A historical main dish from The White House cook book; a comprehensive cyclopedia of information for the home .. (1913). Season the chicken again if necessary when placing in pudding dish. Add more water to gravy if necessary. Serve hot with the gravy on the side.
✨ Vintage Recipe
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Original Historical Recipe
Preserved exactly as written in the original source
Original Ingredients
two young chickens
salt and pepper
butter
eight eggs
one quart of milk
three tablespoonfuls of melted butter
one teaspoonful of salt
two large teaspoonfuls of baking powder
sifted flour
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Cut up two young chickens into good-sized pieces; put them in a saucepan with just enough water to cover them well.
2
When boiled quite tender, season with salt and pepper; let them simmer ten or fifteen minutes longer; then take the chicken from the broth and remove all the large bones.
3
Place the meat in a well-buttered pudding dish, season again, if necessary, adding a few bits of butter.
4
Beat eight eggs light and mix with one quart of milk, three tablespoonfuls of melted butter, a teaspoonful of salt and two large teaspoonfuls of baking powder, added to enough sifted flour to make a batter like griddle-cakes. Pour this batter over the chicken.
5
Bake one hour in a moderate oven.
6
Make a gravy of the broth that remained from the cooking of the chicken, adding a tablespoonful of flour stirred into a third of a cup of melted butter; let it boil up, putting in more water if necessary.
7
Serve hot in a gravy boat with the pudding.
Chef Cecil's Modern Tips Below
Chef Cecil's Modern Tips
Modern guidance to help you succeed with this vintage recipe
Pouring batter over pre-cooked chicken creates a tender, Yorkshire pudding-like topping that absorbs the chicken's flavorful juices during baking. The baking powder generates carbon dioxide gas when heated, creating a light, risen texture, while the high milk-to-flour ratio produces steam that contributes to loft. Pre-cooking the chicken ensures the meat is fully tender before the hour-long bake, preventing it from drying out while the batter sets and browns.
Make Ahead
The chicken can be poached, deboned, and placed in the buttered baking dish up to 1 day ahead; cover tightly and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before adding batter. The gravy base (chicken broth with butter-flour roux) can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated; reheat and whisk until smooth before serving. The batter must be made fresh and baked immediately.
Storage
Store leftover pudding covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The texture will become more dense and custard-like when cold. Reheat individual portions in a 325°F oven for 15-20 minutes or microwave on 50% power until warmed through. The pudding does not freeze well due to its delicate egg-based structure. Store gravy separately in an airtight container for up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stovetop, whisking to restore smooth consistency.
AI-generated tips from Chef Cecil's culinary database
Make Ahead
The chicken can be poached, deboned, and placed in the buttered baking dish up to 1 day ahead; cover tightly and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before adding batter. The gravy base (chicken broth with butter-flour roux) can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated; reheat and whisk until smooth before serving. The batter must be made fresh and baked immediately.
Storage
Store leftover pudding covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The texture will become more dense and custard-like when cold. Reheat individual portions in a 325°F oven for 15-20 minutes or microwave on 50% power until warmed through. The pudding does not freeze well due to its delicate egg-based structure. Store gravy separately in an airtight container for up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stovetop, whisking to restore smooth consistency.
