Cornbread Chicken Pot Pie Recipe

Original Post: https://www.evolvingtable.com/cornbread-chicken-pot-pie/

Cornbread Chicken Pot Pie is served in one pan with a jalapeno topping and honey butter.

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Cornbread Chicken Pot Pie Recipe

This Cornbread Chicken Pot Pie bakes a creamy chicken and vegetable filling under a honey jalapeño cornbread topping, all in one cast iron skillet. It starts with the pot pie base I tested five times for my cookbook, and it gets a brush of honey butter the second it comes out of the oven. One skillet, and it feeds a crowd.

Prep Time25

Cook Time35

Total Time1

Course: Dinner, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Mexican, Southern

Servings: servings

Author: London Brazil

Equipment

Ingredients

Filling

5 tablespoons salted butter divided
3 celery ribs diced
3 medium carrots peeled and diced
1 small yellow onion diced
3 cloves garlic finely minced
1¼ teaspoons salt divided
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth divided
1 cup half-and-half
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried rosemary
½ teaspoon dried tarragon
⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
¾ teaspoon black pepper
4 cups cooked chicken shredded
¾ cup frozen peas
¾ cup frozen corn

Honey Jalapeño Cornbread Topping

1 cup medium grind cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs whisked
6 tablespoons salted butter melted
¾ cup whole milk
¼ cup honey
1 small jalapeño seeded and finely diced
1 small jalapeño sliced into thin rounds

Honey Butter

1 tablespoon salted butter melted
1 tablespoon honey

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add celery, carrots, and onion and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the carrots and celery are tender. Add garlic and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook for 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
3 celery ribs, 3 medium carrots, 1 small yellow onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1¼ teaspoons salt
Add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter to the skillet and let it melt. Sprinkle the flour evenly over the vegetables and cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes, until the vegetables are coated and no dry flour remains. Pour in ½ cup of the broth and stir until it forms a thick paste.
½ cup all-purpose flour, 2 cups chicken broth, 1 cup half-and-half
Add the 1 cup half-and-half and the remaining 1½ cups broth in ¼-cup increments, stirring well after each addition and letting the sauce thicken slightly between additions.
Reduce heat to low and stir in the thyme, rosemary, tarragon, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¾ teaspoon black pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes, or until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in the shredded chicken, peas, and corn. Spread into an even layer.
½ teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, ½ teaspoon dried tarragon, ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg, ¾ teaspoon black pepper, 4 cups cooked chicken, ¾ cup frozen peas, ¾ cup frozen corn
In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, melted butter, milk, and honey. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir by hand until just combined. Fold in the diced jalapeño, being careful not to overmix.
1 cup medium grind cornmeal, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 large eggs, 6 tablespoons salted butter, ¾ cup whole milk, ¼ cup honey, 1 small jalapeño
Dollop the cornbread batter evenly over the warm filling and gently spread, leaving a few small gaps around the edges for steam to escape. Arrange the jalapeño rounds over the top.
1 small jalapeño
Bake for 35 minutes, or until the cornbread is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the topping comes out clean.
Stir together the melted butter and honey and brush over the hot cornbread. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
1 tablespoon salted butter, 1 tablespoon honey

Notes

Skillet size: A 12-inch ovenproof or cast-iron skillet gives the filling and cornbread room to bake up without overflowing. No 12-inch ovenproof skillet? Build the filling in any skillet, then transfer to a 9 x 13-inch baking dish before topping. Set the skillet on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any bubble-over.

Sauce consistency: The filling should be pourable, not stiff. It thickens as it bakes and the cornbread absorbs some liquid from below, so a slightly loose sauce is what you want going into the oven.

Chicken: Any cooked, shredded chicken works. Rotisserie is the fastest route but often has more salt, so taste before adding all the salt called for.

Broth: For the best flavor, whisk Better Than Bouillon into warm water instead of using boxed broth, about 1 teaspoon of base per cup of water, so 2 teaspoons here. It gives the filling a deeper, more savory flavor. Regular chicken broth works too.

Half-and-half: Half-and-half makes the filling rich and creamy without being heavy. Heavy cream can be subbed for something richer. Whole milk works for a lighter sauce, just use about ¼ cup less since it is thinner.

Heat level: One diced jalapeño in the batter keeps this mild to medium, and the sliced rounds on top add a little more. Seed all the jalapeños for the mildest version, or leave some seeds in the rounds for extra kick.

Make ahead: Prepare the filling up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate. Mix the cornbread batter fresh, top, and bake when ready.

Storage: Airtight in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven to keep the cornbread from going soft. Although it's best fresh, you can freeze. If you do freeze it, freeze it fully baked. The cornbread loses a little of its crumb and can dry out on reheat. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat covered at 350°F.

Gluten-free: Use a 1-to-1 gluten-free blend in both the filling and the cornbread, plus gluten-free cornmeal. The filling may not come out quite as creamy.

Dairy-free: Use dairy-free butter and a full-fat plant-based milk (oat or soy) in both the filling and the cornbread.

Nutrition