Chicken Potato Casserole

Serves 6-8

Filling adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Like I said, this is more work than any self respecting hotdish should be. But time is the one thing I have an abundance of these days, so I used some of it to pay this homage to the potluck bedrock of my people. This casserole does have all the key components to qualify as a proper tribute, I think: Meat, vegetables, gravy and a layer of golden-brown potatoes on top.

I only had the chance to try this out once in a 9″x9″ pan. Next time I make it – and there will be a next time – I’ll put it in an 8″x8″ pan. If the potatoes are a little more crowded together, I think they’ll be less likely to sink into the gravy at the edges.

Ingredients

• 1 pound assorted baby potatoes
• 2 pounds chicken pieces, patted dry (I used legs and thighs)
• 4 slices bacon, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
• Olive oil as needed
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup white wine, optional (I used vermouth because that’s what has been languishing on the door of my fridge for about 3 years)
• A few sprigs of thyme
• 1/4 cup milk or cream
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 1/2 tablespoons flour
• 4 tablespoons of butter, divided – 3 tablespoons softened and 1 tablespoon melted

Instructions

1. Cook the potatoes: Cover the potatoes with salted water in a medium saucepan. Bring the water to a boil and lower heat. Simmer the potatoes until tender when pierced with a fork – 12-15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and put them in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes and up to 48 hours.
2. Make the filling: In a large dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp. Remove bacon to drain on a paper towel.
3. Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper. If the pan looks dry, add a little olive oil. Add the chicken and brown on both sides. About 3-4 minutes per side. Remove chicken and set aside.
4. Add mushrooms to the hot pan. Cook until they are brown and most of their liquid has evaporated. Remove the mushrooms with a slotted spoon and put them in the same bowl as the chicken.
5. Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic to the pan. Season with salt and pepper and cook until softened and beginning to brown. If using white wine, add it and scrape up any brown bits that have gotten stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken, mushrooms and any accumulated juices back to the pan, along with the chicken broth, milk and thyme. Cover and simmer gently until the chicken is fully cooked and tender – about 30 minutes.
6. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside to cool, slightly. Skim the fat from the top of the stew in the pot if desired/you are less lazy than I am.
7. In a small bowl, mash the flour and 3 tablespoons of softened butter together into a paste. Scrape it into the pot with the stew and stir until it is melted and no lumps remain. Simmer for about 10 minutes, until the stew has thickened to a gravy-like consistency.
8. Shred the chicken from the bone, and add back to the pot along with the bacon bits. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired. Remove from heat and stir in the frozen peas. At this point, the mixture can be refrigerated for up to two days. Just re-warm it on the stove before assembling the dish
9. Assembly: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Pour the chicken filling into an 8″x8″ pan or casserole dish. Using your hands, crumble the cold, cooked potatoes into chunks on top. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of melted butter over the potatoes, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
10. Bake until potatoes are hot and filling is bubbling, about 20 minutes.
11. Turn the broiler on to high, and heat the casserole until the tops of the potatoes are golden brown. This took about 5 minutes in my oven, with the potatoes about 10″ away from the element – but watch them carefully since the last thing you need right now is a potato fire in your kitchen.
12. Scoop and enjoy!