French Chicken Casserole (Printable)

Tender chicken slow-cooked with white wine, vegetables, and herbs for a deeply flavorful rustic meal.

# What goes in:

→ Meats

01 - 1.5 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 6 pieces)

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 8 oz cremini or white mushrooms, quartered
08 - 1 large Yukon Gold potato, peeled and diced
09 - 1 cup frozen peas

→ Liquids

10 - 1 cup dry white wine
11 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

→ Herbs & Aromatics

12 - 2 bay leaves
13 - 4 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
14 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Optional

16 - 2 tbsp heavy cream (for a richer sauce)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F.
02 - Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season generously with salt and pepper.
03 - In a large Dutch oven or ovenproof casserole dish, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear chicken thighs, skin side down, for 5-6 minutes until golden. Flip and cook another 3 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.
04 - In the same pot, add carrots, celery, and onion. Sauté 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
05 - Add mushrooms and potatoes. Stir and cook for 3 minutes.
06 - Pour in white wine, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer for 2 minutes.
07 - Return chicken to the pot. Add chicken broth, bay leaves, thyme, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer.
08 - Cover and transfer to preheated oven. Bake for 50 minutes.
09 - Remove from oven, discard bay leaves and thyme stems. Stir in peas and, if using, heavy cream. Return to oven uncovered for 10 more minutes.
10 - Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce that develops in the oven is the kind of thing you want to drink straight from the ladle
  • Everything cooks in one pot, which means maximum flavor and minimum cleanup
  • It tastes like you spent all day at the stove but really the oven does the heavy lifting
02 -
  • Drying the chicken thoroughly before searing makes the difference between nicely browned skin and pale flabby skin
  • Letting the wine reduce for those 2 minutes concentrates the flavor and burns off the harsh alcohol taste
  • Removing the cover for the last 10 minutes helps the sauce thicken slightly and gives you those gorgeous bubbly edges
03 -
  • Pat your chicken really dry with paper towels for the best sear
  • Don't rush the wine reduction - that's where the depth develops
  • Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving to let the sauce settle

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