Quick Chicken Casserole

Chicken stew
istock
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Total: 50 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings

This quick chicken casserole is one I call on time and time again, for the simple reasons, it is not only quick it is also easy and so delicious. 

This is a basic quick chicken casserole recipe and from this, you can create any kind of chicken casserole you wish. Add different vegetables or herbs; sometimes I will add small pieces of bacon, the recipe is also lovely with a few white grapes added 10 minutes before the end of cooking, which is perhaps more French than British.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 8 chicken thigh fillets

  • 6 shallots, peeled and quartered

  • 2 carrots, peeled and sliced thickly

  • 4 ounces (110 grams) white mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced

  • 8 new potatoes, scrubbed and quartered

  • 2 1/4 pints (1 liter) chicken stock

  • 1 tablespoon roughly chopped flat parsley  leaves, plus leaves for garnish

  • 12 olive black olives, stoned

  • 2 tablespoons creme fraiche

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Heat a large oven-proof casserole over a medium heat being careful not to make it too hot or the oil will smoke.

  3. Add the oil to the casserole and raise the heat slightly until hot but again, not smoking.  Add 4 of the chicken thighs and turn the thighs constantly in the hot oil until browned all over. Remove from the pan, place on kitchen towel to drain and keep to one side. Repeat this with the remaining 4 thighs.

  4. Once the thighs are browned, to the hot pan add the quartered shallots, sliced carrots, sliced mushrooms, and the quartered potatoes. Stir thoroughly to make sure all the vegetables are covered with the oil.

  5. Return the browned chicken thighs to the casserole, pour over the chicken stock over. Cover the casserole with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 20 minutes on medium heat. The casserole should be bubbling but not boiling fiercely.

  6. Add the parsley and olives, cover again with the lid and cook for a further 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. when pierced with a sharp knife.

  7. Remove from the heat the casserole from the heat, stir in the cream, garnish with the parsley leaves and serve.

  8. The casserole has plenty of vegetables already within the dish, so serving more is not necessary. Crusty bread though is a must for mopping up the lovely juices. 

Alternatives to the Basic Casserole 

  • The recipe above is for a basic (and delicious) dish. You can play with alternatives to suit your preferences. Switch out the herbs for tarragon which is a classic herb for chicken. 
  • Remove the olives and creme fraiche, adding canned borlotti or haricot blanc beans instead.
  • Keep the olives but remove the creme fraiche and add a can of drained chopped tomatoes. 
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
680 Calories
37g Fat
37g Carbs
54g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 680
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 37g 47%
Saturated Fat 10g 52%
Cholesterol 261mg 87%
Sodium 678mg 29%
Total Carbohydrate 37g 13%
Dietary Fiber 5g 18%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 54g
Vitamin C 15mg 77%
Calcium 77mg 6%
Iron 5mg 26%
Potassium 1448mg 31%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)