I trust you are all healthy and well! Today we share from our pantry an easy Creamy chicken and mushroom casserole dish.
Only 15 min prep time leaving lots of time to be creative with other things. This is a large dish for 10, but you can freeze it and if you have children there will be no leftovers! Also only one pan to dirty, I guess we all have the same sentiment about washing dishes. I promise, and you already have all the items in your pantry!
Serves 10, Prep time – 15 min + Cook time – 50 min, Total: 1 hour 5min
Ingredients
- 5 chicken breasts chopped into big chunks or strips
- 9 tbsp plain/all purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 brown onions peeled and finely diced
- 5 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp celery salt optional
- 1 litre chicken stock
- 300 ml milk
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 16-20 white mushrooms thickly sliced (or brown portabella are good too)
- 240 ml double (heavy) cream
- **Optional** 3tbsp cornflour/corn starch mixed with 5 tbsp cold water – to make a slurry
- Small bunch parsley chopped
Instructions
- Place the chicken in a bowl with 6 tablespoons of the flour plus 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper. Toss to cover the chicken in the flour and seasoning.
- Heat the oil over a high heat in a large frying pan (skillet) and add the chicken. Brown all over (it doesn't need to be cooked through at this point). Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and put to one side.
- Place the butter in the same frying pan and melt over a low-medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, thyme and celery salt and cook for 5 minutes until the onion softens. Sprinkle on the remaining 3 tbsp of flour and stir for a minute (it will be lumpy).
- Pour in a splash of the stock and stir, using a whisk until combined. Continue to add in stock, a little at a time, whilst stirring, until all the stock is added and you have a smooth sauce with no lumps (the onions will still be in there though - so it will look a little lumpy because of that).
- Add the milk and continue to stir over the heat until the sauce thickens, then add in the lemon juice.
- Add the mushrooms, the chicken and the remaining 1/2 tsp of salt and pepper. Place a lid on the pan and simmer gently on the hob for 20 minutes.
Alternatively you can transfer to a casserole dish at this point. Cover with foil and place in the oven at 175C for 30 minutes
- Remove the lid and stir in the cream, then heat through for a further 5 minutes (place back in the oven if oven cooking).
- Remove the lid and test for seasoning. Add a little more salt and pepper if needed.
- If you'd like the sauce to be any thicker, then at this point you can stir in the cornflour slurry. Add a little splash at a time, whilst stirring, until you get the thickness you want.
- Serve the casserole with vegetables (I like to serve mine with brussel sprouts,broccoli, peas, sweetcorn and mash potatoes) and a sprinkling of parsley.