Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Chicken in the garden casserole

This is a very VERY moist dish and full of flavor. Great served with cranberry sauce. Below is the look of the casserole from the top (for those of you that eat cheese you can add cheese on top for last 5 minutes of cooking. It is basically layered broccoli, mixed veggies, chicken and a creamy mushroom sauce. If you do it the long way it is so moist and terrific.
Here below is a spoonful---oh so tender and moist!
The picture below is what the chicken looks like when you first place it in the crock pot Below is the first layer in the casserole dish AFTER the chicken has been cooked in crock pot
Below is the chicken when it is done COOKING IN THE CROCK. THEN You chop it up for the casserole and save the strained broth for use in the mushroom sauce.

First early in day or the day before (or you can just use 3 cups left over chicken BUT IF YOU COOK IT IN THE CROCK USING THE METHOD BELOW IT IS VERY VERY MOIST AND BETTER) cook chicken:

3 cups chicken (I used 3 skinless boneless thighs and one breast)
1 cup broth

1 cup water
rosemary, sage, thyme, parsley, pinch of oregano (all fresh) (I just place some of each-2 rosemary sprigs about 3 inches long, 6 sprigs of thyme, 6 small sage leaves, a small handful parsley, and pinch of oregano all from my garden)
paprika
salt and pepper


Put the above in the crock pot and cook HIGH 2 hours AND THEN LOW 2 1/2 hours. When done save the broth and chop up the chicken--it will just fall apart!

Next:
1 pound mushrooms
1 cup soy milk
salt and pepper
1 cup of the broth from cooking chicken
2 tab of nutritional yeast (optional)
2 tab cornstarch


Saute the mushrooms. When done mix the cornstarch and the soy milk. Add the broth, soy milk, salt and pepper to the mushrooms and stir until thickened. Add nutritional yeast.

Third:

3 cups chopped broccoli
10 ounces mixed vegetables


While sauteing mushrooms cut up 3 cups fresh brocoli and cook in a pot for 2 minutes.Cook frozen mixed vegetables 5 minutes.

Fourth:

In 2 quart casserole place the broccoli, then the mixed veggies, then the chicken, then the mushroom sauce over all. Bake uncovered 30 minutes-to 35. Serve with wide noodles or rice or biscuits or whatever.

PS. To save time you can just use chicken that is already cooked and 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup and 1/2 cup of milk to make the sauce--HOWEVER most cream of mushrooms have wheat (so not gluten free). ALSO I guarantee it won't taste as good.