Chicken Scrapple
Submitted by 2cook
Chicken scrapple is a Pennsylvania Dutch breakfast classic, made with shredded chicken simmered into a savory cornmeal mush, chilled in a loaf pan, then sliced and pan-fried until crispy.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
60 minREADY
90 minChicken scrapple is the lighter cousin of the Pennsylvania Dutch breakfast staple traditionally made from pork scraps and cornmeal mush. The technique stays the same: simmer meat with broth and seasoning, bind it all together with cornmeal, chill firm in a loaf pan, then slice and pan-fry until the outside crackles and the inside stays creamy.
Using chicken instead of pork softens the flavor without losing the dish’s signature satisfaction. Sage, thyme, and a hit of cayenne carry the seasoning, echoing the savory profile of traditional scrapple breakfasts. Pulling the meat off the bones after a long simmer in seasoned broth means every shred picks up flavor from the inside.
The crispy fry-up is the moment that earns this dish its devotees. A light dredge in flour or cornmeal before hitting the hot pan creates a golden, lacy crust that contrasts with the soft, savory interior. Serve with a fried egg, a drizzle of maple syrup, or a swipe of apple butter to complete the Pennsylvania Dutch breakfast tradition.
Pro Tips
- Save and use the strained chicken broth from the initial simmer. It’s where most of the flavor lives, and using it as the cornmeal liquid gives the scrapple deep savory richness.
- Stir the cornmeal mixture into the simmering broth in a slow steady stream while whisking. Dumping it in at once causes lumps that won’t smooth out.
- Chill the loaf pans at least 4 hours, or overnight, before slicing. Warm scrapple is too soft to slice cleanly.
- Slice no thinner than a half inch. Thin slices crisp too fast and the interior never warms through.
Variations
- Swap the chicken for cooked turkey leftovers after Thanksgiving for a clever post-holiday breakfast.
- Add a tablespoon of finely chopped fresh sage and a pinch of nutmeg for a more aggressively herbaceous flavor.
- Stir in a half cup of grated sharp cheddar with the cornmeal for a richer, cheesier loaf.
Ingredients
Directions
Bring the chicken broth to a boil; add chopped onion and peppercorns.
Add chicken and cook until the meat falls off the bones (about 1 hour).
Strain the cooked chicken out of the broth and save the broth.
Remove the bones and inedible parts from the cooked chicken, then chop or grind the cooked meat into fine pieces.
Be careful if you use a food processor, so that you don’t purée the meat.
Simmer the chicken broth in a large pan.
Mix cornmeal, flour, salt, thyme, sage and cayenne with about 1 cup of cold water.
Stir well.
Now slowly stir this mixture into the simmering broth.
Add the cooked, ground chicken to the simmering pot.
Simmer and stir for about 5 minutes.
Pour hot mixture into well-greased loaf pans.
Chill until firm.
To serve: remove from pan, cut into slices, roll in flour or cornmeal, and fry in a greased frying pan.
Comments
I have never used cayenne pepper in mine, nor dipped it in flour before frying. I got my recipe from my Grandmother back in the 1960's. But I have fried it and added salt and maple syrup both collectively and separately. Awesome with and without maple syrup!!!
She also taught me pork, beef, deer, elk and duck Scrapple. You can actually use any meat, but the spices vary with the type of meat. Variations also include using mostly corn meal and a little oatmeal.