When your dinner plans are spiraling out of control, look no further than this Asian-inspired dish to straighten things out! Drunken Chicken Casserole is oodles and oodles above the rest and will satisfy your hunger for something new or different in no time. With a layer of zucchini noodles (A.K.A, zoodles, if you like to be creative) covered with a richly spiced sauce and a seasoned chicken and vegetable stir-fry… trust us, this is way better than any take-out you could ever order! Drunken Chicken Casserole may not have any alcohol in it, but that won’t stop it from becoming a welcomed family favorite in your merry-go-round-like weekly menu! Don’t run in circles the next time you’re looking for a fresh, new dish. Walk the line to a whole new taste and try this recipe tonight!
Ingredients
For the sauce:
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark coconut palm sugar, can substitute dark brown sugar or molasses
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce or paste, can substitute sriracha
- ground ginger, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon lime zest or juice
- black pepper, to taste
- Thai bird’s eye chili pepper, optional, finely diced
For the casserole:
- 2 (8-ounce) zucchinis
- 1 pound chicken thighs or breasts, boneless and cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 teaspoon garlic
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or sesame oil
- 1 cup stir-fry vegetables, such as broccoli or snap peas, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 3 tablespoons tapioca starch, can substitute potato starch or flour
- 3 eggs
- 3 tablespoons coconut milk
- Thai bird’s eye chili pepper, optional, finely diced
- Thai basil, to taste, roughly chopped
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- sesame seeds, to taste, for garnish
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 –Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Step 3 –In a large bowl, mix the soy sauce and the coconut palm sugar together.
Step 4 –In the same bowl, add the fish sauce, the chili garlic sauce, the ginger, the lime zest, the black pepper, and the Thai bird’s eye chili pepper and whisk to combine.
Step 5 –Use a spiralizer to cut the zucchini into noodles.
Step 6 –Pat the noodles dry with a paper towel and place them in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
Step 7 –In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the chicken, the garlic, the onion, and the olive oil and sauté, about 5 minutes.
Step 8 –Add the stir-fry vegetables, the red bell pepper, the sauce mixture, and the tapioca starch and cook, stirring frequently, until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F and the tapioca starch is mixed in well.
Step 9 –Evenly pour the chicken mixture over the zucchini noodles.
Step 10 –In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and the coconut milk together, then pour the mixture over the chicken mixture.
Step 11 –Bake the casserole, uncovered, until the edges are golden-brown and the egg mixture is cooked through, about 25-30 minutes.
Step 12 –Transfer from the oven to a wire rack; add the Thai bird’s eye chili pepper, the Thai basil, the salt, and the black pepper and stir to combine.
Step 13 –Serve the casserole sprinkled with the sesame seeds.
