Firehouse recipe: Aunt Sarah’s Chicken

You don’t work in the fire service as long as Division Chief of Fire Prevention Mark Boys without picking up a trick or two in the kitchen. 

This firehouse recipe came from his son-in-law, Sean O’Brien, who is a firefighter for the Chandler Fire Department. Boys’ wife Connie is the retired chief of Ak-Chin Fire, and his nephew and another son-in-law are also in fire service. The recipe is named after Boys’ stepdaughter, Sarah.

Aunt Sarah’s Chicken:
Difficulty: easy
Prep time: 5 hours
Serves: 8  (or 4 hungry firemen)Prep time: 5 hours

.   2-3 chicken breasts (skinless); you can also substitute beef (sort of makes a beef stroganoff)
.   2 cans of cream of mushroom soup (cream of chicken if you don’t like mushrooms)
.   1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
.   1 pkg. dried Italian dressing mix
  salt, pepper, extra mushrooms (if desired)

Place all ingredients in a crock pot and cook on low for 4-5 hours. Stir once or twice as needed; the longer you cook it the more tender the chicken.

Just keep the lid on and forget about it. Serve over rice, noodles, mashed potatoes or toast.

“It’s great for firehouses; if you get a call in the middle of cooking, no problem! It’s also great the next day or as a midnight snack,” said Boys. “You’ll love it!”

You don’t work in the fire service as long as Division Chief of Fire Prevention Boys without picking up a trick or two in the kitchen.  This firehouse recipe was handed down from his son-in-law, who is a firefighter for the Chandler Fire Department and one of three family members in fire service. The recipe is named after Boys’ stepdaughter.

Boys is a former Marine sergeant and. Vietnam veteran. After he completed his military service, he spent 20 years as an advertising executive before starting a second career as a firefighter 15 years ago.  In his free time Boys enjoys traveling and, most of all, spending time in the Arizona mountains with his wife, Connie.

“I love what I do,” he says, “There is no better job on earth.”

Photo by Michael K. Rich

A version of this article first appeared in the September issue of InMaricopa News.