This chicken shepherd’s pie recipe is a delicious twist on traditional shepherd’s pie. It comes together quickly and easily and is an awesome way to use leftover chicken or turkey! Prepped and ready in under 1 hour.
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Why You’ll Love Chicken Shepherds Pie:
Meet your new favorite leftover meal: chicken shepherd’s pie. I love traditional versions as much as the next person. In fact, some of the best shepherd’s pie I’ve had has been the classic variety that you can find at all the good Irish pubs. But sometimes it’s a good idea to add your own twist, especially when it allows you to repurpose leftovers.
Which is actually what inspired me to make this recipe. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, so I’m always in search of a good way to use leftover turkey. I knew I already had recipes like Chicken and Wild Rice SoupBuffalo Chicken Sliders, and Copycat Panera Bread Chicken Salad
What I love even more about this particular recipe is the added bonus of using leftover mashed potatoes if you have them. It’s quick, easy, totally comforting, and…
- A great update to a traditional recipe
- Full of veggies and protein
- Perfect for busy weeknights
- Hearty and satisfying
- You’ll never have to worry about wasting leftovers again!
- Chicken- Leftovers are my favorite for this recipe! You can also use leftover turkey (hello, day-after-Thanksgiving feast), rotisserie chicken, or you could even cook some chicken breast or thighs from scratch.
- Onion & Garlic- These aromatics add so much flavor to whatever you use them in! I sauté them in Butter before adding the veggies and chicken.
- Flour- You want your chicken filling to be thick and creamy — adding some all-purpose flour to the mix will get you there If you’re gluten free substitute corn starch.
- Mixed Veggies- To make things super easy, I’m using a bag of frozen mixed veggies! You could also use any leftovers you have in the fridge. As you can see, this is a super leftovers-focused recipe!
- Mashed Potatoes- Again, use ’em up if you got ’em! And if you don’t have any, make some mashed potatoes from scratch. They really add a lot to my this recipe!
- Chicken Broth & White Wine- To add more flavor, and to create the gravy for the filling.
- Seasonings- All I’m using is salt, ground black pepper, and poultry seasoning!
How To Make Shepherd’s Pie With Chicken
Step 1- Sauté the onion and garlic.
Place a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, then add the butter. When melted, add the onion and sauté for about 3 minutes, or until softened.
Stir in the frozen veggies and chicken until well combined. Add the broth, wine, and seasonings and stir.
Bring the mixture to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low, and allow it to simmer for 10 minutes.
While the chicken filling cooks, reheat the mashed potatoes in a saucepan with a bit of milk so they don’t dry out.
Pour the chicken filling mixture into an 8×8-inch baking dish and carefully spread the potatoes in an even layer on top.
Transfer the baking dish to an oven preheated to 350 degrees F and bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use your favorites. Some popular choices for chicken shepherds pie are frozen peas, corn, green beans, broccoli, and cauliflower. You could even use fresh if you want — carrots, celery, peas, green beans, and mushrooms are all delicious with chicken and mashed potatoes. You’ll have to simmer the mixture for a bit longer if you use fresh veggies… something to keep in mind!
No problem, simply replace the wine with additional chicken broth. The wine adds an extra acidity that I love, but broth will work too.
I’d say assemble it and then bake it later. Just remove from the fridge 30 minutes before and be prepared to extend the baking time a bit to make sure it’s cooked through.
Yes, but I’d bake it through first. It will keep for up to 2-3 months when properly stored in the freezer. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating covered at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes.
- To keep things simple, I like to use frozen mixed veggies. Remember, you can use whatever you love and have on hand. You could also even use up leftover cooked veggies! Just add them at the last minute before covering with potatoes and baking.
- If you have leftover mashed potatoes this is the perfect recipe to use them. I like to heat them up in a medium pan and — depending on their texture — you can add a little milk to make them creamier. If you do, start with a small amount. You can always add more.
- This recipe makes a smaller pan, around 8×8 or 9×9. If you need more you can always double the recipe for a 9×13 pan.
- To make the top of your shepherds pie with chicken a little crispier, use a fork to rough up the surface a little. Or, sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top!
- Ingredients to prep ahead- if you don’t have any leftovers, you should cook the chicken and mashed potatoes before getting started. You can also dice the onion and peel the garlic.
- Ingredients and storage-depending on how old the leftovers are, chicken shepherds pie will keep for 2-3 days covered in the refrigerator. You can reheat single servings in the microwave — use your oven for larger portions.
The thing I love most about this easy chicken shepherd’s pie recipe is that it’s already got everything you need inside to make it a well-rounded meal on its own. That said, a green salad and some crusty bread would always go well with this! Some other options include:
Chicken Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
- Total Time: 55 minutes
Description
This chicken shepherd's pie recipe is a delicious twist on traditional shepherd's pie. It comes together quickly and easily and is an awesome way to use leftover chicken or turkey! Prepped and ready in under 1 hour.
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup finely diced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, (minced)
- 3 Tablespoons flour
- 1 1/2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
- 2 cups chopped cooked chicken or turkey
- 14 ounces chicken broth
- 1/2 cup white wine ((or broth))
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper,
- 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 3 cups mashed potatoes
- 1/4 cup milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a large sauté pan over medium high heat.
- Add onion and sauté stirring often to soften, about 3 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook 1 more minute.
- Add flour and stir until no lumps remain. Cook for another minute.
- Add frozen vegetables and chicken- mix well.
- Stir in broth, wine, salt, pepper and poultry seasoning until well combined.
- Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes to thicken and heat through.
- While the chicken mixture boils, reheat heat potatoes in an medium pan until creamy and heated through (you can add a little milk to make them creamier if you want).
- Pour the chicken mixture into an 8" x 8" baking pan. Carefully spread the potatoes in an even layer on top of the chicken mixture and smooth the top as best you can.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool 5 minutes and serve immediately.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Main Course Main dish
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 182 kcal