Chicken casserole type thingy - recipe ideas please

[shoobaloo]

Hi all, I'm a crap cook but want to try something new. We've got two skinless chicken breasts in the fridge and I thought I'd try a simple casserole type thing with potatoes and veg etc. Anyone have a simple one pot recipe? (I don't mind having to 'seal' the chicken ina fry pan first but I do hate using loads of diff pots and pans!) We've also got one of those M&S spinach and asparagus microwave steam things in thre fridge to go with whatever I end up cooking. Many thanks in advance!

Shoobaloo (love the name btw)

For the chicken casserole, I would chop the chicken into bit size pieces and roll them in flour (this will help thicken the sauce). Heat oil in pot and seal chicken pieces, then add chopped onions, chopped celery, stir for few minutes, then add chopped carrots, chopped mushrooms and chopped potatoes. Add chicken stock, seasoning (I like black pepper, thyme and a little salt), bring to boil, then turn down and simmer for an hour. If you put too much liquid in, just simmer without the lid on and you will get a nice thick sauce. I did this last week and my 2yo DTS, ate it all.

You can add any vegetable you like. Last week I added swede and peas so it is a substantial meal.

Good luck!

Thanks so much speedymama! Will def try this out on DH! (and will even put some aside for DS - pre seasoning of course!)

How much stock speedymama? I'm trying to wean myself of "Chicken Tonight" jars and your recipe sounds yum.

SSandy, I just crumble a stock cube in and add water to cover eveything. It is a rough and ready method that I have developed with time and it works - the twins love it - even DH comments on the fact that they clear their plates.

Roughly for 2 adults and 2yo twins, I use 3 large potatoes, one onion, one celery branch, 2 medium size carrots and whatever other veg I fancy, 1-2 pints of chicken stock (need to immerse everything in pot), a table spoon of dried thyme or mixed herbs plus other seasoning like salt and pepper. If there is too much liquid, just leave it too simmer without the lid and it will thicken nicely. If there is not enough liquid, just add water. Good luck and enjoy!

Sorry, I meant Sandyballs!

The key to thickening the sauce is to roll the chicken in plenty of flour (I use plain). You could also try adding a dollop of grainy mustard when seasoning - that is tasty too if you like that sort of thing.

Thanks from me as well Speedymama, I'm going to give this a whirl.

I found a fab recipe last week, I even posted it here, it's dead simple and gorgeous, hang on....

It's here

just a word for next time - chicken breasts don't seem to casserole well - they get dry, but the thighs do really nicely. Very easy - just bung in (after sealing) with some veggies of your choice, cover with gravy/stock of your choice, and cook in a moderate oven for 1.5 - 2 hours. Yum.

You can slice potatoes, fry in the same oil as you browned the chicken, then lay over the top - even more yum !

Although I'm slightly embarrassed to be posting on this section right now. I mean, even if an army does march on its stomach, this is not exactly revolutionary, is it?

I agree that chicken breast can dry out and that's why plenty of stock is required as well as sealing them with the oil. Also, when you bring the pot to boil, turn it down immediately and leave to simmer. I find that the chicken remains tender this way. I have done it with chicken thighs and drum sticks too.

I'm not a great cook, I'm just winging it like everybody else but practice makes perfect so well done to those of you trying to improve your culinary skills and reducing your reliance on synthetic food

I do mine on the top of the cooker and not in the oven by the way.

Thanks Speedy. Will try it on my twins tonight.

Wow - am SO impressed with all these lovely recipes! Keep em coming if you can ladies - we LOVE chicken in this house and so need all the easy chicken recipes we can get! Anyone got ones that aren't tomato based but are still reasonably healthy. If I had my way I'd just cook everything in cream but waistline is begging for mercy!

Another one that always goes down well is Jamaican chicken curry for 4.

Wash chicken in lemon juice, mix with curry powder (I use Dunn's River but any will do), a table spoon of plain flour, black pepper,onion, chopped garlic, thyme and leave to marinate for a few hours).

Heat oil in pan and add chicken mix, stir until chicken sealed on all sides, add chilli pepper or any hot pepper sauce if desired, add potato that has been chopped into small cubes and stir, add water, bring to boil and then leave to simmer for about 2 hours. Check taste half way through and add salt if desired. The sauce should be nice and thick.

Serve with any of the following: basmati rice, rice and peas, naan bread or hard dough bread. DH and the twins love this!

Chicken Cacciatore is another we like. Again, coat chicken pieces with flour (leg, thigh or quarters are good for this) and seal with hot oil. Remove from pan, add onion, chopped garlic, stir, then add thyme, bay leaf, chopped red pepper, chopped carrots, stir a bit more, then add tin of tomatoes and dash of tomato puree, and dash of red wine (not necessary), salt and pepper to taste, bring to boil then put in oven dish along with chicken. Bake for a couple of hours at medium temp (about 170 deg). Chicken should just fall of the bone.

Another one we like is Chicken Florentina. It is creamy so I only make it occassionally.

Steam spinach until wilted. Cut chicken breasts into strips (I use 3 for 4 of us), season with salt and pepper, seal on all sides with oil, add some water, cover and leave to simmer until cooked through. Put spinach into the bottom of a lightly buttered casserole dish. Cover with cooked chicken pieces. Over medium low heat, melt butter and blend in flour (about 20g each), stir until smooth. Gradually stir in about 400ml of chicken stock, continue stirring until thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cut sliced ham in strips. Add to sauce and pour over chicken. Cover all with grated Parmesan or chedder cheese. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes, or until cheese is lightly browned.

I can guarantee that it will all be eaten, if prepared correctly. The key is to make sure that the stock is nice and thick. Sometimes, I find that I have to add cornflour to thicken it to the desired consistency if I have not used enough butter/flour initially.

Just a couple more now that the twins are in bed.

Cajun chicken and smoked ham jambalaya (serves up to 6 people).
Cube chicken (around 600g) and cook with the ham (400g) in oil for several minutes. Add chopped onions, 2 chopped garlic cloves, celery and green pepper and cook for few more minutes. Add 400g can of tomatoes, long grain white rice (about 300g),600ml chicken stock, 2 teaspoons of Cajun spice, a pinch of chilli spice if desired and bring to boil. Pour into greased casserole dish adn bake at 180 deg for 1-1.5 hours (until rice is cooked).

Chicken and mushroom risotto
Saute risotto rice (200g) for few minutes, add chicken (200g), stir for few more minutes, add onion, garlic, green pepper, stir some more, add chopped mushrooms (approx 100g) and cook for about 5 minutes. Add 2 teaspoon of mixed dried herbs, chopped sundried tomatoes (25g), 500ml chicken stock, bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer gently until liquid absorbed, add another 100ml stock, stir until liquid absorbed. Add another 4x 100ml batches of stock, simmer until all liquid absorbed. Season with salt and pepper before serving.

Chicken tagliatelle

Cook tagliatelle until al dente. Saute chicken strips (200g) until golden. Add spring onions, stir for few more minutes and then asparagus (100g) as well as peas (frozen or tinned 100g). Cook for few more minutes with stirring. Add 200g single cream, 200g soft cheese, 2 teaspoon of dried basil or oregano, heat gently with stirring for few minutes until cheese has melted and blended. Season with salt and pepper and serve with tagliatelle. If on a diet, replace cream with low fat natural yogurt and use low fat cheese.

Don't forget you can also do chicken stir fry, roast chicken, chicken pie, chicken tikka bites, fried chicken etc.

As you can see, we love chicken!

How long will these cooked chicken dishes last in the fridge? Am thinking of cooking one tonight to be eaten on Sunday night (we're going away to family tomorrow night and don't want to have to cook something on our return!) Also, could you reheat it in the microwave from frozen?

Smiling, I tend to freeze most of the meals I suggestd with the exception of the risotto. With the chiken tagliatelle, I just freeze the chicken part because tagliatelle does not take long to cook. I have not frozen the chicken florentina but as you can buy frozen versions of this, freezing it should not be a problem.

one of our favourites is a recipe off a sainsbury/tesco(?) recipe card

Chicken in Sherry and Tarrogon

Season about 6 chicken pieces (I use thighs and drumsticks) with black pepper. Brown the chicken pieces. Remove from pan into casserole pot and add 4 tbsp of sherry and get all the yummy crusty bits off the bottom of the pan. Pour this into the casserole pan and wipe pan (optional ). Saute some onions and add 4 tbsp of flour to soak up all the onion juices. Pour this mixture into the casserole pan. Then add 1 pt of chicken stock, some mushrooms (fresh and dried - porcini gives it a really nice colour) and a bunch of chopped tarragon. Then either simmer for 1-1.5 hour or so on the hob or bung it in the oven at 170C for about 1.5-2 hours. Stir in more chopped tarragon and serve. Lots of juices so either with mash or rice or nice bread. Probably works in a slow cooker too.

Oh, if you are posh, you can serve with a dallop of creme fraiche!

speedymama, with the Cajun chicken and smoked ham jambalaya, do you use cooked or uncooked ham?

I tend to use uncooked ham but if you have cooked ham, just add it when you add the tomatoes and rice.