For want of a better title this is basically a cottage pie but I swapped out the mince filling for a delicious chicken casserole. This really is a recipe you need to try. All of the favours of a delicious chicken casserole but topped with crispy butter mash. Whats not to love, its always a meal we look forward to in this house as it adds a lovely spin on a traditional comfort dish.
Prep time 20mins
Cooking time 1.5-2hrs
2tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 celery stick, diced
2 garlic gloves, crushed
1 tbsp dried thyme (or a couple of fresh sprigs)
1tbsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp salt and pepper
2tbsp tomato puree
1.5 tbsp plain flour
200ml red wine
1tsp sugar
2tbsp Worcestershire sauce
400ml chicken stock
150g button mushrooms
2 to 3 chicken breasts, depending on their size... and your appetite
900g maris piper potatoes, peeled and cut in roughly 1inch cubes
60g butter
100ml milk
Gently heat the olive oil in a deep frying pan or large saucepan, add the diced onion and carrot and gently sauté for at least 10mins.
Once they are nice and tender add in the celery and garlic and gently cook for 2 mins.
Now add the thyme, parsley, salt and pepper and cook for a couple of minutes, add a splash of water at any point if the pan is to dry.
Once the herbs are nicely cooked and fragrant stir in the tomato puree and cook for couple of minutes, then add the plain flour. Be sure to cook this for at least 5minutes, stirring often (add a drizzle more of oil if its to dry) to ensure the flour is cooked off properly, this way you won't have a chalky floury taste in the end sauce.
After 5 minutes add the red wine and turn the heat up, whisk the mixture so there are no floury lumps and then allow to reduce by a third, this should take a little over 5 mins.
Now add the stock, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, mushrooms and diced chicken. Allow the mixture to reduce to by at least half until you reach a nice thick sauce consistency. This will take at least 20mins.
DO NOT TRY THE SAUCE NOW UNTIL THE CHICKEN IS COOKED THROUGH. ALLOW AT LEAST 20 MINS, REMOVE A LARGER PIECE OF CHICKEN AND CUT IT IN HALF TO CHECK ITS COOKED THROUGH.
Once the sauce is nice and thick and the chicken is cooked through, have a taste and alter the salt and pepper to your personal taste if need be. Set aside and allow to cool, this will stop the mash from sinking into the sauce in the oven.
Pre heat the oven to 190c
Make your mash, add your potatoes in to a large saucepan and cover with water by about 2inches, add 1 tbsp of salt and bring to the boil, once boiling reduced the heat slightly and allow to simmer for 20mins or until the potatoes are soft all the way through. Strain and allow to steam dry for a couple of minutes. Now add the milk and butter and mash until smooth. Add a pinch of salt if needed.
Pour the casserole mixture into an oven proof dish and top with the mash, use a fork to rough up the mash so you get lots of crispy bits when its in the oven. For extra flavour brush with some melted butter, this is optional though.
Pop in the oven until the casserole is bubbling up at the sides and the mash is golden and crispy.
Enjoy with some lovely buttery greens.
