Creamy Chicken Casserole.

INGREDIENTS

 

Chicken:

AD
• ▢5 chicken breasts - (1kg/2.25 lb) chopped into big chunks or strips
• ▢45 g (6 tbsp) plain (all-purpose) flour
• ▢½ tsp salt
• ▢½ tsp black pepper

Sauce:

• ▢2 tbsp oil
• ▢2 tbsp unsalted butter
• ▢3 small-to-medium onions - peeled and finely diced
• ▢5 cloves garlic - peeled and minced
• ▢1 tsp dried thyme
• ▢½ tsp celery salt - optional
• ▢25 g (3 tbsp) plain (all-purpose) flour
• ▢1 litre (4 ¼ cups) chicken stock
• ▢300 ml (1 ¼ cups) milk - whole milk or half-fat
• ▢2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice - juice of approx. 1 lemon
AD
• ▢20 chestnut mushrooms - thickly sliced
• ▢½ tsp salt
• ▢½ tsp pepper
• ▢240 ml (1 cup) double (heavy) cream
• ▢2 tbsp cornflour - mixed with 5 tbsp cold water – to make a slurry, (cornstarch in USA) **Optional**
• ▢small bunch parsley - chopped

Serve with:

• ▢mashed potatoes
• ▢sprouts
• ▢peas
• ▢sweetcorn

INSTRUCTIONS

 

AD
• Place the chicken in a bowl with the flour, salt, and pepper. Toss to cover the chicken in the flour and seasoning.
  5 chicken breasts,45 g (6 tbsp) plain (all-purpose) flour,½ tsp salt,½ tsp black pepper
• Heat the oil over a high heat in a large frying pan (skillet) and working in 2 batches, 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.
  2 tbsp oil
• 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 flour and stir for a minute (it will be lumpy).
  2 tbsp unsalted butter,3 small-to-medium onions,5 cloves garlic,1 tsp dried thyme,½ tsp celery salt,25 g (3 tbsp) plain (all-purpose) flour
AD
• 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).
  1 litre (4 ¼ cups) chicken stock
• Add the milk and continue to stir over the heat until the sauce thickens, then add in the lemon juice.
  300 ml (1 ¼ cups) milk,2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Add the mushrooms, the cooked chicken and the salt and pepper. Place a lid on the pan and simmer gently on the hob for 20 minutes.
  20 chestnut mushrooms,½ tsp salt,½ tsp pepper
• **Alternatively you can transfer to a casserole dish at this point. Cover with foil and place in the oven at 175C/350F (fan) 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).
  240 ml (1 cup) double (heavy) cream
• 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.
  2 tbsp cornflour
• Serve the casserole with vegetables (I like to serve mine with mashed potatoes, sprouts, peas and sweetcorn) and a sprinkling of parsley.