Chicken and Mushroom Casserole (No Cream)

This chicken and mushroom casserole is a delicious and healthy dinner idea. Made using a handful of ingredients, simple to put together and ready in 40 minutes.

See also mushroom and sour cream sauce!

This chicken and mushroom casserole involves quickly browning the chicken, making a simple creamy mushroom sauce, then pouring over the chicken pieces and baking the assembled dish in the oven. As it cooks the juices of the chicken become incorporated into the mushroom sauce producing a rich and flavourful dish.

Chicken and mushroom casserole ingredients and substitutions

• Chicken breast: skinless, boneless.
• Mushrooms: use regular white mushrooms or chestnut mushrooms.
• Onion and garlic.
• Thyme: you can use Italian herbs or herbes de Provence instead.
• Flour: thickens the sauce.
• Stock: use either chicken or vegetable stock.
• Oil and butter.
• Cream cheese.
• White wine.
• Pepper: to taste.
• Gruyere cheese: delicious with mushroom dishes, but you can also use parmesan if preferred.

What mushrooms to use

To make this chicken mushroom casserole I used a combination of chestnut mushrooms and regular closed cup mushrooms, but you can just use either one or the other. You can also use other mushroom varieties including (whole) baby button mushrooms (see also turkey stroganoff with baby button mushrooms).

TIP: When shopping for mushrooms look for firm mushrooms without blemishes or yellow/brown spots, which might be a sign of mould.

Step-by-step recipe instructions

1.Prepare chicken: Chop the chicken into similar size chunks and season all over with salt and pepper.

2. Prepare mushrooms: Wipe the mushrooms then either slice thinly or chop them roughly. If using button mushrooms use them whole.

At this point preheat the oven to 375 F/190 C/gas mark 5.

3. Brown chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil, add the chicken and cook over a fairly high heat for about 2 minutes on each side (it should still be raw inside). Transfer to your casserole dish (along with the juices).

TIP: Brown the chicken in 2 batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.

4. Fry onion: Using the same pan heat the remaining oil, add the onion and fry over a gentle heat for 4-5 minutes until softened, stirring often. Pour in the wine, increase the heat and cook for another minute or so.

5. Add mushrooms: Add the chopped mushrooms, cover and cook over a medium heat for about 5-6 minutes until the mushrooms start releasing water, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid, increase the heat and continue cooking until almost all the water has been absorbed and the mushrooms are lightly browned, stirring frequently. Towards the end of cooking stir in the crushed garlic.

6. Thicken: Add the flour and stir until no longer visible.

7. Add stock: Pour in the stock (once cooled), add the thyme and cook for a minute or so until the sauce has thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream cheese. Taste the mixture and adjust the seasoning as needed.

8. Assemble casserole: Pour the mushroom sauce over the chicken pieces then scatter 3 tablespoons of grated gruyere cheese over the top.

9. Bake: Place in the centre of the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked. Remove from the oven and serve.

Serving suggestions

Enjoy this easy mushroom and chicken casserole with:

• Pasta: use your favourite (I like it with tagliatelle or pappardelle). You might also like this simple mushroom pasta!
• Rice: especially delicious with brown as well as wild rice.
• Potatoes: I like it with mashed spinach potatoes, Polish potato pancakes or potato dumplings.
• Vegetable sides: these can include green beans, broccoli or garden peas.
• Garnish: freshly chopped parsley.

Top tips

• Brown the chicken in 2 batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. The chicken should be lightly browned but still raw inside (I used a similar method in chicken tomato pasta bake).
• Adjust the amount of herbs and seasoning to your taste.
• Cooking times may vary depending on the size of your chicken pieces.
• Best served immediately. Leftover baked chicken mushroom casserole can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. The sauce will thicken after a while so you may need to add a drop of water to loosen it when reheating the dish.

Freezing

This chicken mushroom bake is easy to freeze. Once cooled simply transfer it into an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. To defrost place in the fridge overnight, then reheat in the microwave or on the stove top.

Related recipes

• Simple Mushroom Stuffed Chicken Breast
• Healthy Creamy Spinach Chicken
• Spinach and Ricotta Cheese Stuffed Chicken
• Chicken Breast in White Sauce (Low Fat)

See also these other easy meals including more healthy chicken recipes!

Keep in touch!

How has your baked chicken mushroom turned out for you? Let me know in the comments below, thanks!

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