French Chicken Casserole (Printable Version)

Comforting slow-cooked chicken with white wine, herbs, and vegetables for a rustic French-style meal

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1.5 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 6 pieces)

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 8 oz cremini or white mushrooms, quartered
08 - 1 large Yukon Gold potato, peeled and diced
09 - 1 cup frozen peas

→ Liquids

10 - 1 cup dry white wine
11 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

→ Herbs & Aromatics

12 - 2 bay leaves
13 - 4 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
14 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Optional

16 - 2 tbsp heavy cream (for a richer sauce)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F.
02 - Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season generously with salt and pepper.
03 - In a large Dutch oven or ovenproof casserole dish, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear chicken thighs, skin side down, for 5-6 minutes until golden. Flip and cook another 3 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.
04 - In the same pot, add carrots, celery, and onion. Sauté 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
05 - Add mushrooms and potatoes. Stir and cook for 3 minutes.
06 - Pour in white wine, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer for 2 minutes.
07 - Return chicken to the pot. Add chicken broth, bay leaves, thyme, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer.
08 - Cover and transfer to preheated oven. Bake for 50 minutes.
09 - Remove from oven, discard bay leaves and thyme stems. Stir in peas and, if using, heavy cream. Return to oven uncovered for 10 more minutes. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The white wine creates a silky sauce that clings to every bite of chicken and vegetable
  • Everything cooks in one pot, which means less cleanup and more flavor depth
  • Its the kind of meal that tastes even better the next day, if you have leftovers
02 -
  • Dont skip the step of patting the chicken completely dry before searing, or you will not get that gorgeous golden crust
  • Let the wine simmer for a full 2 minutes to cook off the harsh alcohol taste
  • The sauce will look thin when it first comes out of the oven but thickens beautifully as it sits
03 -
  • Boneless thighs work in a pinch but reduce the oven time by 15 minutes to prevent drying
  • If your sauce looks too thick after baking, add a quarter cup more broth before the final 10 minutes

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