A French-style chicken parmentier — shredded chicken in a rich tomato and vegetable sauce topped with creamy mashed potato and Gruyère, baked until golden.
Chicken parmentier is the elegant French cousin of cottage pie — a savoury chicken, vegetable and olive ragù topped with cloud-soft, cheese-gilded mash. Comforting yet refined, it's a wonderful way to turn humble ingredients into something special.
Prep 30 min
Cook 50 min
Total 80 min
Medium
- 1.5kg Potatoes
- 5 tblsp Double Cream
- 2 Egg Yolks
- 30g Butter
- 7 Shallots
- 3 chopped Carrots
- 2 sticks Celery
- 1 finely chopped Garlic Clove
- 4 tbsp White Wine
- 1 tbls Tomato Puree
- 400g Tinned Tomatos
- 350ml Chicken Stock
- 600g Chicken
- 16 Black Olives
- 2 tbs Parsley
- 50g Gruyere Cheese
Tags:
Meat DairyVideo
Preparation
- For the topping, boil the potatoes in salted water until tender, drain, and push through a ricer or mash thoroughly. Stir in the butter, cream and egg yolks, season, and set aside.
- For the filling, melt the butter in a large pan and gently fry the shallots, carrots and celery until soft, then add the garlic. Pour in the wine and cook for 1 minute, then stir in the tomato purée, chopped tomatoes and stock and cook for 10–15 minutes until thickened. Add the shredded chicken, olives and parsley and season to taste.
- Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
- Put the filling in a 20x30cm ovenproof dish, top with the mashed potato, and grate over the Gruyère. Bake for 30–35 minutes, until piping hot and golden-brown.
Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen
- Rice or thoroughly mash the potatoes, then enrich with butter, cream and egg yolk for a luxurious topping.
- Reduce the filling until thick so it doesn't make the mash sink and go watery.
- Use shredded cooked chicken — it's a great way to use up a roast.
- Grate Gruyère over the top for a beautifully golden, savoury crust.
Frequently Asked Questions
It's the French take — typically with chicken, a wine-and-tomato sauce and a richer, more refined mash topping.
Absolutely — it's ideal for this dish; just stir the shredded meat into the sauce.
Yes — assemble it ahead and bake to serve, or freeze it before baking.
