People don’t always think elegance when they hear the word “casserole.” This French Chicken Bake is out to prove that a casserole can be the classiest of culinary endeavors! Golden-seared chicken, braised in a savory, bright, and creamy sauce, served alongside tender potatoes and beefy mushrooms. You’ll be convinced you found your way to Paris with just a taste of French Chicken Bake… but just one taste is not enough for this dish!
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on
- kosher salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, halved
- 3 large shallots, diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 pound baby gold potatoes, halved
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Step 2 –Season the chicken thighs with the salt and the pepper.
Step 3 –Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat.
Step 4 –In batches, add the chicken to the melted butter, skin-side down, and sear both sides until they are golden-brown, about 2-3 minutes per side.
Step 5 –Place the seared chicken on a plate.
Step 6 –Add the mushrooms, the shallots, and the celery to the Dutch oven and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender and browned, about 5-7 minutes.
Step 7 –Season the mushroom mixture with the salt and the pepper.
Step 8 –Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 9 –Whisk in the flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
Step 10 –Stir in the wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the Dutch oven.
Step 11 –Stir in the chicken stock, the potatoes, the thyme, the rosemary, and the bay leaf.
Step 12 –Add the chicken to the Dutch oven.
Step 13 –Bake until the potatoes are tender and the chicken has completely cooked through at 165 degrees F internally, about 40-45 minutes.
Step 14 –Stir in the heavy cream.
Step 15 –Taste for seasoning and adjust with more of the salt and the pepper as needed.
Step 16 –Serve immediately.
