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High Protein Creamy French Chicken Casserole

Tender chicken thighs braised with mushrooms, shallots, and baby potatoes in a white wine cream sauce for an elegant, hands-off dinner.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: French
Calories: 485
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or 1.5 lbs boneless skinless thighs
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 8 oz cremini mushrooms halved
  • 3 large shallots finely diced
  • 2 stalks celery diced
  • 1 carrot diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 1 lb baby gold potatoes halved
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary or 1/2 tsp dried
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • Fresh parsley chopped, for garnish

Equipment

  • Large Dutch oven or oven-safe braising pan
  • wooden spoon
  • Instant read thermometer
  • paper towels

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels and season generously on both sides with salt and pepper.
  2. Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Working in batches if needed, sear the chicken skin-side down for about 3 minutes until golden brown. Flip and sear the other side for another 3 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
  3. In the same pot, add the mushrooms, shallots, celery, and carrot. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the mushrooms are browned and vegetables are soft. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir to coat evenly. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
  5. Pour in the white wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the wine bubble and reduce for about 2 minutes.
  6. Stir in the chicken stock, halved potatoes, thyme sprigs, rosemary sprig, and bay leaf. Nestle the chicken thighs back into the pot, skin-side up, so they're partially submerged but the skin is exposed.
  7. Transfer the uncovered Dutch oven to the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 175°F for bone-in thighs.
  8. Carefully remove the pot from the oven. Stir in the heavy cream gently. Remove the bay leaf and herb sprigs. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
  9. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve hot, ideally with crusty bread.

Notes

Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The sauce will thicken in the fridge; add a splash of broth when reheating. Substitutions: Use chicken breasts instead of thighs, but reduce baking time by 10 to 15 minutes. Replace wine with additional chicken stock and a tablespoon of lemon juice for acidity. Make-ahead: Prepare the casserole up to the point of baking, refrigerate overnight, then bake the next day. Add 10 to 15 minutes to baking time if starting cold. Pro Tip: Baking uncovered allows the chicken skin to crisp while the meat braises in the sauce.