Description
This comforting Chicken Casserole recipe features tender boneless chicken thighs slow-cooked with mushrooms, carrots, celery, and a creamy, flavorful sauce thickened with butter, onions, garlic, and flour. Perfect for a hearty family meal, served best with mashed potatoes and green beans.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Oil
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 8 boneless chicken thighs trimmed of fat
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 2 brown onions peeled and diced
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 16-20 baby chestnut mushrooms
- 16-20 chantenay carrots
- 3 sticks celery roughly chopped
Seasonings and Sauce
- 3 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp celery salt
- 480 ml (2 cups) chicken stock
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) double (heavy) cream
Garnish
- small bunch parsley chopped
Instructions
- Brown the Chicken: Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the boneless chicken thighs and lightly brown them on both sides, about 5 minutes total. Once browned, remove the chicken and place it into the slow cooker.
- Sauté Onions and Garlic: Add unsalted butter to the same pan and melt over medium heat. Add diced onions and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened. Then add minced garlic, stirring and cooking for one more minute to release their aroma.
- Make the Sauce Base: Stir in the flour, salt, black pepper, dried thyme, and celery salt into the onion and garlic mixture. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously to cook out the raw flour taste and to help thicken the sauce later.
- Add Liquids: Pour in the chicken stock and freshly squeezed lemon juice, stir well, and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, pour this sauce over the chicken in the slow cooker.
- Add Vegetables: Add baby chestnut mushrooms, chantenay carrots, and roughly chopped celery to the slow cooker with the chicken and sauce. Stir to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Slow Cook: Cover the slow cooker with its lid and cook on low heat for 5 to 6 hours, or on high heat for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked and vegetables are tender.
- Finish with Cream: When cooking is complete, shred the chicken slightly using two forks directly in the slow cooker to mix it well. Stir in the double (heavy) cream to add richness and creaminess to the casserole.
- Serve and Garnish: Serve the chicken casserole warm, topped with freshly chopped parsley. It pairs wonderfully with mashed potatoes and green beans for a complete meal.
Notes
- For best flavor, use boneless chicken thighs as they stay tender and juicy during slow cooking.
- You can substitute baby chestnut mushrooms with button mushrooms if unavailable.
- Adjust the seasoning at the end if needed, adding more salt or pepper to taste.
- This casserole can be prepared a day ahead and reheated gently on the stovetop or microwave.
- Slow cooker temperatures may vary, so check doneness accordingly to prevent overcooking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
