Description
A rich and creamy chicken casserole featuring tender diced chicken breasts simmered in a flavorful vegetable and garlic base, thickened with cream and cornflour, and baked to perfection. Served best over fluffy mashed potatoes and garnished with fresh Italian parsley for a comforting meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 2 Tbsp flour
- 750 ml chicken stock
- 1 kg boneless chicken breast, diced
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 1 cup cream
- 3 Tbsp cornflour
To Serve
- Mashed potato
- Italian parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 180°C fan bake to prepare for cooking the casserole.
- Sauté vegetables: Heat a large cast-iron casserole dish over medium heat, add olive oil, then add the onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté for five minutes until the onion begins to soften.
- Add garlic and roux: Stir in the crushed garlic. Create a gap in the center of the pan and add the butter. Once melted and bubbling, sprinkle over the flour and stir to combine. Cook this mixture for two minutes to form a roux.
- Add chicken stock and chicken: Pour in half of the chicken stock and use a wooden spoon to deglaze the base of the dish, scraping up any browned bits. Add the remaining chicken stock and diced chicken breasts.
- Bake covered: Place the lid on the dish and bake in the oven for 45 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
- Finish casserole: Remove the dish from the oven, then stir in frozen peas and cream. Mix cornflour with 3 tablespoons of cold water to form a slurry, add to the dish, and stir thoroughly.
- Bake uncovered: Return the casserole to the oven, uncovered, and cook for a further 15 minutes until the sauce thickens. Season well with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve: Spoon the creamy chicken casserole over mashed potatoes and garnish with chopped Italian parsley for a flavorful presentation.
Notes
- This casserole can be transformed into a chicken pot pie by placing half the mixture into a pie dish and covering with puff pastry before baking.
- Use either store-bought or homemade chicken stock, or make a quick substitute with stock cubes and boiling water.
- The casserole freezes well for up to three months; cool completely before placing in an airtight container. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator and reheat thoroughly on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- For a thicker sauce, you can add a little more cornflour slurry, mixed with cold water, while cooking uncovered.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 360 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
