The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever (24 page)

Rosemary and garlic is a wonderful combination for cooking almost anything, but especially chicken. Serve this with a salad and crusty French bread to sop up the juices.

•••••

1 chicken (about 3 pounds), cut up, or 3 pounds chicken legs and thighs

1 cup long-grain brown rice or basmati rice

3 cloves garlic, minced

2
¹
/
₂
cups chicken broth,
homemade
or prepared

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon dried rosemary

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

¹
/
₄
cup mayonnaise

¹
/
₄
cup fine dry breadcrumbs

¹
/
₂
cup grated Parmesan cheese

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch casserole with cooking spray. Wash the chicken pieces and pat dry with paper towels. Cut the legs and thighs apart.
   
2. Spread out the rice evenly in the bottom of the casserole. Sprinkle the garlic over the rice and pour the broth over all.
   
3. Arrange the chicken pieces on top of the rice. Sprinkle with salt, rosemary, and lemon juice. Brush or spread mayonnaise over the chicken pieces and sprinkle with the breadcrumbs.
   
4. Bake, uncovered, for 1 to 1
   ¹
   /
   ₄
   hours, or until the chicken and rice are tender. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese before serving.
   

It’s okay to remove the skin from the chicken before cooking. This reduces the fat in the final dish, while the sauce keeps the chicken moist and juicy. If you are cooking for company, you might start the meal with a Thai pumpkin soup and serve an Asian eggplant dish on the side. Fresh fruits or berries are always a perfect dessert.

•••••

1 chicken (2
¹
/
₂
to 3 pounds), cut up

1 cup long-grain rice

2 cups chicken broth,
homemade
or prepared

1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple with its juice

¹
/
₄
cup packed dark or light brown sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons soy sauce

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 2-quart casserole with cooking spray. Wash the chicken and pat it dry.
   
2. Put the rice in the casserole. Pour the broth over the rice, and top with the chicken pieces.
   
3. Mix the pineapple and juice, brown sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, mustard, and soy sauce in a medium bowl and pour over the chicken.
   
4. Cover and bake for 1
   ¹
   /
   ₂
   to 2 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through.
   

In Africa, chicken is served very often, especially for company meals. Because the chickens are free-range, they are a little less tender, but more flavorful, than our supermarket variety. For the most authentic flavor, buy organic free-range chicken from your local farmers’ market.

•••••

1 chicken (3 to 3
¹
/
₂
pounds) quartered

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil

2 medium onions, chopped

1 cup chicken broth,
homemade
or prepared

¹
/
₂
cup crunchy peanut butter

Salt

Pepper

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1 tomato, chopped

Chopped peanuts for garnish

Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

Hot cooked rice or millet for serving

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Rinse the chicken pieces and pat dry with paper towels. Remove any visible fat. Dust with the flour and shake off any excess.
   
2. In a large skillet, heat the oil. Add the chicken pieces, a few at a time, and brown on all sides. Remove the chicken to a heavy 4-quart casserole.
   
3. Add the onions to the skillet, reduce the heat to low, and sauté for 5 minutes, or until the onions are softened. Add the chicken broth, peanut butter, salt and pepper to taste, and the cayenne and mix until well blended. Spread the sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with chopped tomato.
   
4. Cover and bake for 1
   ¹
   /
   ₂
   to 2 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through. Garnish with peanuts and chopped cilantro and serve with the hot cooked rice or millet.
   

Oven-simmered in beer, and spiced with the slightly fruity flavor of ancho chile powder, this is a really simple casserole. It’s a good one to keep in mind when you’re looking for a one-dish meal. Bone-in chicken breasts are often huge—about 2 servings each.

•••••

4 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels

4 bone-in chicken breasts (about 3
¹
/
₂
to 4 pounds total), split in half

2 teaspoons ancho chile powder

1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste

1 bottle (12 ounces) beer

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

¹
/
₂
teaspoon pepper

1 green or red bell pepper, seeded and diced

Hot cooked rice for serving

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a shallow 2- to 3-quart casserole with cooking spray. Spread the corn over the bottom of the casserole in an even layer.
   
2. Wash the chicken breasts and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with the chile powder and arrange in the casserole on top of the corn.
   
3. Mix the tomato paste, beer, flour, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and pour the sauce over the chicken.
   
4. Sprinkle the chicken with the bell pepper. Spray a sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray and cover the casserole. Bake for 1
   ¹
   /
   ₂
   to 2 hours, or until the chicken is tender. Serve with hot cooked rice.
   

This cheesy chicken and noodle casserole is topped with avocado just before serving. The avocado makes a creamy counterpoint to the mild heat from the green chiles.

•••••

6 bone-in chicken thighs

4 cups water

2 teaspoons salt

1 can (4 ounces) whole green chiles, coarsely chopped

6 ounces broad spinach noodles

4 tablespoons butter

¹
/
₄
cup all-purpose flour

Dash of cayenne pepper

2 cups half-and half

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1 large ripe avocado, peeled and sliced

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

•••••

1. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
   
2. Put the chicken thighs in a deep pot and add the water and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Heat to simmering and simmer the chicken for 30 minutes, or until the thighs are cooked through. Remove from the heat and cool in the pot. Remove and discard the skin and bones. Put the meat in the baking dish and distribute the chiles over the chicken.
   
3. Cook the noodles according to package directions, drain, and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
   
4. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir in the flour, the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and the cayenne. Add the half-and-half slowly, and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. Add the cheese and stir until melted. Reserve 1 cup of this sauce. Mix the remaining sauce with the noodles, spoon into the casserole, and top with the chicken. Top with the reserved cup of sauce.
   
5. Bake the chicken, uncovered, for 35 minutes. Meanwhile, drizzle the avocado slices with lime juice and set aside.
   
6. Remove the chicken from the oven and top with the avocado slices.
   

There isn’t a lot of sauce and creaminess to this casserole, but it is a fresh-tasting one-dish meal. This is my favorite dinner for those days when I don’t really have time to make sauces or to even think!

•••••

1
¹
/
₂
pounds bone-in chicken legs and thighs

4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 6 wedges each

2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch lengths

¹
/
₄
pound mushrooms

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary, or 1 teaspoon dried, crushed

1 teaspoon kosher salt

¹
/
₄
cup grated Parmesan cheese

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
   
2. Arrange the chicken, potato wedges, carrots, and mushrooms in a single layer in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Drizzle with the olive oil and vinegar. Sprinkle with the rosemary and salt.
   
3. Bake, uncovered, for 55 minutes to 1 hour, or until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are tender. Sprinkle with the cheese and let stand for 5 minutes, until the cheese softens.
   

Here’s a fresh-tasting, easily assembled dish that is low in fat. Add a salad if you like, and for dessert, a fruit sorbet or homemade cookies.

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³
/
₄
cup long-grain rice

1
¹
/
₂
cups chicken broth,
homemade
or prepared

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Salt

Pepper

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

¹
/
₂
cup chopped onions

¹
/
₂
cup sliced celery

2 cups sliced mushrooms

4 cups broccoli florets

¹
/
₂
cup shredded Gruyère or Swiss cheese

Paprika for sprinkling

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
   
2. Sprinkle the rice evenly over the bottom of the baking dish. Pour the chicken broth over the rice. Rinse the chicken thighs and pat dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper and place on the rice. Sprinkle with the flour and scatter the onions, celery, mushrooms, and broccoli on top.
   
3. Coat a sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray and cover the casserole. Bake for 1 hour. Uncover and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle with the shredded cheese and a pinch of paprika. Return to the oven just long enough to melt the cheese.
   

If you like skin on chicken, leave it on. Otherwise, to cut fat and calories, remove it for this recipe. Real baby carrots are very tender, immature vegetables. However, the baby carrots commonly available in supermarkets are just big carrots cut small. Use whichever you can get your hands on!

•••••

4 large bone-in chicken thighs (about 1
¹
/
₄
pounds total)

Juice of
¹
/
₂
lemon

3 to 4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

12 baby potatoes, scrubbed

12 baby carrots, or 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
   
2. Rinse the chicken thighs and pat dry. Remove the skin unless you prefer it on. Arrange the chicken in the baking dish in a single layer, skin side up. Squeeze lemon juice over the thighs and sprinkle with the garlic, salt, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and the oregano.
   
3. In a medium bowl, toss the potatoes and carrots with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Scatter over the chicken.
   
4. Bake, uncovered, for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes and carrots are tender.
   

Flavored with lemon, garlic, and olives, this is a light but satisfying chicken casserole that is actually quite low in fat. Mop up the tasty juices with crusty bread.

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6 bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed

2 tablespoons olive oil

6 baking potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch cubes (leave skins on)

2 cups baby carrots