Hairy Bikers French Chicken Casserole is made with chicken thighs, bacon, shallots, apples, and a flavorful sauce of cider, brandy, and cream. It serves 6, takes approximately 2 hours, and delivers a hearty, French-inspired dish with rich flavors.
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đ Why You’ll Love This French Chicken Casserole Recipe:
- Classic French Comfort: It offers the comfort of classic French cuisine, rich in flavors and history.
- Aromatic Aromatics: Aromatics like shallots, celery, and thyme create a fragrant and savory base.
- Flavorful Deglazing: The brandy deglazing step adds depth and richness to the sauce.
- Crispy Skin: Browning the chicken thighs and legs ensures crispy, flavorful skin.
- Creamy and Tangy: The combination of apple cider and cream results in a creamy yet slightly tangy sauce.
- Fruitful Addition: The sautéed apple wedges provide a delightful sweet and tart contrast
â What Is Hairy Bikers French Chicken Casserole Recipe?
Hairy Bikers French Chicken Casserole combines chicken thighs, bacon, shallots, and apples in a rich sauce made with cider, brandy, and cream. After browning and simmering, it’s a flavorful, comforting French-inspired dish.
đ Hairy Bikers French Chicken Casserole Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 lbs chicken thighs and legs
- salt
- 4 shallots diced or one medium onion
- 1 rib celery diced
- 4-5 thyme sprigs
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 125g/4 oz bacon lardons or 6 strips of bacon, chopped
- 2 tbsp brandy or whiskey
- 2 tbsp flour
- 85 ml/1/3 cup chicken stock
- 400ml/1 œ cups hard dry apple cider such as Strongbow
- 2 apples peeled, cored and cut into wedges
- 125ml/1/2cup double cream/heavy cream
đČ How To Make Hairy Bikers French Chicken Casserole
- Set the oven to 180C/350F. Use a paper towel to dry the chicken legs and thighs, then sprinkle salt all over them.
- In a big casserole dish, cook the chicken pieces over medium-high heat in 1 tablespoon of oil until they turn browned. Move to a different plate and set it aside.
- You can either throw away the chicken fat or save it for another purpose.
- Fry the bacon strips over medium-low heat until the fat comes out. (Throw away most of the fat if the bacon is very fatty.) Put the bacon on the same plate as the chicken that has been browned.
- Set the celery and onions in the same pan with two sprigs of thyme. Cook over low heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until soft but not colored. When you add the minced garlic, stir and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Then add some brandy to the pan and stir while scraping the bottom of the pan with a spoon. Keep cooking until the alcohol is gone.
- Then add the flour and stir it into the fat until it forms a paste. Slowly add the chicken stock and stir until the mixture looks like thick gravy. Finally, add the apple cider and stir everything together.
- Put the chicken and bacon back in the casserole dish. Add two or three leaves of thyme and bring to a boil.
- Then, put the dish in an oven that has already been heated. Cook with the lid on for 30 minutes, then take it out and cook for another 30 minutes.
- While the chicken is cooking, fry the apple pieces in 2 tablespoons of the chicken fat or butter that you saved. Keep a close eye on them because they burn fast.
- After taking the dish out of the oven, add the heavy cream and stir it in. Cook for another 20 minutes without the lid on.
- After taking it out of the oven, add the cooked apple wedges and mix them in. Serve with rice or potatoes.
đ Recipe Tips:
- Pat Dry the Chicken: Drying the chicken with paper towels before seasoning with salt helps achieve a crispy skin when browning.
- Browning the Chicken: Brown the chicken pieces well over medium-high heat to develop a rich flavor and color. Don’t overcrowd the pan; work in batches if necessary.
- Rendering Bacon Fat: When frying bacon, you can save some of the fat for added flavor in the dish. Remove excess fat if the bacon is too fatty.
- Flavorful Aromatics: The combination of shallots, celery, and thyme adds depth of flavor. Ensure they are cooked until soft but not browned for the best taste.
- Deglazing with Brandy: Scrape the pan’s bottom while deglazing with brandy to release the flavorful browned bits.
- Thickening with Flour: Mix the flour with the fat in the pan to create a roux, ensuring it’s well combined before adding liquids. This prevents lumps in the sauce.
đ„ What To Serve French Chicken Casserole?
Serve French Chicken Casserole with crusty baguette slices for dipping in the luscious sauce pair it with mashed potatoes, rice, or a side salad to complete the meal and savor the rich flavors.
đ How To Store Leftovers French Chicken Casserole?
- Refrigerator: Allow the leftover French Chicken Casserole to cool to room temperature transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezer: For longer storage, portion the cooled casserole into airtight freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags, removing as much air as possible label and date the containers, then store them in the freezer for up to 3-4 months.
đ„” How To Reheat Leftovers French Chicken Casserole?
- In The Oven: Preheat to 350°F cover Leftovers French Chicken Casserole with foil and heat for 20-25 minutes.
- Microwave: Place Leftovers French Chicken Casserole in a microwave-safe dish cover it and heat in 1-minute intervals for 3-5 minutes.
FAQ’S
How do I ensure my chicken is cooked properly in the casserole?
Use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature of the largest piece of chicken has reached 165°F (75°C). Also, ensure pieces are similar in size for even cooking.
Can I make French Chicken Casserole in a slow cooker?
Yes, you can brown the chicken first, then add it to the slow cooker with the other ingredients and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
How can I thicken the sauce in my French Chicken Casserole?
If the sauce is too thin, you can mix a tablespoon of cornstarch with an equal part of water and stir it into the casserole, then continue baking or simmering until it thickens.
Can I use boneless chicken instead of bone-in for French Chicken Casserole?
Yes, you can use boneless chicken breasts or thighs just be aware they might cook faster than bone-in pieces, so adjust the cooking time accordingly.
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Hairy Bikers French Chicken Casserole Nutrition Fact
Serving Size: 1 cup (approximately 240g)
- Calories: 357 kcal
- Total Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Dietary Fiber: 2 g
- Sugars: 4 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Vitamin D: 0.2 ”g
- Calcium: 40 mg
- Iron: 2 mg
- Potassium: 400 mg
Hairy Bikers French Chicken Casserole
Description
Hairy Bikers French Chicken Casserole is made with chicken thighs, bacon, shallots, apples, and a flavorful sauce of cider, brandy, and cream. It serves 6, takes approximately 2 hours, and delivers a hearty, French-inspired dish with rich flavors.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Set the oven to 180C/350F. Use a paper towel to dry the chicken legs and thighs, then sprinkle salt all over them.
- In a big casserole dish, cook the chicken pieces over medium-high heat in 1 tablespoon of oil until they turn browned. Move to a different plate and set it aside.
- You can either throw away the chicken fat or save it for another purpose.
- Fry the bacon strips over medium-low heat until the fat comes out. (Throw away most of the fat if the bacon is very fatty.) Put the bacon on the same plate as the chicken that has been browned.
- Set the celery and onions in the same pan with two sprigs of thyme. Cook over low heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until soft but not colored. When you add the minced garlic, stir and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Then add some brandy to the pan and stir while scraping the bottom of the pan with a spoon. Keep cooking until the alcohol is gone.
- Then add the flour and stir it into the fat until it forms a paste. Slowly add the chicken stock and stir until the mixture looks like thick gravy. Finally, add the apple cider and stir everything together.
- Put the chicken and bacon back in the casserole dish. Add two or three leaves of thyme and bring to a boil.
- Then, put the dish in an oven that has already been heated. Cook with the lid on for 30 minutes, then take it out and cook for another 30 minutes.
- While the chicken is cooking, fry the apple pieces in 2 tablespoons of the chicken fat or butter that you saved. Keep a close eye on them because they burn fast.
- After taking the dish out of the oven, add the heavy cream and stir it in. Cook for another 20 minutes without the lid on.
- After taking it out of the oven, add the cooked apple wedges and mix them in. Serve with rice or potatoes.
Notes
- Pat Dry the Chicken: Drying the chicken with paper towels before seasoning with salt helps achieve a crispy skin when browning.
- Browning the Chicken: Brown the chicken pieces well over medium-high heat to develop a rich flavor and color. Don’t overcrowd the pan; work in batches if necessary.
- Rendering Bacon Fat: When frying bacon, you can save some of the fat for added flavor in the dish. Remove excess fat if the bacon is too fatty.
- Flavorful Aromatics: The combination of shallots, celery, and thyme adds depth of flavor. Ensure they are cooked until soft but not browned for the best taste.
- Deglazing with Brandy: Scrape the pan’s bottom while deglazing with brandy to release the flavorful browned bits.
- Thickening with Flour: Mix the flour with the fat in the pan to create a roux, ensuring it’s well combined before adding liquids. This prevents lumps in the sauce.
Hairy Bikers French Chicken Casserole