Chicken Parmentier

Prep: 30 mins

Cook: 1 hour 10 mins

Difficulty: Intermediate

Servings: 6 Servings

This recipe is a twist on hachis Parmentier, the French version of shepherd’s pie. In the classic, a base of minced beef (“hachis” means minced in French) is topped with mashed potatoes. (The word “parmentier” refers to the use of potatoes in French food.) The name is a nod to 18th century pharmacist Antoine-Augustin Parmentier, who spent his life promoting the nutritional value of potatoes. At the time, it was (tragically) forbidden to grow them in France. Luckily for everyone, Parmentier convinced the Paris Faculty of Medicine to declare potatoes edible in 1772.

Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes (about 9 medium), peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided plus more as needed
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 large egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces, at room temperature, divided
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 medium shallots, thinly sliced (about 3/4 cup)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 medium carrots, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
2 medium stalks celery, diced (about 2/3 cup)
1/2 large fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced (about 1 1/4 cups)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
1 (32-ounce) carton low-sodium chicken broth (about 4 cups)
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh tarragon leaves (from 4 sprigs)
4 cups diced boneless, skinless cooked chicken (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 cup frozen peas
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives or tarragon leaves, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Place 2 1/2 pounds peeled and chopped Yukon gold potatoes in a large saucepan or pot and add enough cold water to cover by about 1 inch. Add 1 tablespoon of the kosher salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until the potatoes are knife tender, 15 to 25 minutes. (This is a good time to cut the vegetables for the filling.)
Drain the potatoes. Pass the potatoes through a ricer into the now-empty pot, or return the potatoes to the pot and mash with a potato masher until smooth.
Place 1/3 cup heavy cream, 2 large egg yolks, 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, and the remaining 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a liquid measuring cup or small bowl and whisk to combine. Add the cream mixture and 6 tablespoons of the room temperature unsalted butter to the potatoes. Stir until the butter is melted and the mixture is combined. Taste and season with more kosher salt as needed. Cover to keep warm.
While the potatoes cook, arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 425ºF.
Melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 thinly sliced medium shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup all-purpose flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until the flour smells nutty and darkens slightly in color, about 2 minutes.
Add 3 peeled and diced medium carrots, 2 diced medium celery stalks, 1/2 thinly sliced large fennel bulb, 2 minced garlic cloves, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Pour in 1 (32-ounce) carton low-sodium chicken broth and stir to combine. Bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are almost tender and the sauce is thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
Add 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh tarragon leaves, 1 1/2 pounds diced cooked chicken, 1 cup frozen peas, 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and stir to combine. Taste and season with more kosher salt and black pepper as needed.
Transfer the filling to a 2 1/2 to 3-quart baking dish (such as a 9x13-inch) and spread into an even layer. Dollop the potatoes over the filling with a flexible spatula, then spread the potatoes evenly over the filling, going all the way to the edges of the baking dish. Dice the remaining 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and scatter over the potatoes.
Bake until the potatoes are browned in spots and the filling is warmed through and bubbling, about 25 minutes. Garnish with 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives or tarragon leaves if desired. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.