There are so many recipes from the old days that are still wowing people at the dinner table. But, this recipe for chicken supreme from 1930 appears to have been largely forgotten, which is a real shame because it’s so tasty.
In this recipe shredded chicken is mixed with mushrooms and onions. After that it’s topped with buttered bread crumbs and then baked to a delightfully crispy finish.
This dish is best served with rice or potatoes and vegetables, but this chicken would also be wonderful served on crostini or with a side of noodles, too.
For this recipe the spices include garlic and paprika for a deep, savory flavor. I will sound like a broken record, but use smoked paprika if you can since it adds so much more flavor. You could also add some thyme, Italian seasoning, or some lemon zest for even more flavor. But these are completely optional as the dish has a lot going for it.
There’s also some sliced almonds in this recipe for extra crunch, a common way to elevate a recipe back in the day. The flavors of almond and chicken go really well together- that’s why they are paired with each other so often.
The base of the sauce is made from a roux that is thinned with chicken broth. This gives even more chicken flavor, but if you wanted you could use vegetable or beef stock instead.
This simple, but elegant chicken dish was given the title of supreme when it was published in a recipe pamphlet created by Imperial Sugar in 1930. Amazingly there is no added sugar in the recipe, but boy is it tasty. If you love chicken then this is a must-try recipe with a satisfying crunch on top, worthy of the name supreme.
1930 Chicken Supreme
Serves 6
20m prep time
55m cook time
524 calories
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter, divided
- 6 oz mushrooms, sliced
- 1 onion, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds
- 3 lbs shredded chicken
- 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
Preparation
- Heat 1 tablespoon butter in large skillet over medium. Add mushrooms and onions and cook for 6-8 minutes or until just softened. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
- In clean sauce pan melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium. Whisk in flour and cook until flour turns golden, about 2-3 minutes. Slowly add broth, whisking the whole time. Add garlic powder, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in parsley.
- Preheat oven to 350˚F. Layer chicken with sauce, mushrooms, and almonds in a greased 9”x9” or 3-quart baking dish. End with layer of sauce. Melt remaining butter in microwave. Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top of casserole and then drizzle melted butter on top.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until casserole is browned around the edges. Serve with rice, noodles, or bread.
Recipe adapted from Imperial Sugar.