French Country Chicken Casserole Recipes

FRENCH CHICKEN CASSEROLE A LA NORMANDE

Steps:

• Turn the oven on to 180C/350F. Pat dry chicken legs and thighs with a paper towel and salt all over.
• In a large casserole dish brown the chicken parts in 1 tbsp of oil over medium- high heat until golden. Remove to a separate platter and set aside. Discard the chicken fat or reserve it for another use if desired.
• Fry the bacon lardons over medium heat until the fat is rendered. (If the bacon is very fatty, discard most of the fat.) Remove the bacon to the same platter as browned chicken.
• To the same pan add the shallots and celery with 2 sprigs of thyme and cook over low heat until soft but not coloured for 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds longer while stirring. Then hit the pan with some brandy and stir while scraping the bottom of the pan with a spatula, continue cooking until the alcohol burns out.
• Then add the flour and stir until it's combined with the fat and turns into a paste, then slowly add the chicken stock and stir until the mixture resembles a thick gravy, then pour in the apple cider and stir to combine.Return the chicken and bacon to the casserole dish with 2-3 sprigs of thyme and bring to a boil.
• Then put the casserole into the preheated oven and cook with a lid on for 30 minutes, then uncover and cook for 30 minutes longer. While the chicken is in the oven fry the apple wedges in 2 tbsp of the reserved chicken fat or butter. Watch them carefully as they burn quickly.
• Take the casserole out of the oven and stir in the heavy cream and cook for 20 minutes longer uncovered. Take out of the oven, stir in the cooked apple wedges and serve with potatoes or rice.

COUNTRY FRENCH CHICKEN BAKE

Steps:

• In shallow glass or plastic dish or resealable food-storage plastic bag, mix tomatoes, herbes de provence, oil, lemon juice, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Add chicken and mushrooms; seal bag. Turn to coat chicken and mushrooms in marinade. Refrigerate at least 2 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
• Heat oven to 375°F Spray a 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray.
• Place rice, carrot and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in baking dish; stir in boiling water. Place chicken, mushrooms and marinade evenly over rice mixture.
• Cover with foil. Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and juice of chicken is clear when thickest part is cut to bone (180F). Sprinkle with parsley and lemon peel.
• Exchanges : 1 1/2 Starch, 2 Lean Meat, 1/2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices : 1 1/2.