Make This French Chicken Casserole for Dinner This Week
Kitchn’s Delicious Links column highlights recipes we’re excited about from the bloggers we love. Follow along every weekday as we post our favorites.
What is a casserole exactly? Last week Joseph Lamour wrote about the two-year-long Twitter debate going on to define this cold-weather favorite. Is it the dish it’s served in, or is the stuff in the dish what really matters? Joseph concluded a casserole is really more of a vibe thing. Does it feel homey and warm and make for excellent leftovers? If so, then I think it’s safe to call it a casserole.
This gorgeous French chicken casserole form Julia Frey of Vikalinka is exactly this: warm and comforting and chicken-y. Call this dish whatever you want, but it’s what’s happening in my kitchen in the next few weeks.
So, here’s how to make it: You brown some chicken thighs in a larger casserole dish (I love this Le Creuset braiser, personally). Take the chicken out of the dish, and then fry up some bacon. Then remove the bacon and add garlic, shallots, celery, and thyme. Then you add a little brandy and cook a bit before adding some flour, chicken stock, and apple cider to make a gravy. Add the chicken and the bacon to the dish and bring to a boil. Then, you cook the dish in the oven covered for 30 minutes, and then uncovered for another 30 minutes. Add the heavy cream and put in the oven for 20 more minutes. Serve with cooked apples (if that’s your style) and with rice and potatoes.
Et voila!
Get the recipe: French Chicken Casserole a la Normande from Vikalinka
