049 / 100 · Chicken and Turkey, Gently Done

Chicken and Sweet Corn Cobbler

6 portions Active 30 min Total 1 hr 15 min

Sweet corn appears twice in this savory cobbler: juicy kernels in the chicken filling and fine cornmeal in the tender topping. The mounds of batter spread just enough to meet in places while leaving little windows of sauce at the edges. This gives a different texture from a biscuit pie, with a softer, almost spoonbread-like underside. Green onions bring a fresh note without the sharp bite of a raw onion garnish. Use plain corn, whether fresh or frozen, and unseasoned stock so the flavor stays gentle.

Jump to the ingredients

Golden cornmeal cobbler mounds over creamy chicken and yellow corn in a blue casserole.

A filling thick enough to support the top

The flour in the chicken mixture has a practical job: it keeps the sauce from flooding into the cornmeal batter. Let the sauce simmer and thicken before transferring it to the dish. Frozen corn can go straight into the pan; add a minute or two if it cools the filling. The chicken must be safely cooked before the batter is added.

Drop, do not spread

Divide the topping into six loose mounds rather than smoothing it into a single sheet. That encourages golden ridges and gives each serving a clear portion. Fine yellow cornmeal is the best fit; coarse polenta takes longer to soften and can leave gritty bits. Let the baked cobbler stand for five minutes, then use a large spoon to reach down through the topping and collect plenty of filling beneath it.

Why the dish stays shallow

The cornmeal topping cooks from the oven above and the hot filling below. A shallow dish spreads that heat across a broad surface and gives the six mounds enough room to rise. A deep casserole would need longer, leaving the edges dry before the center sets. If dividing the recipe between two smaller dishes, keep the filling depth similar and start checking the topping a little earlier.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, for filling
  • 1 bunch green onions (about 6), white and green parts sliced
  • 1 lb (450 g) boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, for filling
  • 1 3/4 cups (420 ml) low-sodium chicken stock, explicitly without chili or pepper
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk, for filling
  • 3 cups corn kernels (450 g), fresh or frozen
  • 3/4 cup fine yellow cornmeal (110 g)
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (90 g), for topping
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 large egg
  • 3/4 cup (180 ml) whole milk, for topping
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly, for topping

Set out

Large deep skillet, 9-by-13-inch baking dish, 2 mixing bowls, Instant-read thermometer

Allergens

Milk, wheat, egg. Check ingredient labels and substitutions.

Make it

  1. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Melt the filling butter in the skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced green onions and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook for 4 minutes, stirring.
  2. Sprinkle in the filling flour and stir for 1 minute. Slowly stir in the stock and filling milk. Add the corn and simmer for 8–10 minutes, until the sauce thickens and the largest chicken pieces reach 165°F (74°C).
  3. In one bowl, combine the cornmeal, topping flour, baking powder, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. In another, whisk the egg, topping milk, and melted butter. Fold the wet mixture into the dry just until combined.
  4. Transfer the hot filling to the baking dish. Spoon the topping into six even mounds, leaving a little filling visible between them.
  5. Bake for 25–30 minutes until the topping is golden, a tester inserted in a mound comes out without wet batter, and the center reaches 165°F (74°C).
  6. Rest for 5 minutes, then spoon one mound and its share of filling into each bowl.

A useful detail

Use a baking dish with at least 2 1/2-quart capacity so the filling has room to bubble without overflowing.

Make it your own

  • Replace 1 cup corn with 1 cup frozen peas for a green-and-gold filling.
  • Stir 1/2 cup shredded mild cheddar into the topping for a cheesy variation.

Keep it well

Refrigerate in shallow covered containers within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C). Keep at 40°F (4°C) or colder for up to 4 days. Reheat the center of each portion to 165°F (74°C).