This heavenly casserole only spends a couple of hours on the stove but it tastes like it’s been simmering away all day. The flavours are rich and complex and the chicken is mouth-wateringly juicy and tender.
How to make a chicken casserole: key tips
Start by searing your chicken pieces until well browned all over. This is vital for sealing in the juices and adding flavour to the dish.
When you add the wine and stock to the pan in step 7, give the mixture a good stir while scraping the bottom of the pan to dislodge all those yummy cooked-on bits.
While your chicken should be cooked through after a couple of hours, you also need to keep an eye on the gravy, which should be lovely and thick. If you find it isn’t thickening up enough, remove the lid before the end of the cooking time and let the liquid reduce down until you’re satisfied.
Key ingredients in this chicken casserole recipe
I love the versatility of this casserole. You can use chicken breast, thighs (bone in or out), wings or drumsticks, or a combination of them all! Just note that thicker pieces of chicken, and those with the bone in, will take a little longer to brown and cook.
Short cut bacon adds a wonderful salty, smoky, savoury flavour to this chicken casserole. And using rindless short cut bacon means less fat in your dish and it’s super easy to chop.
Onion, carrot and mushrooms make up the main vegie components of this chicken casserole. If you prefer more carrot and less mushroom or vice versa, then feel free to add as much or little as you like. You can add other vegies to this dish, too (see notes, below).
Our best casserole recipes will have you slow cooking all winter long! And if you’d like some more chicken meal inspiration, these chicken dishes will delight at dinner time.
This recipe was originally submitted by mcarr, a member of the Australia’s Best Recipe community. Introduction and additional recipe notes by Natasha Shaw.
Ingredients
- 3 tsp oil
- 1kg skinless chicken pieces
- 100 g short-cut bacon rashers, chopped
- 1 onion diced medium
- 1 carrot diced medium peeled
- 1 garlic clove crushed
- 100 g button mushrooms halved
- 1 1/2 tbs plain flour
- 2 tsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 1/4 cups Massel* Chicken Style Liquid Stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 cup cream
- 1 tsp salt and pepper
- 1 tsp parsley *to decorate
*Massel is recommended by Australia's Best Recipes
Method
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Step 1Heat oil in a large, heavy based frying pan over medium-high heat.
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Step 2Add chicken to pan and brown the pieces on all sides.
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Step 3Remove chicken and set aside.
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Step 4Reduce heat to medium, add a little more oil to the pan if needed, add bacon, onion, and the carrot.
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Step 5Stir until the onion has softened.
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Step 6Add the garlic, mushrooms, flour and tomato paste, stirring for another 2 minutes.
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Step 7Return the chicken to the pan along with the white wine, stock and bay leaf. Cover the pan and reduce heat so the sauce is simmering. Leave this to simmer for about 1½ hours, or until the chicken is tender and the sauce is reduced.
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Step 8Remove lid for the last 15 minutes if the sauce hasn't reduced enough. Stir occasionally during cooking.
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Step 9Before serving add the cream, bring the casserole to simmer, then turn off the heat, and season to taste.
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Step 10Remove bay leaf. Serve chicken and sauce and sprinkle with parsley.
Equipment
- 1 frying pan
- 1 casserole dish
Recipe Notes
Can I add more veg to this chicken casserole?
You have the basics of onion, carrot and mushrooms, which are lovely, but you could also add or substitute chopped celery, parsnip, potato and/or green beans to bulk up the vegies.
What white wine should I use in this chicken casserole?
Go for a dry white wine so that the gravy doesn't end up tasting sweet. Something like a chardonnay (my fave), sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio/gris will all do nicely.
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