Buffalo Chicken Shepherd's Pie

I love traditional foods with a twist such as Chicken Parmesan Meatloaf and Chicken Marsala Risotto.  They make classic favorites into something new and exciting without completely offending those that enjoy routine. Here's another one of those types of recipes.

I knew the moment I saw it that it would be a winner.  And I was actually in so much of a hurry to dig into this dish that the only photo I got of it was on my iPhone!  Clearly you can see  where my priorities lie haha.  The cheesy mashed potatoes scream creamy comfort while the filling is flavored with tangy and spicy hot sauce.  It was even one of those dishes that tasted better the next day after it had been reheated.  I didn't have enough to freeze but I'm willing to bet it would do well as a freezer meal, too.

Since my husband is anti-blue cheese, I made his half with cheddar in both the mashed potatoes and topping.  Feel free to do the same or go all one type of cheese based on your family's preferences.

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Buffalo Chicken Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 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
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1/4 cup hot sauce (suggest Frank's Red Hot)
• 4 cups mashed potatoes
• 4 oz blue cheese, crumbled and divided (alternatively you can use cheddar or both)
• Chives, chopped for garnishng

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Heat oil over medium high heat in a large skillet.  Add the chicken and cook until browned.  Add the celery, onions and garlic.  Continue to cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft, about 8-10 minutes.  Add the tomatoes and paprika.  Deglaze the pan with the stock and add the tomato paste and hot sauce.  Stir to combine.  Allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Add half (2 oz) of the cheese and a few dashes of hot sauce to the mashed potatoes and mix well.
4. Prepare a 9-inch pie plate (I found I had too much filling so used a large rectangular pyrex baking dish) by spraying with cooking spray.  Pour the chicken mixture into the prepared pan.  Spoon potatoes on top and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are golden and chicken mixture is bubbly.  Sprinkle with additional paprika and chopped chives.  Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Source: as seen on Fried Ice and Donut Holes from The Jey of Cooking