Description
This French Chicken Casserole a la Normande is a delightful dish that combines tender chicken with a rich sauce of apple cider, cream, and savory bacon, perfect for a cozy dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1kg / 2 lbs chicken thighs and legs
- salt
- 4 shallots
- diced or one medium onion
- 1 rib celery
- diced
- 4–5 thyme sprigs
- 2 cloves garlic
- minced
- 125g / 4 oz bacon lardons or 6 strips of bacon
- chopped
- 2 tbsp brandy or whiskey
- 2 tbsp flour
- 85 ml / 1/3 cup chicken stock
- 400ml / 1½ cups hard dry apple cider
- such as Strongbow
- 2 apples
- peeled
- cored and cut into wedges
- 125ml / 1/2cup double cream/heavy cream
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof casserole dish over medium heat.
- Season the chicken with salt and brown in the casserole dish on all sides. Remove and set aside.
- Add the shallots, celery, thyme, and garlic to the dish and sauté until softened.
- Stir in the bacon lardons and cook until crispy.
- Add the brandy or whiskey and cook for a minute to deglaze the pan.
- Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir to combine.
- Gradually pour in the chicken stock and apple cider, stirring constantly.
- Return the chicken to the dish and add the apple wedges. Bring to a simmer.
- Cover and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 30 minutes.
- Remove the cover, stir in the cream, and bake for an additional 10 minutes until the sauce is thickened.
Notes
Serve with crusty bread or over mashed potatoes to soak up the delicious sauce.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop / Casserole
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 560 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 31 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 45 g
- Cholesterol: 155 mg
Keywords: French Chicken Casserole a la Normande, chicken, casserole, apple cider, French cuisine