Description
This French Chicken Casserole is a comforting and elegant dish featuring bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs simmered in a rich and creamy white wine sauce with mushrooms, carrots, and aromatic herbs. Perfect for a cozy dinner, this rustic casserole combines flavors of garlic, thyme, and rosemary, baked to perfection and garnished with fresh parsley.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
For Cooking
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 8 ounces cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat and Season: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Season the chicken thighs generously with salt and black pepper on both sides to enhance flavor.
- Sear the Chicken: Heat olive oil and unsalted butter in a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Place the chicken thighs skin side down and sear until the skin is golden brown and crisp, about 5 to 6 minutes. Flip and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, then remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Sauté Vegetables: In the same skillet, add the chopped onion and sliced carrots. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until they soften. Add minced garlic and sliced mushrooms, cooking an additional 3 to 4 minutes until the mushrooms begin to brown and release their moisture.
- Add Flavorings and Deglaze: Stir in the tomato paste, dried thyme, and dried rosemary to coat the vegetables. Pour in the dry white wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits, then simmer the mixture for 2 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Add Broth and Cream: Pour in the chicken broth and heavy cream, stirring to combine all ingredients into a creamy sauce.
- Return Chicken and Bake: Place the chicken thighs back into the skillet with the skin side up. Spoon some of the sauce over the chicken to keep it moist. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked through and the sauce is bubbling.
- Rest and Garnish: Remove the skillet from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the top before serving warm for a fresh, aromatic finish.
Notes
- Serve this casserole with crusty bread to soak up the delicious sauce, mashed potatoes, or over steamed rice for a complete meal.
- Boneless chicken thighs can be used as a substitute; however, reduce the baking time by about 10 minutes to prevent overcooking.
- Use gluten-free chicken broth to make this dish suitable for a gluten-free diet.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken thigh with sauce
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 420mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 150mg
