25 saltine crackers
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1⁄8 teaspoon dried ground sage
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Filling
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup diced white or yellow onion (about 1 small onion)
3⁄4 cup diced celery (about 2 large stalks, trimmed)
1 1⁄2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup milk
1⁄3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1⁄2 teaspoon dried thyme
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 1⁄2 cups chopped cooked chicken (about 12 ounces)
1 cup frozen peas
Make the topping: In a small bowl, finely crush the crackers. Stir in the Parmesan and sage. Add the butter and mix with a fork until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees with one rack in the middle. Preheat the skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes.
Make the filling: Add the butter to the skillet and allow it to melt, then add the onion and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften, about 10 minutes.
In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the broth and milk. In another small bowl, combine the flour, thyme, salt and pepper, then sprinkle the mixture into the skillet. Gradually whisk in the broth and milk, adding about a quarter of the total liquid at a time and whisking until the mixture thickens before adding more. The first batch of liquid should thicken almost instantly, though it may take as long as 5 minutes to add and thicken all of the liquid. When all of the liquid has been added, stir in the chicken and peas and remove the skillet from the heat.
Sprinkle the topping over the skillet and place it in the oven. Bake until the topping is beginning to brown and the liquid is bubbling around the edges, about 10 minutes.
Remove the skillet from the oven and transfer it to a rack to cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Serve hot. Leftovers can be refrigerated in a covered container for up to 2 days.
Excerpted from Will it Skillet by Daniel Shumski (Workman Publishing). Copyright © 2017.