If you’re new around here, you won’t know that the Stringbean Husband is pretty ruthless when it comes to feedback. It’s why we love him. Nothing is ever middle of the road or a grey area. If it’s not good enough, he’s pretty clear about it. That’s why I am particularly excited to bring you to you this soul warming chicken and mushroom cottage pie, declared by Mr Stringbean as the best thing we’ve had this winter. Packed with veggies, it is part Shepherds’ Pie and part chicken pot pie – hearty, wintery and the best thing we’ve had so far this winter.
There are so many reasons to love this pie for your whole family. It’s healthy, packed with veggies and kid friendly. Given that it’s finally cold here (just in time for Christmas!), we are digging deep into the winter warmer recipe catalogue and this one is my winner. It’s part Shepherd’s Pie thanks to the mashed potatoes on top (with an added mix in of glorious feta), part chicken pot pie thanks to the warm, gravy smothered chicken and mushroom base. Trust me, this is one for a cold and grey outside kind of day.
Things to note about ingredients
My preference is to used left over roast chicken for this recipe (I also will sometimes buy a roast chicken from the super market on busy days, so that’s always an option too). If you do opt to cook your chicken fresh, sear it off first. Once browned, remove it from the pan and start at step one with the pancetta. Add the chicken back to the pan before the stock as usual. Onions also make a big difference to this recipe, opt for softer varieties if you can. Leeks and shallots provide a gentle sweetness without being over bearing. If you don’t have the option for shallots or leeks, go ahead and use half of a brown onion, finely diced.
Wild mushrooms mixed with good old fashioned Brown Swiss work best for this cottage pie. I know I’ve said this a million times with other recipes but the mushrooms cook down so much in the skillet so don’t be concerned if it seems like a lot at first.
While this is optional, I also highly recommend you add 3-4 small knobs of Homemade Christmas Butter to the top when there is 10 minutes remaining in the oven. To. Die. For.
One added bonus for this Chicken and Mushroom Cottage Pie – it reheats like a dream. Enjoy! xo