What am I doing wrong - chicken casserole?

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In theory it's a straightforward meal that even my fussy eaters shouldn't object to. And it is, in that it's 'OK' and does get eaten, but it's basically bland chicken in watery gravy.

I've tried lots of recipies but never had a proper success. Is there a good one, or is chicken casserole just underwhelming?

I can cook! Most things turn out well, but I've never been impressed with this.

How do you cook it and perhaps people can suggest improvements? If it's watery then it need less water and more stock/ seasoning.

What part of the chicken do you use? Leg meat will have more flavour and will be better with a longer cook. I pad mine out with whatever veg I've got to hand, leeks are good. A slow cook, on the bone. Once it's cooled I'll pick the meat off and it's ready to heat up the next day. I use a stock cube or stock pot, not too much water, you can thicken with cornflour if it needs it.

Perhaps try one of those packets of recipe mixes for it?

Less liquid. I cook it in the oven with the lid off so the skin of the chicken pieces is crispy and there’s a slight crust on top and the stock reduces to a very thick sauce. I also highly recommend a dash of sherry.

I made a slow cooker chicken casserole the other day;
Chopped up the veg and added straight to pot. Browned chicken and rolled in flour.
Added some chicken stock and red wine, just enough to cover everything. Added salt, pepper and mixed herbs.
Last hour or so I added dumplings to help soak up the moisture (chucked them into cooker for 5 mins to brown before serving)

Very tasty and thick gravy.

you need to start with a good base, saute a decent amount of onions with finely diced carrots and celery and you need to take time to do that and don't omit the celery.

Plenty of S&P and use thighs for flavour, chicken breast has a tendency to be dry

Decide where you are going flavourwise and run with that

french....tarragon, maybe some white beans, some garlic, some sausage give you a cassoulet type affair

chorizo, chick peas, paprika, rosemary....for a more spanish jaunt

chopped apples, cider, mustard, splash of cream ...autumnish country style

white beans, oregano, jar artichokes, tomatoes ...italianish

Make sure it's seasoned properly, at the beginning and end!
If it's watery it needs less water, or you could add a small amount of a cornflour slurry at the start of the cooking process to help it to thicken.
I second a splash of sherry to add wonderful flavour

Agree that it's hard to tell without knowing what you're doing but broadly, to get a good tasting chicken casserole my basic assumptions would be:

1. Use legs/thighs not breast meat - more flavour, works better with slower cooking
2. Brown off the chicken first to ensure you get a good crispy skin and don't cover the skin while cooking. (in slow cooker, the skin doesn't stay crispy and I remove it and shred the chicken but still brown it off first).
3. Use a good flavour base - onions at the minimum but carrots, leaks, celery etc all good too. Garlic/ginger etc as required.
4. Use the right herbs/spices. Fennel seeds work well with chicken and stand up well to the casserole. With a bit of Thyme, even better. I also do a "sweet" version using star anise, a cinnamon stick and some cloves.
5. Good stock and add some wine if you can.
6. A tablespoon of tomato paste adds a great deal. My favourite recipe book always suggests a squeeze of lemon at the end too.
7. You can thicken your sauce by adding some flour at the start. Or lentils. Or add a few cannellini beans for the last half hour. You could also toss in a few tablespoons of gravy granules (already dissolved) at a pinch. Or, depending on your flavours, stir in some cream/creme fraiche.

Are you browning the meat first? (Better to use meat on the bone for flavour.
Breast meat is not the best for casseroles. )

Are you adding too much liquid op? Make sure the liquid you add, also adds flavour because water just dilutes. So chicken stock, wine, good quality tomato pasatta, mushroom ketchup.

Are you cooking it for long enough? It is important to simmer until the meat is tender and the sauce is reduced and the flavour concentrated.

Agree with pps that a good base of chopped veg: onions, celery, carrots, with thyme adds a good undercurrent of flavour. You always need more than you think; a huge pile of onions reduces massively in size once simmered down.

Sometimes cooking and cooling and refrigerating overnight, allows the flavours to meld together and intensity.

Good luck!

In a big Scoville non stick pan I saute some onions and bacon in butter and do so for a long time, about ten mins. Add chopped skinless/ boneless chicken thighs and brown, add lots of pepper and dried parsley or a pinch thyme. Add a stock gel pot and a small amount of boiling water and simmer for a minute or two then transfer to a casserole and finish off in the oven- add stick or thicken if necessary and add salt if needed.i also add a dollop of cream which brings in all together.

You can add whatever veg you like and tomato instead of cream.

I now only buy my chicken from a local butcher. It is so much better than the stuff I used to buy from the supermarket. It could be almost a different animal.

(actually I had never realised that some chickens were so large and had horns)

I use this www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/chickencasserole_85719 recipe but after frying the chicken I add some white wine to the pan and usually green beans. If you have whiny children who object to onions and leeks a small tin of sweetcorn undrained works as a substitute. Use Knorr chicken stock at least 1.5 cubes. If it's still shit add some pesto. Adding dumplings makes it look impressive, I do suet free pesto version.

Is it was thin I'd mix a dessert spoon of cornflour with some water then pour it in, stir and cook more until it's right.

If it's still shit add some pesto

My kind of cooking tip , brilliant

I cook chopped up bacon until crispy, then set aside. into the bacon fat I cook whole skin-on chicken thighs/legs, until skin is browned, then drain off the fat and set chicken aside. Then I melt a decent knob of butter in that chickeny pan, saute onions, and sometimes celery, leeks, any other veg, crushed garlic. I then season (salt, pepper), and add about 2 tablespoon of flour and mix and cook this. The flour makes the sauce base, and will thicken up the liquid. To this I add the chicken, bacon, and enough chicken stock to cover, mix it all in. If possible, I use stock that's been boiled down from precious chicken bones. Then I oven it for around and hour ish. Comes out in a rich lovely gravy.

*previous, not precious

My favourite (and a winter staple in our house) freezes well:

Prep cubes of Carrot, swede, onion (use one of the supermarket soup bases if feeling lazy!) wash button mushrooms,
Cut up streaky bacon,
Crush garlic clove.
Fry off some chicken thighs for 5 mins, put to one side
Add onions and bacon to the cooking pan, fry off.
Sprinkle with flour, add the rest of the veg and garlic,
Add chopped tomatoes and chicken stock, bring to boil.
Add chicken and bring to boil,
season,
cover and simmer for an hour.
Add peas 15 minutes before the end.

Hearty, delicious and amazing served with mash and greens!

There's so many different recipes, you must've been unlucky to get several crap ones!

Have you tried chicken cacciatore? It's an Italian tomato based one so it won't be watery.

Do you coat your chicken pieces (I use cubed breast meat, my fusspot family won’t eat legs) in seasoned flour and brown it all over in batches first? Then use the same pan for the other ingredients before adding the chicken back in. The flour makes a big difference to the consistency of the gravy.
If it’s still a bit thin when it comes out of the oven, cheat with a roux of cornflour and wine/light soy sauce, just enough liquid that the cornflour blends, add and pop back in the oven for ten minutes.
Or add dumplings and cook for 20 minutes without the lid.

Definitely flour and salt and pepper your chicken pieces and fry them till golden. Remove from pan, then fry the veg for 10 mins. Massive splash of wine to deflaze, then add back the chicken, add enough stock to just cover the veg and meat. Cook for 2 hours in the oven. Should be thick and lush.

I do mine in the slow cooker. Lots of veg, brown the chicken first (yes to thighs not breasts, or use a whole chicken).

Keep the liquid to a minimum, you want it basting not swimming as loads of juices will come out - I use a cup of wine/cider.

Herbs - thyme if you're going for a trad approach, or basil/oregano if you've used Mediterranean rather than root veg.

Or chilli.

Or use spices/curry paste & coconut milk/yoghurt not wine, for a curry rather than casserole.

The main secret is definitely less liquid IMO.

Wow @LaurieSchafferIsAllBitterNow you sound like a chicken casserole masterchef!