Description
This creamy chicken casserole is a comforting and hearty dish perfect for family dinners. Tender chicken breast pieces and a medley of vegetables simmer in a rich, creamy sauce thickened with a cornflour slurry, then baked to perfection and served over fluffy mashed potatoes, garnished with fresh Italian parsley.
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
- Mashed potato, to serve
- Italian parsley, chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C fan bake to prepare for baking the casserole.
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat a large cast-iron casserole dish over medium heat. Add olive oil and sauté the chopped onion, carrots, and celery for about five minutes until the onion starts to soften.
- Add Garlic and Butter: Stir in crushed garlic, then create a small gap in the dish and add butter. Wait until it begins to bubble.
- Add Flour: Sprinkle flour over the butter and vegetables, then stir well to combine. Cook for two minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
- Add Stock and Chicken: Gradually pour in half of the chicken stock while deglazing the base with a wooden spoon. Add the remaining stock, then add the diced chicken breasts.
- Bake Covered: Cover with a lid and transfer the dish to the oven. Bake for 45 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.
- Add Peas, Cream and Thicken: Remove from oven. Add thawed peas and cream. Mix the cornflour with cold water to create a slurry, then stir it into the casserole. Uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Season and Serve: Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot over mashed potatoes, garnished with chopped parsley.
Notes
- Use boneless chicken breast for even cooking and easier dicing.
- The casserole can be prepared up to step 6 in advance, then finished and baked just before serving.
- For a richer flavor, substitute cream with half-and-half or a mix of cream and milk.
- If you don’t have a cast-iron casserole dish, any oven-safe heavy pot with a lid will work.
- Leftover casserole stores well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Western
