Description

This creamy chicken casserole is a comforting, hearty dish featuring tender chicken breast simmered with vegetables in a rich, creamy sauce. Baked to perfection in a cast-iron casserole dish, it combines sautéed onion, carrots, celery, and garlic with a buttery roux and chicken stock. Finished with peas, cream, and a thickened sauce, the casserole is served hot over fluffy mashed potatoes and garnished with fresh Italian parsley—a perfect family meal for any occasion.

Ingredients

Scale

Vegetables and Aromatics

2 tsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
Italian parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Chicken and Stock

1 kg boneless chicken breast, diced
750 ml chicken stock

Sauces and Thickeners

1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 cup cream
3 Tbsp cornflour
1 cup frozen peas, thawed

Additional

Mashed potatoes, for serving

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Instructions

Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C fan bake to prepare for baking the casserole.
Cook vegetables: Heat a large cast-iron casserole dish over medium heat. Add olive oil, then sauté the chopped onion, carrots, and celery for about five minutes until the onion starts to soften and the vegetables are fragrant.
Add garlic and butter: Stir in crushed garlic, then create a small gap in the casserole dish and add butter. Wait until it begins to bubble, ensuring the garlic does not burn.
Make roux: Sprinkle the flour over the butter and vegetables, then stir well to combine. Cook for two minutes to remove the raw flour taste while continuously stirring to prevent lumps.
Add chicken stock: Gradually pour in half of the chicken stock while deglazing the base of the dish with a wooden spoon, scraping up any browned bits. Add the remaining stock, then stir in the diced chicken breasts evenly.
Bake the casserole: Cover the casserole dish with its lid and transfer it to the preheated oven. Bake for 45 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
Finish sauce: Remove the casserole from the oven. Add thawed peas and cream, stirring to combine. Mix the cornflour with a small amount of cold water to create a slurry, then stir it into the casserole. Uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes until the sauce thickens and becomes creamy.
Season and serve: Taste the casserole and season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot over warm mashed potatoes, garnished with chopped Italian parsley for freshness and color.

Notes

Make sure to evenly dice the chicken breasts to ensure they cook thoroughly and uniformly.
Deglazing the pan with stock helps incorporate flavorful browned bits into the sauce for extra depth.
The cornflour slurry is essential to thicken the sauce without lumps—mix thoroughly before adding.
Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop or in the oven.
This casserole pairs excellently with creamy mashed potatoes, but can also be served with rice or crusty bread.