11 August 2023

Winner, Winner, Chicken Casserole

RECIPE: PHILIPPA CAMERON

PHOTOGRAPHER: LOTTIE HEDLEY

Kāuta Taiwhenua. Provincial Kitchen.

This is a great dish to take to a pot luck, catering for a community event or simply for a family dinner. It always gets a great review, making it the winning chicken dish. If you time it right, you can often grab a couple of fresh chooks from your local supermarket when they are on clearance. There is nothing wrong with them – they just need to be sold quickly before their fresh date expires. Doing this makes the dish quite affordable. Alternatively, make the most of frozen chickens when they are on sale.

Woman in winter woollen jersey pours hot water from a flask into an enamel mug

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

Shredded Chicken:
1.5-kilogram whole chicken, defrosted if frozen
1 carrot, roughly chopped
1 onion, roughly chopped
handful of fresh sage and parsley

Casserole:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
2 cups stock, reserved from cooking chicken, above
salt and pepper
1 head of broccoli, cut into small florets

Bacon Breadcrumb Topping:
25 grams butter
3–4 rashers bacon
1 small onion, finely chopped or grated
2 cups roughly chopped stale bread

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan-bake.

To make the shredded chicken, place the whole chicken in a large stockpot on a low heat. Cover with cold water and add the carrot, onion and herbs. Simmer for 90 minutes.

Strain the liquid, reserving 2 cups of the stock. Discard the veggies. Use two forks to shred the chicken, then set aside.

To make the casserole, choose a pot or dish that can go from the stovetop to the oven. Melt the butter in the pot or dish on a low heat. Stir in the flour and heat until it begins to froth. Take off the heat and add the milk in small batches, stirring continuously.

Return to the heat until thickened. Gradually add the reserved stock, stirring until you have a smooth sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Remember to taste the sauce – it may need more seasoning than you think.

Stir the chicken through the sauce.

Dunk the broccoli florets in a pot of boiling water for 2–3 minutes. Strain the water off, and stir the broccoli through the casserole.

To make the topping, melt the butter in the same pot you used for the broccoli (let’s not make too many dishes).

Cook the bacon in the butter on a medium heat until it begins to crisp (but not too crisp – you don’t want it to overcook in the oven). Add the onion and cook until it changes colour. Stir through the bread and pour the topping over the casserole.

Cook in the oven for 30 minutes.