Lemon-Garlic Chicken Casserole Recipe
One of the best things about casseroles is that you can usually get away with preparing everything in a single pot. That means there's less mess, less cleanup, and a delicious dish with a host of flavors melded together. That's exactly what you get when you make this lemon-garlic chicken casserole pulled together by recipe developer Catherine Brookes of Blue Sky Eating. "Lemon and garlic is one of my favorite flavor combinations and it pairs so well with chicken! It's warming and wholesome but still light enough to enjoy in summer," she shares of the recipe.
The whole thing takes about an hour, but most of that is cook time. Just be sure not to skip the step where you brown the chicken. "Browning the chicken on the stovetop first is a key step as it gives them a lovely crispy skin. As you cook the veg, you can scrape up any browned bits left in the bottom which will add loads of flavor to the dish," Brookes advises.
Gather the ingredients for lemon-garlic chicken casserole
To make this chicken casserole, you'll need olive oil, chicken, a diced red onion, a diced large carrot, a diced celery stick, crushed garlic cloves, halved baby potatoes, lemon juice and zest, honey, chicken stock, cornstarch, and salt and pepper, to taste.
As far as the chicken, Brookes prefers the bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. "I find they provide the most flavor and stay lovely and tender, too. You can absolutely swap for skinless thighs or breasts, though," she says.
Make the chicken stock
Start by making the lemon chicken stock. Grab a bowl or a large jug and mix a tablespoon of water with the cornstarch. Stir until a slurry forms. Then, mix the slurry with the lemon juice and zest, honey, and chicken stock.
Brown the chicken and set it aside
Choose a large, heavy casserole dish that's ovenproof and stovetop-safe. Add the olive oil to the pan and heat it over medium heat on the stove. When it's nice and hot, add the chicken and cook it until it's browned on both sides. When this is done, remove the chicken pieces from the pan and set them aside.
Cook the veggies until softened
At this point, go ahead and preheat the oven to 400 F so it'll be hot by the time you need it. As the oven preheats, add the onion, carrot, and celery to the casserole dish on the stove. Cook until the veggies are soft before adding the garlic and cooking for an additional two minutes. Stir constantly to prevent the garlic from burning.
Add the potatoes and chicken stock
Now throw the potatoes into the pot and pour in the chicken stock. Add salt and pepper, to taste and bring it all to a boil. Stir occasionally as the stock thickens.
Add the chicken and bake before serving
It's now time for the final step before baking. Simply add the chicken to the casserole and place the lid on top. Pop the whole thing in the oven and bake for 35 minutes. When the timer goes off, remove it from the oven and garnish with fresh chopped parsley, if desired.
"It's great served with a fresh green side salad or with some crusty bread to soak up the liquid," Brookes shares. And if you don't finish it all in one sitting, you can store it in the fridge for up to three days, just be sure to keep it covered (you can even store it in the same casserole dish).
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- juice of 2 lemons
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 ½ cups chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 pounds skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
- 1 red onion, diced
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 1 stick celery, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 pound baby potatoes, halved
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- fresh parsley, for garnish
- Add 1 tablespoon of water to the cornstarch and stir to make a slurry. Stir together the lemon juice and zest, honey, chicken stock, and cornstarch slurry in a bowl or jug. Set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof casserole dish over medium heat. Add the chicken and brown well on both sides. This should take about 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside onto a plate.
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- Add the onion, carrot, and celery to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes until softened, then add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add the potatoes and lemon chicken stock mixture to the pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and stir for about 3 minutes, until thickened. Add the chicken back to the dish.
- Place the lid on the casserole dish and bake in the oven for 35 minutes.
- Serve with some fresh chopped parsley if desired.
| Calories per Serving | 717 |
| Total Fat | 42.5 g |
| Saturated Fat | 11.1 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.2 g |
| Cholesterol | 225.0 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 40.7 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5.4 g |
| Total Sugars | 10.1 g |
| Sodium | 1,275.6 mg |
| Protein | 43.5 g |
