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French Chicken Casserole

Tender chicken thighs braised with baby potatoes, mushrooms, and fresh herbs in a rich white wine sauce for an elegant one-pot dinner.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: French
Calories: 565
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 8 oz cremini mushrooms halved
  • 3 large shallots diced
  • 2 ribs celery diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 lb baby gold potatoes halved
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 cup dry white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 0.25 cup heavy cream
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary
  • 1 bay leaf

Equipment

  • Dutch oven or heavy pot with lid
  • wooden spoon
  • Meat thermometer

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F and position rack in lower third. Pat chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  2. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in Dutch oven over medium heat. Place chicken thighs skin-side down and sear undisturbed for 2-3 minutes until deep golden brown and skin releases easily. Flip and sear other side for 2-3 minutes. Transfer to plate.
  3. In same pot, add mushrooms, shallots, and celery. Sauté over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms have released moisture and browned and shallots and celery have softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more, stirring constantly.
  4. Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir to coat evenly. Cook for 1 minute to eliminate raw flour taste.
  5. Pour in white wine and use wooden spoon to scrape up all browned bits from bottom of pot. Let bubble and reduce slightly for 2 minutes. Add chicken stock, halved potatoes, thyme sprigs, rosemary sprig, and bay leaf. Stir to combine.
  6. Nestle seared chicken thighs back into pot, skin-side up, settling them among vegetables and potatoes. Keep skin above liquid level.
  7. Transfer uncovered Dutch oven to oven. Bake 40-45 minutes until potatoes are fork-tender and chicken reaches internal temperature of 175°F.
  8. Remove pot from oven. Discard thyme sprigs, rosemary sprig, and bay leaf. Stir in heavy cream. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.
  9. Serve directly from Dutch oven with crusty bread for soaking up sauce.

Notes

Storage: Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 4 days. Flavors improve after a day. Reheat in Dutch oven at 325°F for 20-25 minutes or microwave individual portions. Add splash of stock if sauce has thickened.
Freezing: Freezes well up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator before reheating.
No Fresh Herbs: Use 1 tsp dried thyme and ½ tsp dried rosemary instead. Add with flour.
No Wine: Replace with ½ cup additional chicken stock mixed with 1 tbsp white wine vinegar or lemon juice.
Variations: For red wine version, use red wine and beef stock. Add 4 strips chopped bacon before searing chicken, use bacon fat instead of butter. Include pearl onions, carrots, or parsnips with potatoes. Use drumsticks or mix of thighs and drumsticks.
Tips: Pat chicken completely dry for best browning. Don't overcrowd pot when searing. Give larger potatoes 10-minute head start if needed. Use heavy pot like cast iron for even heat distribution.