How do I make a chicken casserole in a slow cooker?

[Chaosofcalm]

I have never made a casserole before but I would like to make one. It needs to be lowish in salt for the toddler and very easy to make/not time consuming.

Pleas help me as I am a bit clueless.

[silenceisadistantmemory]

Heat slow cooker.

Fry onions, carrots, celery until soft. Add to slow cooker.

Fry chicken until brown, add to slow cooker.

Optional: fry cubes of potato and add to slow cooker.

Sprinkle on herbs, bit of water and a baby stock cube (boots sell them)

Pour sherry into frying pan (about a glass) heat for a minute or two and then add to slow cookers.

Cooker for at least four hours.

[silenceisadistantmemory]

Btw, chicken things work well and I grate the carrot to stop toddler from picking it out.

[Chaosofcalm]

Thanks.

If you don’t brown the veg and chicken is it horrible?

Does it work ok with chicken breast? How much water? - just enough to cover it? Will it need thickening?

[Timelass]

Baby stick cube ad Sherry

[Timelass]

Stock cube!

[Spam88]

The sherry is being cooked off time

OP, I find breasts go a bit dry in the slow cooker, so thighs are better imo. It would still work with breasts though. I never bother browning anything, just chuck it all in.

[MsHomeSlice]

i always sweat off the veg for a slow cooker, it really does make a difference , you don't get that foosty damp onion pot of doom smell which pervades a lot of slow cooked meals.

you can get away without browning chicken, but if you are using thighs with skin then it helps add colour to the skin which is nice.

If you are using breast then do overdo the cooking time, if you have them in all day they can go a bit woolly/dry as they are low on fat

don't put too much liquid in, the slow cooker doesn't ge hot enough to evaporate it off, too much will end up as a watery flavourless gravy

and yes, you might have to thicken it, but use a little cornflour in water and stir that in at the end or mix 2 tbs flour with 2 tbs of butter to a paste and drop bits of that in at the end

[MsHomeSlice]

**don't over do the cooking time! DON'T...must proofread properly!

[TopBitchoftheWitches]

Same here, I just cube potatoes, carrots and whatever else I feel like chucking in. The onions I cut in half and put in first as the kids will not eat them AT ALL, so easy to keep separate.
Add some stock cubes and away you go !
I always make dumplings and add about half an hour before eating on high.

[borntobequiet]

I used to religiously brown everything before putting in the slow cooker, until one day I didn't and it made no difference.
Chop veg (onion, carrot, celery and anything else you fancy) into biggish flattish chunks and put in bottom of cooker, also a good teaspoon of herbs. Lay meat on top, don't cut it up, skin up. Add less water than you think you will need - just enough to cover veg layer if that. Dissolve stock cube in this water if you are using one. Leave cooking as long as poss.
Remove meat from bone and mix in with veg, leave to cook another 20 min. Serve and eat.

[sunshinestorm]

I just put everything in raw. Just chop up chicken and veg then pour in some stock and whatever herbs or spices you want.

[Chaosofcalm]

Thank you all. I am afraid we will have to leave out the butter (allergy).

My local supermarket only do frozen boneless thighs so I may have to go with breasts. I will properly cut up the veg small tobtjw toddler eats them.

Thanks all. I will update on the finished result next week.

[borntobequiet]

If you leave it cooking long enough you can just put the thighs in frozen. Thighs are better than breast for casseroles. Add boiling water.

[Spam88]

I just defrost the thighs over night.