When I was growing up in Cleveland in the 1970s, Party Chicken was one of Mom's go to recipes when she was entertaining. I always thought that it was called Party Chicken because it was what she served at dinner parties.
My wife, Ann, was intrigued and perplexed, googled it and found that it was a real thing. She was not, however, eager to try it. The dish was a classic of its era. Chicken breasts wrapped in bacon, on a bed of chipped or dried beef, covered in a mixture of Campbell's cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup, a soup can full of "cooking sherry," and a cup of sour cream, baked for an hour.
Fail proof. When my parents were out of town the spring of my 16th year I invited my girlfriend, with whom I was head over heals in teenaged love, to dinner and served her this, along with "chablis" (Ernest and Julio Gallo, glass gallon jug). Let's just say that Party Chicken was a miracle worker back then.
When I visited Ma last week for Easter (all fully vaxed!), I requested this. She laughed but after she realized I was serious, she made it. It was every bit the Cleveland 70s I remembered.
And so I had the courage to make it for Ann last night. Her verdict: both repellant and seductive. "It had that saltiness that is appealing but also makes you think it's not good for you. I'm sure it worked great in the 70s. My mother was a master at using canned soup in food."
I loved it. It's part of my history. It's the last thing I ate before losing my virginity and the world changed. How can I not have a fondness for Party Chicken.
Next time, I'll revise the recipe for our times, a béchamel with sauteed wild mushrooms, prosciutto instead of dried chipped beef (prosciutto was unheard of in Cleveland at the time). Maybe some sage, as you might use in a saltimbocca (Ann's suggestion, or chopped parsley for freshness, parmasan on top and gratiné it to make it not so pale looking.
But for now, and for history, here is the classic 1970s Party Chicken.
Party Chicken, circa 1979
Ingredients
- 4 boneless chicken breast halves
- 8 strips bacon
- 12 pieces dried beef of chipped beef
- 1 can Campbell's cream of mushroom soup
- 1 canful dry white wine
- 1 cup sour cream
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 375˚F.
- Cut each breast in half widthwise (try to make them about equal weights). Wrap a slice of bacon around each.
- Line a small casserole dish with the beef. Place the chicken pieces on the beef.
- In a bowl, combine the soup, wine and sour cream and whisk until they are uniformly combined. Pour over the chicken.
- Bake for one our, basting 1 or 2 times. If your dish is so small that they are submerged, no need to baste.
- Serve over rice, with a green vegetable.
My mother's go to for a party was Chicken Divan, cream of mushroom soup, frozen broccoli, sour cream and curry served on rice. I make it once a year but without the canned soup and frozen veg. Still love it!
my wife told me about this one!
That was mine too. It was really tasty!!
I can practically taste this just from the ingredient list. 80s comfort food at its best.
I am so looking forward to your adjusted recipe when ever you can! Thank you so much m!
will totally do this.
I'm joining Lisa in eagerly awaiting this! Meanwhile, I'll likely make this version for tonight's dinner. How ironic that you also gave the world the secret of the magnificent Ad Hoc chicken!
Kalustyan's has a fantastic dried beef available upstairs that I get, to make a slightly more refined for 2021, chipped beef recipe.
I love good chipped beef.
OMG: I remember that dish, sans the fun name, the bacon and only using dried Hormel beef from a jar (that wasn't ground like yours, that's a new mystery) but yeah, pretty much, that's the dish. Oh, and back then 'low sodium mushroom soup' didn't exist, so it was full tilt on the salt. I love Ann's reaction.
I got the recipe from a friend somewhere between 1977 and 1982, dates I am sure of because I know I made it for my first husband and that's how long our marriage lasted. It fit the times--it was salty and fatty and so was he. I never made it again after the divorce; funny how food identifies very specific times in our lives.
you are so funny. and so right!
This Was once my entertaining go to! I haven’t made it in years! Now I crave it! I’m making it for friends today! Thank you for sharing your story and recipe!
This is shameful and disgusting. And I would absolutely eat it, hands down. Gotta draw the line at jug chablis, though. Happy for 16 year old you, though. 😉
This reminds me of my mother's hot dog stroganoff--haut-ish cuisine or how to feed 5 kids heartily and cheaply. On the other end of the spectrum, dried chipped beef in a gloopy white sauce served on toast. I remember going to bed feeling so parched from all the salt that I felt turned inside out. Maybe the aforementioned E and J chablis would have helped?
Hot dog stroganoff!
I have a nostalgia for my mom’s Tuna Casserole. I know that it involved egg noodles, tuna, mushroom soup, and I think Miracle Whip. I can’t get it quite right, and when I ask her how she made it, she says that she has no idea...
So good! My original Party Chicken recipe came from the Make It Now Bake It Later series. Another great one from there was a shrimp & crab dish. Some profits from the books went to a charity. Thanks for the walk down memory lane.