I've ruined my chicken casserole and need help

[parchedjanuary]

I've ruined my chicken casserole by putting too much thyme in to it.

It's a huge one because I'm trying to do batch cooking!

It's still cooking.

Is there anything I can do to save it? It tastes quite disgusting at the moment!

It should mellow as it cooks.

Dilute with cream, wine and extra chicken stock?

Ah, thank you...I just tasted it again and the thyme seems less intense now...still to strong but not so awful! I've added some golden syrup... I thought a bit of sweetness might help 🤷🏻‍♀️. I haven't got any actual cream, but I do have some alpro (soya) cream, so I will put a little bit of that in now...fingers crossed!

I'm normally okay with cooking, until I try to be efficient and batch cook, and then for some reason it goes very pear shaped.

Thank you for the advice, I really want to save this one!

Was it fresh or dried thyme?
If fresh it will certainly mellow as it cooks.
Dried is stronger and you could try removing some of the herby liquid and replacing it with the same quantity of stock, wine or water.

Golden syrup?! 🤢

Do you have any potatoes? They will absorb the strong flavours.

The golden syrup is not going to help. That was a bad move.
You water it down with stock and add rice or grain to soak up the liquid (which also makes your batch cooking go further!).

Golden syrup? Did you buy too much in the pancake day sale this week OP?

I wouldn't add cream if you're going to freeze it & then reheat it, cream is likely to separate.

Yes, just add some more liquid and you can always add rice, barley, lentils etc if you need to absorb some water.

The golden syrup is, if I’m honest here, a bonkers idea

@SiobhanSharpe it was dried thyme

If the liquid is really awful then strain the meat and vegetables in a colander, then return to the pan with a fresh batch of chicken stock.

I really don't understand how you got to golden syrup to save this. Please talk us through it?!

@ThanksItHasPockets @Itsalmostanaccessory yeah I've put golden syrup in! I don't know why but I felt sugar would make it a bit, umm, nicer 🤷🏻‍♀️

@AnotherMansCause arrgghhh I put the soya cream in before I read your message.

It's actually tasting quite nice now! Anyone wanna pop around to mine for dinner, I have plenty 😆

Oh love, I know I shouldn’t laugh but I have such visions of your thyme, golden syrup and soya cream casserole.

It sounds interesting.

@MartinMartinMarti that's okay! I'm not offended.

I just tried to phone my cousin for advice, he's a chef, very unusually he didn't answer...and then I remembered that its Valentine's Day (I'm long term single so I forget about these things!). Ahhh, I hope I didn't disturb his evening!

There is nothing more I can do. I will put it into my organised and prepared containers and transfer to the freezer, and think about it next month x

Maple syrup (in small amounts) can add some lovely flavour to savoury dishes but I've never heard of using golden before. As long as you like it no harm done!

I love this!!
@parchedjanuary you sound as if you cook like me. I've been known to pop all sorts of exciting ingredients in just to see if they'll improve the flavour.
Hope you enjoy your casserole!!