Cornbread Pancakes with Creamed Chicken

These savory cakes will make you rethink pancakes for dinner. Fluffy and tender cornbread pancakes made with a touch of sage and parsley then topped with a rich and creamy sauce that’s loaded with chicken and a rainbow of vegetables – you won’t need to ring the dinner bell twice to get folks to the table!

Pancakes are a classic breakfast cake and they certainly shouldn’t be limited to breakfast or to cakes with a sweet note. Cornbread pancakes are a perfect example. They’ve been made in so many ways in the South for years. Cornbread pancakes are similar to traditional pancakes but with the addition of cornmeal adding that unique nuttiness and texture found in cornbread.

For this batch I took advantage of the cornbread mixes found in the baking aisle, a staple my Mom kept on hand in her pantry. Added layers of herb notes come from a touch of parsley and sage, ideal for partnering with the creamed chicken sauce.

The sauce is a classic blend of sweet onions, celery and carrots sautéed in butter. Milk and flour are stirred in, creating a delectable sauce that’s finished with English peas and chunks of chicken.

For the chicken in this dish we gently poached two chicken breasts. Using bone-in, skin-on chicken yields a more flavorful, tender bite of meat. But to save time you can certainly pick up a roasted chicken from the market. The sauce can be made a day ahead – just add a touch of milk to reach the consistency you like when reheating. You can also cook all the pancake batter in advance and freeze the pancakes – just layer a sheet of parchment paper between each one and drop them into a freezer bag. They’ll keep about 1 to 2 months in your freezer and to reheat, just pop them in the oven or in a toaster.

Spoon the creamed chicken over a stack of hot cornbread pancakes – now you have a delicious pancake for brunch, lunch or dinner!

Cornbread Pancakes with Creamed Chicken

1-½ pounds of bone-in, skin on chicken breast

1 tablespoon concentrated chicken base, such as Better than Bouillon

1 tablespoon white wine or rice vinegar

½ teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Water to cover

For the creamed chicken:

4 tablespoons butter

¾ cup chopped sweet onion, about 1 small onion

½ cup sliced celery, about 1 stalk

1 cup thinly sliced carrots, about 2 carrots

1 teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

½ teaspoon Worcestershire

¼ cup flour

2 cups milk, more if you like a slightly thinner sauce

1 teaspoon concentrated chicken base, such as Better than Bouillon

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

2 to 2-½ cups shredded cooked chicken

For the cornbread pancakes:

1 package cornbread mix*, 8.5 ounces, about 1-¾ cup

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

¼ teaspoon ground sage

½ teaspoon dried parsley

1-½ cups buttermilk

1 extra-large egg

3 tablespoons melted butter, divided

*Use a cornbread mix that is self-rising and only needs the addition of milk and an egg.

To cook the chicken:

Place the chicken in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Add the chicken base, the vinegar, sugar, kosher salt and black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Cook for 30 minutes then remove from the heat and let the chicken continue “cooking” in the poaching liquid for 15 minutes.

Transfer the chicken to a bowl or platter until cool enough to handle. Remove the meat from the bone and discard the skin of the chicken. Shred into bite size chunks.

For the sauce:

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, the celery and the carrots, cooking until the vegetables are tender, about 12 to 15 minutes.

Stir in the kosher salt, black pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Add the flour, mixing into the vegetables. Continue cooking over medium heat for about 3 minutes stirring frequently.

Pour the milk into the vegetables, stirring until you have a smooth sauce. Reduce the heat to medium low and continue cooking until the sauce has thickened.

Toss in the peas and the chicken, mixing to coat evenly with the sauce.

For the cornbread pancakes:

Combine the cornbread mix with the kosher salt, black pepper, sage, and parsley.

Whisk together the buttermilk with the egg and 2 tablespoons of the melted butter.

Pour the buttermilk mixture into the cornbread mix and whisk to blend.

Heat a griddle to medium heat and lightly brush with some of the remaining melted butter. Ladle or scoop the batter onto the griddle and cook until golden, about 3 to 5 minutes per side.

To serve:

Spoon the hot creamed chicken sauce over the warm cornbread pancakes.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.