What's for dinner -- chicken hotdish
By Kelli M
@spiderdust (14741)
San Jose, California
December 12, 2017 4:58pm CST
I'm trying to be somewhat frugal with our meals right now, using up all of our leftovers and making do with what's on hand, in order to offset the more expensive meals that we have during the holidays. I have some leftover cooked chicken that needs to be eaten tonight before it goes bad, so I'm making hotdish.
You may be wondering, "what on earth is hotdish?" It's a casserole popular in the midwestern United States, typically made up of a starch (usually some kind of potatoes, but not always), a meat, and a vegetable mixed with a cream sauce (often a can of condensed cream soup). I've usually seen it made with browned ground beef, cream of mushroom soup, green beans or corn and tater tots, but I'm making mine with diced potatoes, diced cooked chicken, broccoli, and a homemade cream sauce. If I feel like being fancy, I might top ours with crushed potato chips or French fried onions.
The photo is not mine, but found on Pinterest.
11 people like this
12 responses
@NJChicaa (115984)
• United States
12 Dec 17
Your version sounds good, especially with the *homemade* cream sauce. I cannot STAND canned condensed cream soups. Yes, I'm looking at YOU @JolietJake !!!! 
3 people like this
@NJChicaa (115984)
• United States
13 Dec 17
@spiderdust I gave them up about 20 years ago and haven't looked back. Homemade anything is going to be better b/c there will be less salt, fewer chemicals, etc. Plus the flavor is always better!
1 person likes this
@spiderdust (14741)
• San Jose, California
12 Dec 17
They have their uses, but I've been trying to get away from using them. We have enough health issues in the house already.
3 people like this
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
12 Dec 17
Always good to make use of leftovers.
3 people like this
@spiderdust (14741)
• San Jose, California
12 Dec 17
@pgntwo Interesting. However, I didn't lift it from Wikipedia, although I can see where there's similar wording in one sentence.
1 person likes this
@Courtlynn (66921)
• United States
12 Dec 17
Not my kind of meal, but hope you all enjoy it!
Ps: now I want tater tots! Lol
1 person likes this
@spiderdust (14741)
• San Jose, California
12 Dec 17
I wouldn't mind some myself! None in the house, unfortunately.
1 person likes this
@Courtlynn (66921)
• United States
12 Dec 17
@spiderdust same. We havent bought any for maybe 3 years.
@kobesbuddy (74548)
• East Tawas, Michigan
12 Dec 17
Your casserole sounds delicious, it will definitely be a big success for dinner!:)
2 people like this
@spiderdust (14741)
• San Jose, California
12 Dec 17
I hope so. It's sometimes hard to make leftover chicken sound exciting.
2 people like this
@owlwings (43915)
• Cambridge, England
13 Dec 17
This sounds very like how I use up leftover turkey or chicken after the Big Meal (which is Christmas for us, usually, since we don't do Thanksgiving in the UK!).
Chicken and Leek or Turkey and Ham (with some of the stuffing, maybe) both work well. If there are leftover green beans, they can go in too, but old brussels sprouts are a no-no!
The white sauce I make doesn't usually have cream in it - 2oz/50g each of butter and flour heated in a pan and mixed around, then about 20oz/450ml milk added gradually, whilst stirring, to avoid lumps and cooked for a couple of minutes to make a 'coating consistency' sauce. I either add a drop or two of bay oil or seethe the milk beforehand with a bay leaf, a shallot and a grate or two of nutmeg. The bay leaf and nutmeg are rather important and I might also add a teaspoon or two of mustard (Dijon, Wholegrain or American or maybe rather less of the much hotter English mustard).
The topping could be mashed potato (or chopped up roast potatoes or whatever). I might mix some grated cheese (cheddar or parmesan) with breadcrumbs and sprinkle that over the top before baking.
@allen0187 (58444)
• Philippines
13 Dec 17
Sounds like a good meal. Versatile enough to use different ingredients.
1 person likes this
@shaqziad1610 (506)
• Malaysia
13 Dec 17
I am one of those that are wondering what hotdish is. Sounds good both on pleasures and practicality.
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
13 Dec 17
I had never heard of hotdish before. But right before we moved out of Manitou, our neighbor invited us up for some grilling. His friends from Minnesota made a hotdish. It was awesome!
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
13 Dec 17
@spiderdust - I remember tots and lots of cheese. Hamburger? I'm not 100% certain on the meat. I know I ate a bunch of it.
