Hands down, Shawn Doyle has the most famous laugh in the Lehigh Valley. His joyous nature and love of making sure each person at his restaurant, Savory Grille, is having a wonderful experience adds to his already notable, locally sourced, farm-fresh kitchen.
“My fondest memories of food are always associated with the smell. The smell of fresh bread baking or the rich smell of homemade stock simmering on the stove. Those aromas give you no choice but to smile,” says Doyle. “My grandmother made the most perfect lasagna. She was an Irish woman living in an Italian neighborhood, and every time she made it, it was an event. The smell of the homemade sauce cooking all day with fresh herbs is something I will always remember.” His birthday meal of choice was his mother's homemade chicken noodle soup for that same reason: the smell of the rich broth. “It is comforting and it is why I love cooking broth to this day.”
Growing up, Doyle was always immersed in with the restaurant industry. His uncles gave him his first job in their restaurant at the age of 12 as a dishwasher. He was also taught to cook the late-night sandwich menu—and from that moment, he was hooked. Savory Grille in Macungie has been open for 24 years and Chef Doyle is one of the most respected, well-known chefs in the Lehigh Valley. So, what does he make at home on his days off?
Here, he is sharing his recipe for chicken and dumplings, where perfectly fluffy dumplings accompany a chicken gravy that can only be described as “velvety.” “I love this dish for many reasons,” he says. “But also because whenever I cook at home, I am all about one-dish wonders—the less dishes to clean the better. And bonus: this dish is delicious.”
Along with this chicken and dumplings recipe, locals can reduce their dishwashing experience even more by ordering Doyle's ready-to-heat “Savory at Home” dishes each week. And, of course, book your reservation to dine in person where you can hear that famous laugh, while sampling what is truly the work of a culinary artist.
Savory Grille | 2934 Seisholtzville Rd., Macungie | 610.845.2010 | savorygrille.com
Serves 6
Chicken
Ingredients
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 4 lb. boneless chicken thighs
- 1 large Spanish onion, largely diced
- 1 large carrot, largely diced
- 2 ribs of celery, largely diced
- 2 large Yukon Gold potatoes, largely diced
- ® cup all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ quarts hot chicken stock or broth
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Add the vegetable oil, the vegetables and chicken in a warm large sauteuse. Stir occasionally and cook for approximately 12 minutes. Add the flour and incorporate fully.
Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes before adding dumplings. Add salt.
Dumplings
Ingredients
- 1 lb. all-purpose flour
- 4 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. parsley
- 1 pint milk
Instructions
Combine and sift all of the dry ingredients.
Add milk and mix lightly.
Do not overmix.
Drop the mixture by the spoonful into your sauteuse. Cover and cook for approximately 20 minutes.
Tag @lvstylemag and #livelvstyle when you make it at home!
Published as "Beyond the Menu" in the April 2022 edition of Lehigh Valley Style magazine.
