Chicken Casserole Recipe (2024)

Published | Julia Frey (Vikalinka)

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This creamy chicken casserole recipe delivers full flavours! Chicken legs and thighs browned, then slowly braised in white wine sauce with herbs and carrots, then finished with a touch of cream for a rich and satisfying casserole.

If you like this casserole recipe, try our French Chicken Casserole a la Normande!

Chicken Casserole Recipe (1)

No matter the weather, there is always room for a creamy chicken dish, isn’t there?!

Why make this chicken recipe

  • Easy to prepare since most cooking happens in the oven.
  • Wholesome, simple, good quality ingredients make this chicken recipe a winner.
  • Delicious taste and beautiful aroma that will rival a restaurant meal for a fraction of the price.
  • Suitable for a casual or a formal dinner.
  • Easily customisable recipe. You can add any vegetables and herbs you love to make this dish your own.

Chicken Casserole Recipe (2)

What is chicken casserole?

The answer varies by the country but what everyone agrees on is that casserole is a comfort food dish cooked in the oven. It doesn’t just nourish the body. It brings comfort to the soul.

A traditional casserole usually consists of a protein like chicken, beef or fish and vegetables cooked in a savoury sauce. It could be served with rice or potatoes and bread.

This creamy chicken casserole is all of the above and more!

Chicken Casserole Recipe (3)

How to make it

If you made your casserole with chicken thighs and legs, you will end up with a richer flavour of the meat itself and the sauce. It’s important to brown seasoned chicken pieces first as it will improve the taste and the texture of the meat, especially when using skin-on chicken thighs and legs.

Adding onions or shallots, garlic and herbs also play an important part in making a delicious casserole dish. Hardier herbs like thyme and rosemary give richer flavour than parsley or dill. You can use dried herbs but fresh are always better.

Add vegetables you love for a more interesting, complex flavour. Root vegetables like carrots, potatoes, squash or yams are wonderful in casseroles as they need longer time in the oven same as chicken thighs and legs.

Mushrooms, green peas, red peppers and other delicate vegetables could also be added for extra flavour, texture and a pop of colour.

Finally a well prepared savoury sauce will make all the difference for a chicken casserole. Here is what you need to know about making one.

Chicken Casserole Recipe (4)

Creamy Sauce Ingredients

The main ingredients that contribute to that finger licking cream sauce are:

  • Butter
  • Onion and garlic
  • Thyme or your favourite herb
  • Dry white wine
  • Flour for thickening the sauce
  • Double or heavy cream. (Could be substituted for a single/light cream)

To avoid the cream sauce from curdling, add it at the end of cooking time since intense heat of the oven can cause the cream sauce to curdle.

Can I omit or replace the wine

The wine is an important player in the way flavours interact with each other in order to create a complex and varied taste. The richness of cream needs the acidity of wine for counterbalance.

If you don’t drink alcohol, I would recommend substituting white wine with 1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar and 2 tablespoons of not very sweet apple juice.

Chicken Casserole Recipe (5)

Side dish suggestions

All you need to do is to add a couple of simple sides to make it a complete and nourishing dinner. My favourite dish, which reminds me of a French bistro experience, would be Oven Fried Potatoes with Mushrooms and Caramelised Onions.

You could also start with this elegant Spinach and Apple Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing if you are hosting a special dinner. For everyday fare, consider pairing this chicken casserole with:

Chicken Casserole Recipe (6)

More creamy chicken recipes:

  • Creamy Chicken Stroganoff
  • Chicken in Wine and Mustard Sauce
  • Chicken Paprikash
  • Coq au Vin Blanc
  • Butter Chicken

Chicken Casserole Recipe (7)

Creamy Chicken Casserole Recipe

Julia Frey of Vikalinka

Chicken legs and thighs browned, then slowly braised in white wine sauce with herbs and carrots, then finished with a touch of cream for a rich and satisfying casserole.

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine European, French

Servings 6

Calories 543 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 8 chicken legs and thighs combined
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 carrots, cut into 2 inch pieces
  • 3-4 sprigs thyme, leaves only
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 125ml/ ½cup dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc
  • 375ml/1 ½cups chicken stock
  • 125ml/1/2cup double/heavy cream

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan and brown seasoned with salt and pepper chicken legs and thighs for approximately 4 minutes per side over medium heat until golden on each side but not cooked all the way through. Remove to a plate and set aside till needed.

  • Discard all fat but 1 tablespoon from the pan and add 1 tbsp of butter. Sauté chopped onion and carrots over low heat for 8-10 minutes. Do not allow onions to brown. Add minced garlic and thyme leaves, cook briefly for half a minute. Add the flour and stir to combine until the flour has turned into a paste and is slightly browned. Add the wine while stirring, let the wine simmer for 2-3 minutes until reduced by a half, then add the chicken stock, turn the heat up and bring to a boil, then take it off the heat.

  • Return the chicken to the pan and bake in the oven uncovered for 45 minutes. Then take out of the oven and add the double/heavy cream and gently stir to incorporate the cream into the sauce. Taste and season with more salt if necessary.

Nutrition

Calories: 543kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 30gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 195mgSodium: 662mgPotassium: 536mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 3945IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 1.7mg

Keyword chicken casserole, creamy chicken recipe

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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About Julia Frey (Vikalinka)

Julia Frey is a London based recipe developer and photographer. Julia founded Vikalinka in 2012 with the main mission to provide her readers with delicious and accessible everyday recipes, which could be enjoyed by everyone.
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Chicken Casserole Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are 5 components of a casserole? ›

Let's talk anatomy: A standard dinner casserole usually includes a protein, a starch, a vegetable, a sauce (or other binding ingredient), and cheese. But making a casserole is not an exact science, and you can definitely break away from this formula. Check out some fun side-dish casseroles and desserts below!

How does Jamie Oliver make chicken casserole? ›

Add the chicken, celeriac, parsnips and potatoes to the pan. Stir in the Marmite, add a good grinding of black pepper and stir to coat. Pour in the hot stock, bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to low. Crumple up and wet a piece of greaseproof paper, then open it out and place on top of the stew.

What is the oldest known casserole? ›

Macaroni and cheese is the oldest written casserole recipe found in 1250.

What are the 3 main parts of a casserole? ›

Not every single casserole has all of them, but as a rule of thumb, here's what to look for: a starch, a binding agent or sauce, and a protein or vegetable. Many casseroles also have both vegetables and proteins, as well as a crunchy element to give some textural contrast, and cheese.

Do I bake my casserole covered or uncovered? ›

Uncovering the foods promotes browning and crisping, and reduces the amount of liquid in the finished dish. If a casserole looks soupy when it's ready to bake, bake it uncovered unless the ingredients include pasta or rice, which absorb liquid.

What is the main ingredient in a casserole? ›

In the United States, a casserole or hot dish is typically a baked food with three main components: pieces of meat (such as chicken or ground meat) or fish (such as tuna) or other protein (such as beans or tofu), various chopped or canned vegetables (such as green beans or peas), and a starchy binder (such as flour, ...

How can I improve my casserole flavor? ›

Sweet, salty, spicy, and acidic elements should blend well and complement each other. Add ingredients like caramelized onions, olives, or lemon zest to give your casserole a depth of flavor.

Why is my chicken casserole tough? ›

Cooking too quickly

If you taste the casserole and find the meat is still tough, and the sauce isn't thick, simply put it back in the oven for another 15 minutes or until the sauce reaches the right consistency and the meat melts in your mouth.

What thickens chicken casserole? ›

The three main thickening agents for gravies are flour, cornflour and arrowroot. The first two are normally used in savoury dishes while arrowroot tends to be used in sweet dishes – that said, arrowroot will work in a savoury dish as it has no flavour.

Should chicken casserole be covered when baking? ›

When chicken is covered while baking, it traps steam and moisture within the dish, resulting in juicier results. The covering helps prevent excessive evaporation and keeps the chicken moist throughout the cooking process. Preventing dryness.

Can you put raw chicken in a casserole? ›

Of course. One of my favorite quick meals is to put boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a casserole, cover them with about half a jar of good salsa, and bake them for about half an hour. There's no prep time. The chicken stays moist.

What are the 5 components of cooking? ›

The aim is to make the 5 steps of cooking – preserving, preparing, cooking, dishing up and washing up – straightforward and consequential.

What are the five components of a dish? ›

Here's an introduction to balancing the five key flavours in your cooking. Sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami are five taste elements that build our overall perception of flavour.

What are the basics of a casserole? ›

There are 3 main parts that make up a casserole: the starchy base, the filling, and the sauce. The base: The starchy base is the foundation of the casserole.

What are casserole dishes made of? ›

“A casserole dish and a baking dish are the same thing, an oven-safe piece of cookware, usually made of ceramic, porcelain, or glass,” says Anthony Contrino, Emmy-awarded culinary producer and food stylist. "They can come in various shapes, with the most common being rectangular, oval, or square.

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