Amish Chicken Recipes

Chicken, duck and turkey dishes from the PA German kitchen

Poultry figures large in the Amish cook book, and none more so than chicken.  Many Amish households raise chickens for their eggs and meat.  Pot pies, casseroles, and even fried chicken all feature on Amish dinner tables.  Here are a few classic chicken recipes popular among the Pennsylvania Dutch and Amish.

Chicken Dishes

Turkey and Duck Dishes

 
 
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BARBECUED CHICKEN

• 2 broiler chickens
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon onion salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 1/2 tablespoon pepper
• Dash paprika
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/2 cup melted butter

Have broilers split down the back. Wash and clean thoroughly and then wipe dry. Grease the broiling pan and rack.  Heat. When hot, place chickens on the rack under a very hot flame. Sear both sides, turning frequently. Reduce the heat to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and finish broiling. Create a sauce using the ingredients listed above.  Baste the broiler chickens several times with the sauce while broiling. (adapted from Pennsylvania Dutch Cook Book of Fine Old Recipes)

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ROAST CHICKEN

• 1 roasting chicken (about 4 to 5 pounds)
• Bread filling (to make, see recipe below)
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup thick sour cream

Thoroughly clean and wash the chicken. Rub the inside and out with salt and pepper which have been mixed together. Then rub the inside of the chicken generously with butter. Fill with bread stuffing (see above).

Place in a roasting pan, and roast for about 2 hours at 400 degrees Fahreneheit, basting about every 15 minutes with the sour cream. To achieve a thicker gravy, you can add a tablespoon of flour to the liquid in the pan after chicken is roasted. (adapted from Pennsylvania Dutch Cook Book of Fine Old Recipes)

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STEWED CHICKEN

• Five-pound chicken
• butter
• salt
• paprika

Dress and prepare a portioned five-pound chicken. Brown the chicken in butter or chicken fat (use about two tablespoons worth). Season to taste using salt and paprika.  Cook slowly in a covered pot in a little boiling water until chicken becomes tender. (adapted from Pennsylvania Dutch Cook Book of Fine Old Recipes)

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FRIED CHICKEN

• 2 pounds spring chicken
• 1/4 cup butter or chicken fat
• Flour
• Salt and pepper

Quarter chickens.  Season well with salt and pepper.   Dredge with flour. Melt the butter or chicken fat in frying pan.  Fry chicken until brown and tender.  Turn chicken often to avoid burning. (adapted from Pennsylvania Dutch Cook Book of Fine Old Recipes)

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CREAM-BAKED CHICKEN

• 1 young chicken, cut up
• ½ cup flour
• 1½ tsp. salt
• ⅛ tsp. pepper
• 3 tblsp. butter
• 1½ cups cream, sweet or sour

Sprinkle the pieces of chicken with salt and pepper and dredge in flour. Melt butter and fry chicken until a golden brown on all sides. Place the chicken in a casserole dish.  Pour cream over chicken. Cover and bake for 2 hours at 350 degrees. Goes well with gravy made from the leftover pan fryings.

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GRILLED CHICKEN PIZZA

Crust:

• ¼ oz. active dry yeast
• 1 c. warm water (110-115 degree)
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 ¾ – 3 c. all-purpose flour

Toppings:

• 2 c. cubed cooked chicken
• ½ – ¾ c. barbecue sauce
• ½ c. julienned green pepper
• 2 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese

In mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add the oil, sugar, baking soda, salt, and 2 cups of flour. Stir in enough remaining flour to create a soft dough.

Turn dough onto a floured surface.  Knead dough until smooth and elastic (should take around 6 to 8 min). Cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Grease a 12-inch pizza pan.  On a floured surface, roll dough into a 13-inch circle.  Transfer dough to pizza pan.  Mold up the edges slightly. Cover and grill for 5 min over medium heat, then remove. Combine chicken and barbecue sauce and spread over crust. Sprinkle green pepper and cheese. Cover and grill for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until cheese melts and crust becomes a golden color. (adapted from Cooking & Such magazine, Winter 2011-2012, by Mary Ann Esh)

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BUFFALO CHICKEN PIZZA

• 1 (12”) pizza crust
• 2 c. shredded, cooked chicken
• 1/3c. hot sauce
• 2 tbsp. butter, melted
• 1 c. pizza sauce
• ½ c. diced celery
• 2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
• ½ c. Ranch or Bleu Cheese dressing

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine chicken, hot sauce and butter. Spread pizza sauce over pizza crust.   Add chicken mixture and spread on the pizza crust, then add cheese and celery. Bake for about 15 to 18 minutes.  Remove and drizzle with Ranch or Bleu Cheese dressing.
(adapted from Ladies Journal Jan/Feb 2011, by Mrs. Allen Smucker)

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PA DUTCH CHICKEN-OYSTER PIE

• 1 stewing chicken
• 1 pt. oysters
• ¼ lb. butter
• salt and pepper
• a little flour
• pastry crust

Stew chicken until tender, season with ¼ lb. butter, salt and pepper. Line deep dish with pastry crust. Cut a hole the size of a tea cup in a second piece of pastry crust (the cover).  Pour the stewed chicken into the dish, and cover loosely with the crust with the hole.

Prepare separately 1 pint of oysters, heating the oyster liquor with a little flour and water. Season with salt and pepper.  Add 2 tablespoons of butter. After it reaches a boil, pour over oysters. Lift the top crust 20 minutes before the pie is done, and pour in the oyster mixture.

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CHICKEN POT PIE

For pastry:

• 1 cup flour
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• ½ egg shell of water
• small teaspoon salt

Mix the above ingredients, roll out and cut into two inch squares.

Chicken:

• Chicken
• Sliced potatoes
• Sliced onions

Flour chicken and fry in butter. Put layers of chicken, potato slices, sliced onion and squares of pot-pie dough. Barely cover with boiling water and cook for two hours.

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FRICASSEED CHICKEN with ONIONS and RICE

• chicken cut up
• butter for frying
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons butter
• steamed or boiled rice
• 2 cups water
• 12 small white onions
• small pinch each of thyme,
• celery salt and sage

Roll chicken pieces in flour and brown in butter. Add remaining ingredients and cook until tender.  While cooking, add water so that 2 cups remain when cooking is finished. To make gravy: Add 3 tablespoons of the hot liquid to the yolk of an egg. Stir well, then return to the rest of liquid and cook five minutes. Pour over steamed or boiled rice.

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POULTRY SEASONING

• 1 cup dried crumbled sage leaves
• 2 cups crumbled dry parsley leaves
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 cup ground rosemary
• 1/4 cup ground marjoram
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger

Combine all ingredients above and place in small jars. Label with directions:  Add 1 tbs. of herb to 1/4 lb. of butter as a rubbing for poultry when roasting. Gift idea: little bags of this seasoning can make nice presents during the holiday season. (adapted from Plain and Happy Living: Amish Recipes and Remedies by Emma Byler)

 TURKEY and DUCK RECIPES

ROAST TURKEY with CHESTNUT STUFFING

Dress and clean turkey and fill with Chestnut Stuffing.

To make Chestnut Stuffing:

• 1 quart chestnuts
• 1 pint bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg well beaten
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning

Make a gash in each chestnut, put in an iron skillet and add 1 tablespoon of butter.  Shake over a hot flame for a few minutes. Place in the oven for 10 minutes. Then remove the shell and skins.  Cover the chestnuts with boiling, salted water and cook until tender. Strain and run through a ricer. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

Turkey:

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/4 cup flour
• Salt

Cream together 1/2 cup shortening and 1/4 cup of flour.  Use to rub the legs, breast and wings of the turkey. Place in a roasting pan.  Cover well and bake for 15 min at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Use salt to season to taste. Reduce the heat to  350 degrees, and roast for another 3 1/2 hours, or until turkey is tender. (adapted from Pennsylvania Dutch Cook Book of Fine Old Recipes)

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DUCK and SAUERKRAUT

• Young duck
• 2 qts. sauerkraut
• 3 tblsp. granulate sugar

Prepare a young duck for roasting.  Add 2 quarts of sauerkraut, a cup of water and 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar to the duck in a roasting pan. Cover. Bake duck until it becomes a golden brown color and tender.  Goes well with creamy mashed potatoes.

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Chicken pot pie photo: Michael Kappel/flickr
Unless otherwise noted, recipes adapted from Pennsylvania Dutch Cooking.

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