Hungarian Chicken Goulash Pot Pie With Crisp Noodle Topping

Submitted by Chef Barry K

"Great idea for a pot pie, a real winner with my family. Got this originally from a local newspaper but it comes from the book: "Potpies," by Elinor Klivans (Chronicle Books, December 2006), a great book on potpies. It does take some time, but if you follow the directions, it comes together fairly easily. The noodles make a great crust, absolutely delicious."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 30mins
• Ingredients: 13
• Serves: 8

ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch strips
• 3 tablespoons corn or 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 4 cups onions, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika
• 2 1⁄2 cups chicken broth, low sodium if canned
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 9 ounces medium width egg noodles
• 1 tablespoon oil

directions

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees. Have an 8-cup baking dish ready.
2. Put the flour on a large plate and season it generously with salt (about ½ teaspoon) and pepper. Use paper towels to pat the chicken pieces dry. Dip the chicken pieces in the flour and shake off any excess. Spread the chicken on a clean plate and set aside. You will have left over flour.
3. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until they soften, about 10 minutes, stirring often. Remove the onions to a clean plate and set aside. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken pieces until they are lightly browned , about 6 minutes, turning the chicken with tongs to brown evenly. Reduce the heat to medium and return the onions to the pan. Add the garlic and oregano and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the paprika and cook for about 1 minute, just until you smell paprika. Add the chicken broth and tomato paste and stir to dissolve the paste. Cook, uncovered, for about 15 minutes, adjusting the heat to keep the sauce bubbling gently, until the chicken is opaque throughout and the sauce thickens slightly. Transfer the filling to the baking container.
4. Bring 3 quarts water to a boil in a large pot. Add a sprinkling of salt and the egg noodles. Cook the noodles for about 7 minutes, or until they are tender. Drain the noodles, put them in a large bowl, add oil and stir them together. Season with salt and pepper. Use a spoon to spread the noodles evenly over the filling.
5. Bake for about 35 minutes or until the noodles are lightly browned on top. Use a large spoon to scoop out servings of noodles and filling.