This hearty Sauerkraut Casserole with Chicken is the perfect Oktoberfest dish, rainy day autumn dish, and a healthy one-pot comfort food dish that’s ideal for sharing.
Polish inspired sauerkraut casserole with chicken
This sauerkraut casserole with chicken isn’t a Polish recipe though it could very well be. Porcini mushrooms as well as prunes go extremely well with sauerkraut and are used in many Polish recipes. If you aren’t a huge fan of prunes don’t worry, after 2.5 hours in the oven prunes don’t really taste like prunes. But they do add a wonderful sweetness to this sour dish. I used a few porcini mushrooms just to add a bit more richness and depth to the overall flavour of this hearty sauerkraut chicken casserole.
Sauerkraut
If you’ve ever attended an Oktoberfest event chances are you would have tried sauerkraut.
I was first introduced to Oktoberfest years ago as a student living in Kitchener-Waterloo, Canada, a town with a sizeable German community. I seem to remember 3 vital components of the festivities: beer, sausage and sauerkraut. The beer came in a plastic cup, and the food was served on a matching plastic plate – the sausage in a big hotdog bun, with steaming hot sauerkraut on top.
I am a big fan of sauerkraut (not necessarily always in the company of beer and sausage, although admittedly they do make a delicious trio). Sauerkraut is not only delicious, but also healthy.
It is a good source of fibre, vitamins and minerals. It’s contains, however, a lot of salt. This in itself is not a great thing but you can also use it to your advantage. You simply won’t need to add any salt to your sauerkraut recipe! Another thing you can do if you find your sauerkraut too salty is rinse it (very briefly) under cold water (in a strainer).
How to make chicken sauerkraut casserole
This chicken potato casserole with sauerkraut is super easy to make. It requires very few ingredients and most of the cooking takes place in the oven so all you have to do is give it a stir every once in a while. This chicken casserole tastes even better reheated the next day, so make a big batch to enjoy over 2-3 days.
Once you’ve prepared all the ingredients putting the casserole together is a quick process (it takes about 10 minutes). Start by heating up some oil and frying the onion, garlic and spices. Then move the onion mixture aside and add the chicken. After a couple of minutes add the sauerkraut, prunes and porcini and continue cooking for 2-3 more minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients, give a stir, cover and pop in the oven for 2.5 hours.
It’s really that simple!
More sauerkraut recipes
A while ago I posted a vegetarian version of the popular Polish sauerkraut kapusniak soup, a delicious low fat comfort food recipe. (Anything with sauerkraut in it can be classed as comfort food really). See also my zesty Polish sauerkraut salad with carrot and apple. Check out also these Polish sauerkraut pierogi, a traditional Christmas Eve dish.
This hearty Sauerkraut Casserole with Chicken is the perfect Oktoberfest dish, rainy day autumn dish, and a healthy one-pot comfort food dish that's ideal for sharing.
- 4 chicken thighs skinless
- 300 g sauerkraut
- 1 large carrot peeled, diced
- 6 small/medium potatoes peeled, cubed
- 6 prunes deseeded, halved
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 4 porcini mushrooms, rinsed thoroughly
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1 cup water
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 whole allspice
- 1 level teaspoon caraway seeds
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
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Preheat the oven to 350 F/ 180 C/ gas mark 4. You will need a deep casserole dish with a lid.
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Heat up the oil in the casserole dish, add the bay leaf, allspice, caraway seeds, onion and garlic. Fry for a couple of minutes over a medium heat stirring often.
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Move the onion mixture to the side, add the chicken and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side. Add the prunes, sauerkraut, mushrooms and stir thoroughly. Continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes.
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Add the carrot, potato, wine and water, a generous amount of pepper and stir thoroughly. Cover and pop in the oven for 2.5 hours. Stir the stew 2-3 times throughout cooking. Taste before serving to see if salt is needed. Serve with crusty bread or simply on its own.
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RECIPE LINK PARTIES
I am bringing this sauerkraut recipe to #CookBlogShare. This week’s host is Kirsty@Hijacked By Twins. Also sharing to Recipe of the Week, and Fiesta Friday.This week’s co-hosts areShinta @ Caramel Tinted Life and Diann @ Of Goats and Greens.
Arrrr this recipe has reminded me I have some homemade sauerkraut that needs checking on!!! Thank you. This recipe sounds delicious and one to try. Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare x
Thank you! I am impressed you make your own sauerkraut, I once tried but found that it takes too long to make and I don’t like waiting for food:)
I’ve never cooked with sauerkraut before, which is a shame as its so popular here in Switzerland. I am definitely going to give your recipe a try… it does sounds delicious. I can imagine how the prunes would lend a lovely sweetness. Thank you for sharing at Fiesta Friday, Monika!
Thank you Shinta! Sauerkraut is not for every day but I get a craving for it every once in a while, especially when the weather gets colder.
This sounds like a lovely dish! Thanks for sharing, Monika and happy Fiesta Friday!
This looks lovely! I absolutely love sauerkraut in my mains! Thanks for sharing at Fiesta Friday!!!
Thank you! Happy FF:)