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This French Chicken Casserole Is Your New Seasonal Favourite
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Rustic French Chicken Casserole

This comforting French-inspired chicken casserole is the ultimate seasonal meal, featuring tender, golden-seared chicken thighs simmered with earthy carrots, pearl onions, and a rich, creamy herb-infused gravy. Using turkey bacon and chicken ham as halal-friendly substitutes, this dish offers a deep, smoky complexity without the need for alcohol. It is a hearty, rustic masterpiece perfect for warming up family dinners on cold evenings, with the added benefit of being even better as leftovers the next day.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: DINNER
Cuisine: French-inspired
Calories: 380
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on
  • 4 strips turkey bacon, diced
  • 1/2 cup chicken ham, cubed
  • 3 large carrots, sliced into thick coins
  • 1 cup pearl onions, peeled
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped

Method
 

  1. Heat a large heavy-bottomed dutch oven over medium-high heat.
  2. Fry the turkey bacon until crispy and remove with a slotted spoon.
  3. Sear the chicken thighs until golden brown on both sides, then remove and set aside.
  4. Sauté the pearl onions and carrots in the remaining rendered fat until slightly softened.
  5. Stir in the chicken ham and cook until fragrant.
  6. Pour in the chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the pan to release browned bits.
  7. Return the chicken and crispy turkey bacon to the pot.
  8. Cover and simmer for 50 minutes until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
  9. Stir in the heavy cream and fresh thyme just before serving.

Notes

Ensure you scrape the bottom of the Dutch oven thoroughly when adding the broth to incorporate all the flavorful browned bits from the searing process. This recipe stores well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and tastes even better the next day as the flavors continue to meld.