Chicken casserole has forever been one of my favourite meals. Growing up my mum would make this most weeks and it is still to this day a meal I always look forward to eating. This recipe keeps it classic – chicken breasts, carrots and onion forming the base, in a rich and thick chicken gravy.
Because this recipe uses chicken breast, it is quick to cook for a casserole – taking just an hour in total.
I usually serve this with dumplings, bread AND mash if I fancy a real treat dinner. I often use a shop bought packet mix for dumplings – they’re usually less than £1 and easy to just have in the cupboards. But you can also follow my recipe for dumplings without suet if you don’t fancy buying anything in specifically for them.
How to make a classic chicken casserole with dumplings
Scroll down for full ingredient list and recipe card
1. Pre-heat your oven to 180C
2. Begin by preparing your ingredients – trim the chicken breasts of any excess fat, peel and slice your carrots, cut the onion into bite-sized pieces and peel and crush the garlic cloves
3. Then heat oil in your casserole dish, and add in the sliced onion and carrot
4. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often until the onion begins to turn a little brown – this will flavour the oil and pan – remove from the pan and set aside to make room for your chicken
5. Then add in your chicken breasts and garlic – season with salt and pepper, and cook for about 6 minutes – until they’re browned slightly on each side – they won’t brown any more once they’re in the casserole juices so make sure you get the colour you want at this stage
6. Then, add back in the onions and carrots along with 2 tbsp of flour (which will help thicken the sauce) – stir to coat everything
7. Then add in the chicken stock – make sure you have enough to cover the chicken, the qty will vary a little depending on the side of your dish
8. Then add in the sprigs of thyme, put the lid on and cook in the oven for 30 minutes
9. Whilst that’s cooking – make up your dumplings. I used this mix from B&M, and just followed the steps on the box.
10. Then, after 30 minutes add the dumplings on top of the casserole, evenly spread out.
11. And cook for a further 20 minutes uncovered until the chicken and dumplings are cooked through! Serve and enjoy
Classic Chicken Casserole With Dumplings
A deliciously rich, classic English chicken casserole with dumplings. Using chicken breast, carrots and onions all cooked for a few hours in your casserole dish.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 onion
- 2 carrots
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 sprigs of thyme
- 750ml chicken stock
- 2 Tbsp Flour
- Dumpling mix
- Salt & pepper to taste
You might need to thicken:
- Cornflour or gravy granules
Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 180C
2. Trim the chicken breasts of any excess fat
3. Peel and slice your carrots, cut the onion into bite-sized pieces and peel and crush the garlic cloves
4. Then heat oil in your casserole dish and add in the sliced onion and carrot
5. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often until the onion begins to turn a little brown – this will flavour the oil and pan – remove from the pan and set aside to make room for your chicken
6. Then add in your chicken breasts and garlic – season with salt and pepper, and cook for about 6 minutes – until they’re browned slightly on each side – they won’t brown any more once they’re in the casserole juices so make sure you get the colour you want at this stage
7. Then, add back in the onions and carrots along with 2 tbsp of flour (which will help thicken the sauce) – stir to coat everything
8. Then add in the chicken stock – make sure you have enough to cover the chicken, the qty will vary a little depending on the side of your dish
9. Then add in the sprigs of thyme, put the lid on and cook in the oven for 30 minutes
10. Whilst that’s cooking – make up your dumplings as per the recipe or packet instructions
11. After 30 minutes of your casserole cooking - place the dumplings on top of the sauce, and return it all into the oven for a further 20 minutes
12. Now the chicken and dumplings should be cooked through, and the sauce rich and thick. If the sauce has not thickened enough mix in a cornflour slurry (2 tbsp water to 1 tbsp cornflour - mixed to a paste), OR some gravy granules, stir and mix until thick
13. Then serve alongside some bread and mash for a delicious dinner
Notes
The dumplings should thicken up the sauce, but if the sauce isn't thick enough at the end stir in a mixture of 1 tbsp cornflour and 1 tbsp water.