Judith Klinger, with an Italian – poultrified – take on the classic British Shepherd’s Pie.
Text And Photo By Judith Klinger
Shepherd’s pie is a classic dish from the British Isles, but variations on the dish exist anywhere there are potatoes and a bit of leftover meat.
According to Wiki, it’s “pastel del popa” in Argentina, it’s ‘hachis Parmentier’ in France, it’s ‘siniyet batata’ in Syria & Libya, and ‘pate chinois’ in Quebec. Although why a potato topped meat pie made in Canada is a “Chinese pie” is beyond me. 
We have left over roast chicken so I’m calling it Chicken Shepherd Pie or “Tarta di Pollo dello Pastore” because I made it in Italy! The name doesn’t matter, what does matter is that you turn your leftovers into something delicious and that you tailor the ingredients to what you have on hand and to what flavors you like. That is the beauty of being the cook, you get to make it your way.
PrintChicken Shepherd’s Pie
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
Description
This Italian-inspired Chicken Shepherd’s Pie transforms leftover roast chicken into a comforting dish topped with creamy mashed potatoes and a hint of Parmesan.
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped leftover roast chicken
- 1/3 cup fresh or frozen peas
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4 potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Boil the peeled and cubed potatoes in salted water until tender, about 15 minutes.
- While the potatoes are boiling, chop the carrots, onion, and celery into small pieces.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrot, and celery. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and the onion is translucent.
- Add the chopped leftover roast chicken and peas to the pan. Season with salt, pepper, oregano, and basil. Stir well and cook for another 5 minutes until heated through.
- Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Add the milk and butter, then mash until smooth and creamy. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese.
- Spread the chicken and vegetable mixture evenly in a baking dish. Top with the mashed potatoes, spreading them out to cover the filling completely.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
- Let the pie cool for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
Feel free to substitute the vegetables with what you have on hand, such as corn or green beans. This dish can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven before serving. For a richer flavor, add a splash of white wine to the vegetable mixture while cooking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 20
- Carbohydrates: 50
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 25
- Cholesterol: 50
Yum, that sounds unique!
You say to preheat to 305F, but I think you mean 350F.
Great catch! That’s 100% correct, thanks for pointing it out to us!
hi the name chinese pie or pate chinois came from the french who used to work on the railway… they had chinese cooks which made the dish so often the french began to call it this..
Judith,
You are the best. Anyone that can use “snuggly” in a sentence, not much less a recipe, is an ace in my book!
Cheers,
Matt in Denver
Thanks for the recipe – this is tonight’s dinner! As for why it is called Pate Chinois in Quebec, maybe I can help (living in Quebec and all!)… legend has it that during the late 19th century, while building Canada’s very long Trans-Canada highway, Chinese immigrants were called in to help with the work. Eastern Quebec was a very desolate place and you can imagine the lack of fresh foods. About the only thing folks had was pork, beef and potatoes. This dish was cooked up to serve hundreds of Chinese immigrants and while the ingredients are similar, the name was awarded in honour of the workers who ate it!
Would you please help me out with the ingredients measurements.
1 T, 28 g mustard. Does this mean one tablespoon plus 28 grams of mustard?
2 T, 28g butter. Does this mean 2 tablespoons plus 28 grams of butter?
2T, 6g milk. Does this mean 2 tablespoons plus 6 grams of milk?
The measurements are for either/or: 1 T or 28g, etc. Some use food scales instead of measuring cups/spoons to measure ingredients and this is why this recipe seems to give bought. Hope this helps!
Hmmnn… Can’t ever recall reading about shepherds herding chickens. If anyone did, maybe they’d be called a chickherd? ;•\
Actually they are called cluckers. In medieval times, the Duke di Pollo would hire short, wide people as cluckers. They would stand arms width apart and act as a living fence. If a chicken ventured near the perimeter, the cluckers would make loud, uh, clucking noises and scare the chickens back into the courtyard.
Cluckers were not permitted to leave their post so their wives or daughters would bring them something they could eat, standing up, with their hands.
The shepherd’s guild took pity on the clucker’s plight and welcomed them into the guild and that is how chicken shepherd’s pie was created.
-Source: Fractured Facts & Fairy Tales
Lovely dish, it looks rustic and delicious!