The population of Hispanic-Americans in the Southern states is growing and with the introduction of new cultural dishes, the South (as always) adapts and adopts new flavors, usually combining familiar dishes with new ingredients.
Cornbread is a staple bread in the South and often served simply as a bread, but Southern cooks also “fancy” up cornbread by adding new ingredients. It’s kind of like playing around with pizza recipes and trying new toppings.
Southern Cornbread Chicken Pie is a main dish with chicken, cheese and salsa that is baked in the cornbread much like a pie. It can be made mild or with some heat depending on the heat level of the salsa used and any extra hot sauces stirred in.
Southern Cornbread Chicken Pie Recipe
Ingredients:
Cornbread Crust
- 1 cup cornmeal white or yellow (can be self rising or plain cornmeal)
- ½ cup plain flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 egg
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup shredded cheese (Monterey Jack or cheddar)
Cornbread Pie Filling
- 1 small whole chicken cooked and cut in bit sized pieces (or favorite chicken parts in a similar amount – 3 to 4 cups)
- 1 jar salsa (14 ounces or similar)
- 1 cup shredded cheese (Monterey Jack or cheddar)
Cornbread Pie Topping
- ½ cup shredded cheese (Monterrey Jack or cheddar)
- 1 small can (4 oz) black olives (optional)
Directions:
- For the cornbread crust, stir egg in water until well mixed.
- Mix together cornmeal, flour and baking powder and stir in with water and egg.
- Add cheese and stir in with batter.
- Spray a 9 inch pie pan (or similar sized casserole dish) with Pam non-stick cooking spray or grease pan.
- Pour ¾ of the batter in and save the last ¼ to go on top of the filling.
- Put cornbread crust aside and mix together cornbread pie filling.
- Stir together chicken, salsa and cheese and mix until evenly distributed.
- Pour chicken filling on top of cornbread crust in pan. Place in center mostly and use hand or a fork to gently spread the filling out evenly. The cornbread crust should slightly come up around the sides of the filling.
- Use the reserved ¼ cornbread crust batter to add crust to the top. Put that in the center. It should not spread out all the way to the sides of the pie plate. It just makes a circle in the center. Use a spoon to slightly spread it and get a circle shape if desired.
- Bake the Southern Cornbread Chicken Pie at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until top crust is lightly browned.
- Remove from oven and sprinkle on cheese and black olives if desired.
- Return pie to oven for about 5 minutes until the cheese has melted.
- Cut and serve in pie slices or squares if using a casserole dish.
Other Yummy Southern Main Dish Recipes:
Salisbury Steak with Homemade Gravy - A favorite, easy, and inexpensive, Salisbury Steak is great served with mashed potatoes and green beans.
Barbecue Pork Chops in the Crock Pot - Put this dinner in early and come home to a tasty meal after work of play.
Crock Pot Turkey Breast - Great for a dinner and then nice leftovers for sandwiches during the week, turkey can be an any-day meal with this easy crock pot recipe.
Taco Soup - Don't let the name be confusing. This recipe is much like chili beans but has a little Tex-Mex flare. It's very yummy and can be doubled up to feed a nice crowd.
Pork Chop and Potato Casserole - Two favorites (pork chops and potatoes) in a single dish for a filling main dish that is definitely comfort food at its best.
Cyndi Allison - Southern born and fed, Cyndi Allison is a college lecturer and newspaper advisor as well as being a freelance writer. She writes on ...
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