Aug 10, 2010

Winner, Winner, Chicken-Baby Dinner!!

So it was my turn to bring Miss Jules some dinner for her, her husband, and baby Will.  My standby baby/illness in the family meal is Turkey and Artichoke Stuffed Shells (created by Giada, shudder).  It's delish and always a hit, but I wanted something comforting, but a little more summery.  Especially with the profusion of good string beans floating around the market, I needed to steer away from Italian and toward Southern.

Hello Fatback!

I pulled out my trusty Tennessee Tables, landed on Scalloped Chicken, and was set.

Except my kitchen looks (once again) like this:

Good Lord.

So I bopped over to Mama's kitchen and took (a very extended) moving break for some cookery.

Scalloped Chicken (modified slightly from Tennessee Tables)
  • 3 rotisserie chickens
    • reserve skin
    • debone and tear into bite size pieces
  • Stuffing
    • 2 loaves French bread (slightly stale, or dry in a low oven)
    • 1/2 cup butter
    • 6 sprigs chopped parsley
    • 8 green onions with tops, chopped
    • 3 ribs celery with leaves, chopped
    • 1 t. salt
    • dash of white pepper
    • 2 t. poultry seasoning
    • 6 T. chicken broth
  • Sauce
    • 1/2 cup butter
    • 1/2 cup olive oil
    • 1 cup all  purpose flour
    • 1 cup milk
    • 4 cups chicken broth
    • 4 eggs lightly beaten
    • reserved chicken skin (ground- just stick it in the Cuisinart or blender)
  • Topping
    • 1 cup panko crumbs
    • 4 T butter
*Grease a 9x13 oven proof dish (I used 3 8x8's- one for my family for dinner, one for Jules, and one for the freezer)
*Preheat oven to 375
  • Make the Stuffing
    • crumble the bread
    • melt butter in a large sauce pan,
    • added chopped parsley, scallions and celery
    • cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes until veggies are wilted
    • lightly mix in the crumbs
    • add salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, and chicken broth
    • place stuffing in greased dish(es)
  • Make the Sauce
    • heat the butter and the olive oil in a large pan
    • add flour and blend until smooth
    • stir in milk, and broth
    • cook over medium high heat until thick (it should stick to the spoon)
    • gradually add eggs (I tempered my eggs first so I didn't get scrambled egg sauce)
    • cook 3-4 minutes
    • add ground chicken skin
So then you top the stuffing with half of the sauce, layer on top the chicken, then top with the remaining half of the sauce.  Toss your panko crumbs with melted butter (because, obviously this dish is lacking butter), and sprinkle on top.  Throw it in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serve with fresh string beans, some good bread, and a green salad.

I took a picture after Hubs got into ours.


Not the most beautiful, but it's tasty!  You could probably make this far healthier, but it was my first time making it.  Also, this little mama is nursing, so she needs her calories!  I also loaded up at the Krystal for a little something for the freezer for those late night feedings.  After all, nothing tastes better at 2 o'clock in the morning than a Krystal!

6 comments:

  1. This is perfect! Thanks for sharing! I have been hunting good freezer meals!

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  2. That looks delicious! I love that it makes 3 dishes as well. When I'm cooking for a friend, I inevitably want whatever I'm cooking for myself. :) It's nice to have an extra for your own freezer.

    I make Giadas Turkey & Artichoke stuffed shells too! Such a great recipe because you can adapt it a bunch of ways. I'm sensing by the "shudder" you're not a Giada fan. I like her but I have to say, I can't help but be jealous. She's gorgeous, can cook & her husband's a clothing designer for Anthro - not fair!

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  3. How nice of you to make them dinner! Sounds delicious! :)

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  4. That looks yummy! And you can never have too much butter in some southern comfort food!

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  5. So that looks like amazing comfort food! you're such a good friend! Love that you went to another kitchen. hehe

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  6. Yummy Samma! And so glad to get to see baby Will from far away! I can't wait to see him in person, he looks absolutely adorable! Hope all is going great my love:)

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