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Celery Seed Chicken

Source of Recipe

From "The Southern Sympathy Cookbook" by Perre Coleman Magness


Recipe Introduction

"Poppy seed chicken is a classic comfort food casserole, creamy and simple with appeal for everyone. I make poppy seed chicken with leftover cooked chicken all the time. But I once found myself with chicken but no poppy seed, so I made a quick substitution with celery seed and found I liked this accidental version better than the original. I never thought the poppy seed added much anyway, but the celery seed definitely does -- just a little hint of mystery. And I love the tang that buttermilk adds."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
â—¦ 4 Tbsp (½ stick) unsalted butter
â—¦ ¼ cup all-purpose flour
â—¦ 1½ cups whole milk
â—¦ ¾ cup buttermilk
â—¦ ¼ cup sour cream
â—¦ 1 tsp white wine vinegar
â—¦ 1 Tbsp celery seed
â—¦ Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
â—¦ 1 cup crushed buttery crackers (about 20 crackers; I like Ritz)


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 350° F.
Place the chicken in a baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until it reaches an internal temperature of 165° F. When cool enough to handle, dice the chicken into small pieces.

Melt the butter over medium heat in a deep skillet large enough to hold the chicken. Whisk in the flour until smooth. Add the milk, whisking constantly, then the buttermilk, and bring to a low bubble. Cook, whisking, until thickened. The sauce may appear a little curdled, but that's just fine. Stir in the chicken, the sour cream, and the vinegar until combined, then stir in the celery seed. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.

Scrape the chicken into a greased, 2-quart baking dish and smooth the top. Spread the cracker crumbs in an even layer over the casserole. At this point, the dish can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated for up to a day before baking.

When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350° F.
Bake until hot through and bubbling around the edges, about 30 minutes.


Serves 6