Chicken in a Bread Loaf

Family members may remember this rustic little dish from childhood. I decided to try to make it from memory.







Could I have called mom and asked her how to make it? Sure! But that means remembering to do it when you're on the phone with her.

Turns out I must have gotten two different dishes mixed up. I have a recipe for Chicken with Mushroom Beer sauce in a handwritten collection of favorite family recipes from mom, which is what I was also thinking of. But there's nothing about serving it in a bread loaf. This endless winter has made me think fondly of meaty comfort foods, and if my version is accurate or not, I don't care. It was hot and bready and meaty and good. I salted/peppered and browned 8 chicken breasts in butter, set them aside. Whole chicken parts would have been more true to the dish, but boneless skinless breasts were what the store had on sale this week. Then I sauteed a bunch of sweet onions and sliced mushrooms and added back the chicken, along with a bottle of Trader Joe's Winterfest Ale. I simmered it all about 20 minutes to reduce the sauce. Meanwhile I had made a big round loaf of white bread, and I split that and hollowed it out. I brushed the inside and outside with melted butter, and crisped it in the oven for a bit. I remember the bread being crispy and buttery. I remember an assload of butter and chicken fat/juice soaked into the bread, actually. And how damn good it was. Then I piled the chicken on the bottom half of the loaf and topped it with the 'lid'.

I don't know if I'd serve this at a black-tie dinner. It's a little difficult to serve, so how the heck did we eat it? Take the chicken and pull at the bread like a troupe of starving monkeys? (Probably, yes) Also in the interest of reducing calories, I'm pretty sure I didn't use anywhere near as much butter as I seem to remember mom using.

If I make this again, I think I'll use skinless chicken breasts with the bone in. They take longer to cook, but have way more flavor.