Creamy Dijon chicken casserole recipe

This delicious creamy Dijon chicken casserole is a really versatile dish that all the family will love. 

In winter you can serve it with baked or mashed potato, for a warming comfort meal. In summer it's great served just with some fresh crusty bread to dip in the sauce. Alternatively, you could serve it with pasta or couscous, and with extra green veggies on the side if you like. The Dijon mustard is the key, adding a lovely depth and power to the flavours, which goes so well with the mild taste of the chicken. 

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 onions, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 6 rashers unsmoked bacon, chopped roughly
• 4 chicken breasts
• 3 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 600ml hot chicken stock
• 150ml double cream
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 200g frozen peas
• 200g French beans

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180⁰C/350⁰F/160⁰C Fan/Gas Mark 4.
2. Pour the oil into a large ovenproof casserole dish or deep sauté pan and heat on a medium setting.
3. Add the onions, garlic and bacon and fry until lightly coloured. Lift out and drain.
4. Add the chicken breasts and fry on both sides for a minute or two to brown lightly. Lift out and drain.
5. Put the mustard, tarragon and lemon zest into the pan, add the stock and whisk together until well blended. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to simmer.
6. Return the onion, garlic, bacon and chicken breasts to the pan, cover with the lid and then transfer to the hot oven.
7. Cook for about 45 minutes then remove from the oven, add the peas and beans, and stir in the cream.
8. Cook for a further 15 minutes. Check that the chicken is fully cooked, giving a little longer cooking time if necessary.
9. Remove the chicken from the sauce, season the sauce with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve the chicken with the sauce poured over.

Top tip for making creamy Dijon chicken casserole

You can use skinless chicken thighs in this recipe instead of the chicken breasts as a cheaper alternative. Increase the cooking time to about 1 hour 30 minutes to ensure they are tender. To make the sauce extra special use white wine instead of chicken stock.

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