Amish Chicken Cornbread Bake

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 1/3 cup Martha White all-purpose flour
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups chopped cooked chicken breasts
• 1 (4-ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup mashed baked sweet potatoes or 1 (15-ounce) can sweet potatoes, drained and mashed
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 (16-ounce) package Martha White Cotton Country Cornbread Mix
• Fresh rosemary sprigs (optional)

Preparation

1. 1. Preheat the oven to 400°.
2. 2. Make the filling: Melt the butter in a 10 1/2-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat; gradually add the flour, whisking until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Gradually add the broth and half-and-half; cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens. Stir in the pepper. Stir in the chicken, mushrooms, cranberries, and cheese. Cook, stirring occasionally, until hot, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low while preparing the topping.
3. 3. Make the topping: Combine the sweet potatoes, sugar, egg, and milk in a medium bowl; stir until blended. Add the cornbread mix; stir until blended. Carefully spread the topping over the chicken mixture to cover as a crust.
4. 4. Bake until the cornbread is golden and the chicken mixture is bubbly, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand 5 minutes. Garnish with rosemary sprigs, if desired.