• 16 cut out as many rounds as possible with a 2-inch fluted round cutter dipped in flour, gathering the scraps and patting the dough out again in the same manner.
• 17 arrange the rounds on the chicken mixture, brush the tops of the rounds with the egg wash, and prick the rounds with a fork.
• 18 bake the pie in the middle of a preheated 450°f oven for 15 to 25 minutes, or until the biscuits are puffed and golden and the filling is bubbling.