Sunday Roast Chicken with Citrus
We love this bright chicken recipe from contributor, Teresa Blackburn. Serve pieces of chicken with some of the pan juices & roasted citrus, a crusty baguette for soppin’ and a simple arugula sala...
On Broadway - James Hochberger & Mama's Chicken Potpie
On Broadway is a bi-monthly web series that delves into the food memories of the talented musicians of Broadway in downtown Nashville. Every other week, we’ll pair those memories with a relevant recipe and information on how to listen to each musician’s material. Our aim is to connect the passion of food to the passion of music––two mediums that evoke instant reactions and memories, and remind us of the incredible people that pour their heart out every day to make their living in our backyard.
For some people, music is in their blood. It roots them to their soul the way one’s instincts, experiences, or inherited values make them who they are. James Hochberger is one such person. Watching him perform is a rare opportunity to witness someone doing exactly what they were meant to do in their life. In other words—it’s a dang good time.
James’ obsession with music began at the age of 5, when he would sit at the piano with his mom. He continued piano for 15 years, but ultimately it was when he picked up the bass guitar at 13 that his path was laid out for him. “I picked [bass] because my brother picked guitar and I wanted to be different and rebellious,” he says with a laugh. I’m not so sure how rebellious it is when your youth pastor is the one giving you lessons, but that’s just another thing that makes James who he is––his faith.
James has an insatiable thirst for musical knowledge–another quality of those who have music pulsing through their veins. The first band he loved was Queen, his parents listened to classic rock, and by high school he was listening to country; namely the likes of Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson. “I [found myself] wanting to ingest as much music and types of music as I could. I wanted to just experience music and its broad horizon of what it was. I’d want to listen to the staple jazz guys––Miles Davis and John Coltrane and Wes Montgomery for guitar and all that…And then I’d want to experience blues music for what it was––BB King, Albert King, Stevie Ray Vaughan… And so that was me and country. I got into it by wanting to experience the big country guys, which got me into playing it. I really loved it.”
After finishing college at Musicians Institute in Los Angeles, James took his experience playing pop, rock, and country music to Nashville, where he has lived and worked for the past four and a half years. Ask those who work on Broadway about him, and you’re bound to be flooded with positive remarks––everything from his unfailingly genuine nature to his professional work ethic; his consistent kindness to his wholesome values and love for his friends and family.
So, it comes as no surprise that when asked about his favorite food memory, James responds with quite possibly the most wholesome comfort food on the planet: chicken pot pie. “It’s one of my all-time comfort dishes…It’s reminiscent of all my youth. It was Christmas, it was my birthday, it was Thanksgiving every year. It’s home.” Like home, his mom’s chicken pot pie recipe is warm, cozy, and inviting, with a creamy, drool-inducing filling nestled between layers of luscious, flaky pastry. But make no mistake—this pie is a team effort. “Dad is the pie maker in the family, so he always makes the crust and my mom makes the filling,” says James.
We would be selfish to keep this savory supper to ourselves, so be sure to copy down the recipe below and get to work on wrapping yourself and your loved ones up with slow-baked contentment. And keep your eye out for James on Broadway. You can catch him, always smiling, at Swingin’ Doors Saloon, Redneck Riviera, Famous Saloon, Crazy Town, Jason Aldean’s, Luke Bryan’s, and Tequila Cowboy. You won’t be able to miss him––he lights up every room he’s in. You can be sure he’ll be giving his all and having a blast on stage. “[I] always loved performing more than anything else. I love music and I love everything about it, but there’s something about getting to invigorate an audience with a show and seeing them just fall into a musical coma almost. [On Broadway,] you get to play for so many people all the time…sometimes it’s hard because it can be like babysitting drunk [people] and crazy, but I love playing. I love performing.”
Follow James on Instagram @jameshochberger.
Nan's Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken
4 tablespoons chicken fat or pan drippings
4 tablespoons and 2 cups flour
2 cubes chicken bouillon
4 cups boiling water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt plus more to taste
pepper
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup cold whole milk
5-6 cups hot cooked chopped vegetables (onion, celery, carrots, green beans, corn, and any other favorites)
Instructions:
1. Roast whole chicken. Cool and remove meat. Cut into bite-sized pieces. You should have about 3 cups.)
2. To make gravy, dissolve chicken bouillon in 2 cups of boiling water to make hot broth. Set aside.
3. Add water to (chicken) roasting pan and deglaze by scraping bronwed bits. After water has evaporated and you should have approximately 4 tablespoons of fat (if not, add vegetable oil to make 4 tablespoons), stir in flour to make a thick paste. Cook 2 minutes. Slowly add chicken broth, stirring constantly, until gravy is thick. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. To make crust, mix together flour and salt. Add vegetable oil and cold whole milk at the same time. Stir lightly until mixed.
5. Gather dough into a ball and cut into halves. Roll out on floured board or in between wax paper sheets so you have two flat crusts. Place flattened dough back into refrigerator until pie is assembled.
6. In a large bowl, mix gravy, veggies, and chicken together to combine the filling.
7. To assemble, use one half of the dough to line a large, deep-dish pie or baking pan. Pour filling into baking pan. Cover with the other half of the crust.
8. Puncture top of crust with a fork. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
Nan’s Hacks:
1. Use a pre-roasted chicken purchased from the market.
2. If there isn’t enough fat or pan drippings, you can use canned gravy. If you buy a roasted chicken, use what is in the bottom of the packaging and supplement with Crisco for fat and an extra bouillon cube for flavor.
3. Use frozen mixed vegetables instead of fresh. Just be sure that they are thawed during the process of cooking on the stove.
4. In a real bind, you can use cream of chicken soup mixed with water to substitute for gravy.
5. In a real REAL bind, you can use frozen pre-made pie crust.
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