Are you ready for another delicious one pan chicken meal?   I know I am.   We do eat a lot of chicken in this house, but that is totally because it is economical, adaptable and delicious.   

It never gets really boring.  I would love to eat more beef or lamb, but in all honesty, it's not within my budget except for on very rare occasions these days.

You are going to love this casserole.  Truly.  It is simple and easy to do.

This simple recipe also uses things I am betting you have in your kitchen right now!

Cooked chicken.   You can use leftovers from your Sunday Roast, or quite simply poach some boneless skinless chicken breasts.  

I picked up a pack locally, for less than a fiver . . .  which had four really large and meaty pieces of chicken in it.  I poached them in some lightly salted water.

Just bring it to the boil, then simmer for about 10 minutes and then I let it cool down in the water until I can just handle it by hand.  End result.

Perfectly moist and tender chicken breast meat.   I used two, shredded,  for this recipe . . . and I have two more chilling in the refrigerator for another recipe another day.

Two baking potatoes sliced thinly, along with some frozen peas, a delicious cream sauce and some crispy salad onions (like Durkee's French Fried Onions.) 

And that's all you need. Truly.

 





Put together in just the right way, you end up with a truly delicious casserole that will have everyone scrambling for just a tiny bit more. 

The recipe serves 6, but I just know people will want seconds to plan on using it for four.  I do hope you will make it and that you will enjoy it as much as we do.

Crispy, buttery potatoes, layered just right with moist chicken and a deliciously creamy sauce and peas.   What more could you want?   

A nice chopped salad on the side and some crusty bread perhaps.   Enjoy!

*Chicken and Garlic Potatoes Casserole*

Serves 6

Printable Recipe 

A simple and delicious chicken casserole which makes good use of leftover chicken and store cupboard ingredients.  We love this.  It is like a pot pie, but with a potato crust. 

2 medium baking potatoes, washed, dried, unpeeled and thinly sliced

1/2 390g  can of fried onions (like Durkees or French's, about 1/2 cup)

250g of frozen peas (1 heaped cup)

450g of shredded cooked chicken (1 pound)

2 TBS butter, melted

garlic powder, dried parsley, salt and black pepper to taste 

For the cream sauce:

3 TBS butter

3 TBS plain flour

300ml of chicken stock (1 1/2 cups)

150ml of milk (3/4 cup)

150ml single cream (3/4 cup) (coffee cream)

dried sage, thyme, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste

First make the cream sauce.  Melt the butter in a saucepan.  Whisk in the flour and cook over medium heat whisking constantly for about a minute.  

 Whisk in the stock, milk and cream.   Season to taste with sage, thyme, salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Cook, whisking constantly until bubbling and thickened.  Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.  Butter a 2 litre/2quart baking dish.  Line the base of the dish with half of the sliced potatoes.   Cover with the sauce, shaking it a bit to allow the sauce to settle down into the potatoes. Sprinkle on half the onions and half the peas.  

Bake in the heated oven for one hour. Increase the temperature to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.   Remove the foil and then bake for an additional 20 to 30 minutes longer until the potatoes are golden brown and tender.

I hope that you will agree that this is a most delicious casserole.  A great use of leftovers and a wonderful meal to make on any day for any occasion. 

Simple ingredients done well and put together in the most delicious way. That's my promise to you!

This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com 

Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again! 

Curry wasn't something which I had experienced a lot of prior to my moving over here to the UK.  My only experience had been a chicken curry that a friend of mine from Manchester had made for me about 30 years ago.

I was  living  on a British Military Training Base in Canada.  I remember that it was delicious but very spicy.  She had used a whole bottle of curry powder in it! It was love a first bite however!


 

The first curry I made after moving over here to the UK was a Chicken Tikka Masala that I learned how to make when I was taking my Chef's course.  

I thought it was really nice, and whilst I can by no means claim to be an expert at the dish of curry, I have been experimenting every since with flavours and textures in the years ever since.

  

I don't really like to use jarred sauces and mixes for things like this.  I prefer to start from scratch . . . using fresh spices and pastes and today I made a delicious Chicken Biryani which was quick and simple to make.  

I found the recipe in a cookbook I had purchased a long time ago entitled . . .  Good Food, The Family Meal Planner.  It's a great book for anyone who has a family and is struggling to get an interesting and delicious variety of meals on the table to feed their families.



This was very quick to make and has some lovely fruity flavours and just a bit of heat.  Of course you can adjust the heat by the type of curry paste you choose to use.  

I chose to use a Balti, but curry pastes vary widely in strengths and heats.  A Korma would be mild and coconutty, whereas a Madras would blow your hat off.   

I quite liked the Balti.   It's somewhere in between the two.



I love the flavours of cinnamon, bay and cardamom in this dish.   It makes a lot and is quite hearty! 

 I do like a one pan supper that is quick, simple and easy to make and when it's delicious as well, then I'd call this a winner!  

I love the addition of the toasted almonds on top. Included also  is a tip to make a delicious salad from the leftovers on the day after.

 

*Chicken Biryani*

Serves 4

Printable Recipe 

A delicious Indian dish for four, cooked in one pan.  You can save 1/3 of it to make a salad the day after.  (See below.)  Adapted from Good Food, The Family Meal Planner. 

300g of basamati rice (10 ounces or scant 1 1/2 cups)

25g butter (scant 2 TBS)

1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped

1 whole bay leaf

3 cardamom pods, bruised (crush lightly with the flat edge of a knife)

1 small cinnamon stick (about 3 inches in length)

1 tsp ground tumeric

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast portions, cut into 1 inch cubes

4 TBS curry paste (I used a Balti)

85g of raisins (9 TBS or scant 2/3 cup)

850ml of chicken stock (29 fluid ounces)

chopped fresh coriander leaves and toasted flaked almonds to serve (chopped cilantro leaves) 

Cover the rice with warm water and leave to soak for 10 minutes.  At the end of that time, drain and rise with cold water until the water runs clear.  Set aside.

Melt the butter in a large skillet (with a tight fitting lid) and add the onion, bay leaf, cinnamon stick and cardamom pods.   Cook on low heat for 10 minutes without browning.  Add the chicken, ground tumeric and curry paste.   Cook and stir until quite fragrant and the chicken has started to turn opague.  Don't allow to brown or stick.  Add the rice and chicken stock and bring to a hard rolling boil.  Place the lid on tightly and reduce to a slow simmer.   Cook for 5 minutes.  Turn the heat out and allow to stand for 10 minutes.   Stir well, stirring through half of the coriander leaves.  Reserve 1/3 for the salad (see below) and scatter the remaining coriander leaves and toasted almonds over the rest.   Serve hot. 

To make the salad:

(serves 4)

Mix the leftover cold chicken rice with about 2 TBS of mayonnaise and a squeeze of lemon juice.   Serve with some sliced baby gem lettuce and sliced cucumber.  

This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again! 

I've been very lucky in my life to have been inspired and taught by remarkable women and cooks.   One of them was my good friend Leona.  

I was in my mid twenties when we met and Leona was probably a good 16 years or so older than myself.   She was and is a remarkably great home cook and this is one of her recipes which she shared with me all those years ago.



It's not much to look at, but it's really a very simple dish and uses things we all probably have in our kitchens all the time, with the exception of maybe the onion soup mix.  

I do always have a packet or two of that on hand . . .  for dishes just such as this, but I know not everyone will.



It does not photograph very well . . .  but don't judge this book by it's cover . . .  it's really far, far more delicious than it looks!   

Trust me on this.  Would I lie to you?  I think not!

 

You can use any combination of chicken pieces that you wish to use . . .  legs, thighs, breasts, etc.   Today I used boneless chicken breasts.  

You will obviously not need to cook them as long as you would the bone in pieces.



You simply whisk together simple ingredients . . .  tomato ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, water, lemon juice . . .  and pour them over the chicken in a baking dish.   

The dry onion soup mix is sprinkled evenly over top afterwards and then the whole thing is popped into the oven to bake.



I like to baste it every 15 minutes or so.   The end result is tender chicken with a delicious sauce.  Your family will think you have slaved all day, but that's okay . . .  you don't need to tell anyone that you haven't!  

I have always said that it is the simple things in life that are the most delious of all.