Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie

Talk about one of the all-time favorite comfort foods but with a healthy little twist. Shepherd's Pie is a one dish meal with meat and vegetables and a topping of mashed potatoes and cheese. Sometimes called Cottage Pie, this dish is a good way to use leftovers in another meal.
This shepherd's pie recipe takes that classic dish a step further by using chicken instead of beef and adding sweet potatoes, hominy, tomatillos and Mexican spices making it a South of the Border inspired creation. If you are a fan of the Mexican soup, Pozole Rojo, this is another savory dish to try.
This Shpherd's Pie dish is a good source of Protein, Niacin, Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin B6.
- 2 Chipotle Morita Chiles
- 1 pound tomatillos, husked and cleaned
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup yellow onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon California Roasted Minced Garlic
- 2 teaspoons Ground Cumin
- 2 teaspoons Ground Coriander
- 1 14 ounce can hominy (yellow or white), drained and rinsed
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon Mexican Oregano
- 3/4 cup Dried Cilantro
- 2 cups leftover cooked chicken, cubed (We used grilled chicken breast seasoned with Manzanillo Mexican Seasoning)
- 2 cups mashed sweet potatoes - no butter or sugar added - just potatoes.
- 1/4 cup reduced fat Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
- Heat oven broiler.
- Place Chipotle Morita Chiles in warm water to soften them - about 10 minutes. Remove from water, remove seeds and stems and finely chop.
- Cut tomatillos into halves and place on a baking sheet, put under broiler until they start to soften and turn brown.
- Remove tomatillos from oven and allow to cool.
- Heat oven to 400 degrees.
- In a blender, combine tomatillos and Chipotle Morita Chiles and blend into a puree.
- Heat oil to medium heat in a large saucepan. Saute onions for a few minutes then add Roasted Minced Garlic. Add the Ground Cumin and Coriander and stir.
- Add Chipotle / tomatillo puree, hominy, chicken stock, Mexican Oregano and chicken.
- Cover and simmer about 10 minutes and add Dried Cilantro.
- Transfer to a large baking dish with deep sides and place on a baking sheet to catch spills.
- Carefully spread mashed potatoes evenly over the filling.
- Sprinkle cheese on top.
- Bake until the top is brown and crispy and filling is bubbling - about 20-30 minutes.
- Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.