I will start by saying that this recipe was a lot better than I expected it to be. I have had it on my recipe board for a little over a month now, and we just keep putting it off.
That being said, I would change a few things to make it just a bit better.
To start, the seasoning was lacking. I think maybe some thyme or rosemary in the filling would improve it tenfold. Just salt it was a little underwhelming.
Second, I would sauté the vegetables. The 20 minute cooking time basically warms up the celery, pepper and onion. So they were very crunchy. I think the dish would be better overall if they were sautéed first. I understand you want some texture, but crunchy vegetables in a pastry setting were not a good texture.
The pastry was actually quite wonderful. It was a nice mix between a corn bread and white bread. So I would change nothing there.
The white sauce is super easy to make. Melt some butter, whisk in some flour and then slowly pour in milk. I also add some salt and pepper to the sauce. This is not always called for, so do that according to your taste.
The cheese sauce was one of the things that we just weren’t sure about. Who wants a pastry with cheese poured all over it.
Well, it was actually nice. It helped with some of the lacking seasoning. I used Cheddar cheese, so it had a nice strong flavor.
So while this recipe was by no means bad, I think a few tweaks could make it much better.
CHICKEN SPIRAL LOAF
CHICKEN FILLING
1 Cup Diced Cooked Chicken
1 Cup Chopped Celery
1/4 Cup Chopped Green Pepper
1 Tablespoon Chopped Onion
3 Sliced Hard Cooked Eggs
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
PASTRY
1 1/2 Cups Flour
1/2 Cup Corn Meal
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Cup Shortening
1/2 Cup Milk
CHEESE SAUCE
1 Cup Shredded Sharp Cheese
1 1/2 Cups Medium White Sauce
Combine all ingredients for filling, mix well. To make pastry - sift dry ingredient together. Cream in shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add milk, tossing lightly until the mixture will hold together. Knead gently for a few seconds on a lightly floured board. Roll to a 10 x 12 inch rectangle. Transfer dough to a baking sheet. Spoon chicken filling onto dough and spread evenly. Roll, beginning on the long side, as for a jelly roll. Place end of fold underneath. Seal ends by pressing dough together over the filling. Bake in a 425 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Melt cheese in white sauce, stirring to blend well. Slice loaf and serve with cheese sauce.
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