Happy Secret Recipe Club Day to all!
If my last post got you excited for fall, this post will get you excited for winter. I admit, shepherd’s pie is totally a cozy comfort food by the fire kind of meal, but I promise– this one is good any time of year!
Members of the Secret Recipe Club are assigned a blog each month. Who has who is a secret until reveal day (today!). The mission is to choose a recipe from the assigned blog, make it, and share it!
This month for Secret Recipe Club, I was assigned the blog Fried Ice and Donut Holes, written by Melissa who is a teacher by day and cook-baker-blogger by night. Melissa shares all different types of recipes. A couple that caught my eye right off the bat were her S’mores Scones and her Winter Squash Carbonara with Pancetta and Sage (I just harvested a butternut squash from my garden, so this may be in my future!).
When I saw Buffalo Chicken Shepherd’s Pie on Melissa’s blog I knew I had to make it. I don’t care if it’s 100 degrees out, it’s buffalo chicken… and shepherd’s pie… combined! That kind of amazing just cannot be postponed to winter. I had to make it ASAP!
Melissa is from Buffalo, NY and therefore skeptical of “buffalo” flavored things (which we all know are one of my favorite’s!), but even she admits that this recipe knocked it out of the park.
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 4 celery ribs, diced
- 4 carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ cup chicken stock
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- ¼ cup buffalo sauce (such as Frank's)
- 4 cups mashed potatoes
- 6 ounces blue cheese crumbles, divided
- Chives, chopped, to garnish
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground chicken and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, about 7-8 minutes. Drain the meat and transfer to a bowl.
- Return the pan to the heat and add another 1 tbsp oil. Add the celery, carrots and onion and saute until softening, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes. Add the cherry tomatoes, paprika and cooked chicken to the pan and cook 2 minutes. Add the stock, tomato paste and hot sauce and stir to combine. Simmer for 10 minutes, then remove from heat.
- Pour the chicken mixture into a 9-inch pie pan.
- Stir half the blue cheese into the mashed potatoes. Top the chicken mixture with mashed potatoes, then sprinkle remaining cheese over top.
- Bake 30 minutes until potatoes are golden. Remove from over and sprinkle fresh chives over top. Serve hot!
The shepherd’s pie was awesome! Comfort food in the summer is definitely OK in my book… especially if it involves buffalo chicken!
Karen @ Karen's Kitchen Stories says
August 24, 2014 at 9:18 pmThat does sound amazing. Who cares if it’s still summer!! I love the new look on your blog!
jessfuel says
August 25, 2014 at 11:10 amThanks, Karen!!
Couscous & Consciousness says
August 25, 2014 at 1:22 amTotally awesome. Shepherd’s pie is a bit of a regular in our house, but I never would have thought to make it with chicken. I am definitely stealing this idea.
Karen says
August 25, 2014 at 1:38 amThat’ll do for me Jess now we have some cooler weather on the way! What a GREAT comfort dish and such clever spicing too! Karen
Lauren Everson says
August 25, 2014 at 2:01 amWhat a unique way to have the buffalo chicken flavor profile!
SallyBR says
August 25, 2014 at 3:39 amAwesome recipe for you assignment this month!
Now guess who had your blog? 😉
I hope you will like the recipe I picked, it was outstanding!!!!
Happy Reveal Day!
jessfuel says
August 25, 2014 at 11:09 amYayyy! You picked a good one!
Sarah E. says
August 25, 2014 at 5:17 amI love shepherd’s pie! And I also love buffalo chicken. I used to have a recipe saved for buffalo chicken shepherd’s pie, but don’t know what happened to it. So I am super excited you posted this – pinned to save 🙂 Happy Reveal Day!
jessfuel says
August 25, 2014 at 11:09 amIt really is a good one– hope you try it!!
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
August 25, 2014 at 5:21 amShepherds pie definitely reminds me of winter, Jess! I absolutely love the flavors in here. Definitely jazzes up a boring ‘ole dish. Love this!
April @ Angels Homestead says
August 25, 2014 at 5:54 amWho doesn’t love comfort food any time of the year?! Shepard’s Pie is so homey, but I love how this version spiced it up. I’ve never thought of making it with chicken before, I’ll definitely have to keep this in mind for future reference.
Kim (Feed Me, Seymour) says
August 25, 2014 at 6:01 amI love love love shepherd’s pie! My family won’t eat it which is ok. Because I’d eat an entire plate of this all by myself! 🙂
Sara says
August 25, 2014 at 6:23 amThis looks amazing! I love buffalo chicken, and serving it this way sounds awesome!
Rebekah @ Making Miracles says
August 25, 2014 at 6:39 amWhat a fun twist on Shepherd’s Pie! Great pick this month!! 🙂
Wendy, A Day in the Life on the Farm says
August 25, 2014 at 9:16 amWell that looks delicious!! Great Choice for SRC.
Melissa says
August 25, 2014 at 9:56 amI’m so glad you liked the shepherd’s pie! I agree with you 100%, comfort food in the summer is perfectly acceptable in my book! You should definitely try the scones and the carbonara, too. Both are things that stick out in my mind as being favorites! 😉
jessfuel says
August 25, 2014 at 11:08 amThanks for the inspiration! This was seriously one of the best meals we’ve had in a while!!
Amy @ Fearless Homemaker says
August 25, 2014 at 12:26 pmOoh, this sounds SO intriguing! I love shepherd’s pie and I love buffalo chicken, so I’ve gotta try out this combination! Fantastic choice for the SRC. =)
Sarah | Curious Cuisiniere says
August 25, 2014 at 3:06 pmWhat an awesome idea! We love shepherd’s pie… and buffalo chicken. I can only imagine the magic that happens when you put the two together!
Emily @ Life on Food says
August 25, 2014 at 4:20 pmTraditional Sheperd’s Pie kind of grosses me out but I am loving this buffalo chicken version. Great pick!
Isadora says
August 25, 2014 at 6:12 pmIt just so happens that I’m a sucker for both buffalo chicken and shepherds pie! Putting them together is just a genius idea! This looks like such a great dinner idea!
Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie says
August 25, 2014 at 6:38 pmWow what an awesome twist on shepherds pie!
avril says
August 25, 2014 at 6:58 pmI am completely speechless as I salivate over your delicious dish! It looks amazing. Completely deliciously amazing! FABULOUS, fabulous pick for SRC! 🙂
Emily aka The Three Bite Rule says
August 27, 2014 at 8:08 amsuch a fun twist!
Kathi @ Laughingspatula.com says
August 27, 2014 at 8:47 amWhat a clever combination! I love everything about it!
Thanks for sharing…
Kathi
Kirstin says
August 27, 2014 at 8:31 pmYUM! I made shepherds pie for the first time last year….LOVED It! This looks yummy and takes it to a different level with a different twist. might need to try it.
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
August 28, 2014 at 1:45 amI cannot remember the last time that I ate a shepherds pie! Thanks for reminding me how awesome shepherds pie is.. I definitely need to recreate this recipe soon.
Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious says
August 28, 2014 at 10:54 amI could eat Shepherd’s Pie all year long, no matter the season. Great SRC pick!
bakingaddict says
August 28, 2014 at 4:09 pmSuch a comforting homey dish and perfect for upcoming winter! Great SRC pick.
Katie says
September 2, 2014 at 10:58 amThis shepherds pie looks amazing! I love comfort food no matter what the season 🙂 Pinning!
Christin@SpicySouthernKitchen says
September 2, 2014 at 5:00 pmThis is such a creative recipe! I love Buffalo Chicken and Shepherd’s Pie but never would have thought of combining the two. Yumm!
Denise | Sweet Peas & Saffron says
September 3, 2014 at 9:44 pmIt is definitely fall here in Canada and this looks like the perfect food for this weather. Looks delicious, and a fun twist on shepherd’s pie 🙂
Annie @Maebells says
September 8, 2014 at 6:10 pmJess this is so fun! I have never made a shepherds pie! I love this flavor variation!