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This Gluten-Free Chicken Casserole is healthy and hearty comfort food perfect for these cooler days. A family favourite which is simple to prepare and full of tender chicken, fresh tasty vegetables and a flavourful gravy.
A good rustic Chicken Casserole suits every occasion from feeding a family of 6 with a mound of mashed potato, to a simple bowlful for a quiet solo lunch. Plus its restorative properties can also not be dismissed. If you’re feeling a little jaded then a serving of healthy Chicken Casserole will certainly go some way to making you feel so good about yourself.
What makes this recipe so good?
- We use chicken thighs for the juiciest most flavourful chicken pieces which fall apart to the fork.
- Plenty of chunky veggies for flavour and texture – carrots, swede, celery, onion and green beans.
- All the herbs – bay leaves, rosemary and thyme. These woody herbs infuse your casserole with deep flavour. Then parsley is scattered over at the end for a fresh grassy hit.
- This naturally dairy-free Chicken Casserole has a gorgeously silky gravy which is perfect for mopping up with thick and velvety mashed potato.
- Using a cornflour slurry to thicken the stew at the end makes it gluten-free (and easier than a traditional flour roux).
- An absolute winner for the whole family – it makes all the kids and grown ups happy and satisfied. Plus eliminates all squabbling, shrieking and drink spillages at the dinner table (ah, if only).
More comforting gluten-free family favourites you’ll love:
Does anything beat the homely comforts of a heart-warming chicken stew baking in the oven? My mum always used to serve us a great version as children – although she does admit that she used a packet. However, it’s so easy to make a chicken casserole from scratch that I know even my Mum would find this one a cinch, even if it is gluten-free.
How to make it gluten-free
A traditional chicken casserole might call for a roux made with flour and fat at the beginning of the recipe to achieve a gravy with substance. However, this recipe cooks the casserole without flour and then uses a simple cornflour slurry at the end of the cooking process to thicken it. Cornflour gives the dish a lovely silky shiny sauce.
Substitution – you can switch out the cornflour for tapioca flour or arrowroot.
How do you make Gluten-Free Chicken Casserole?
For full recipe instructions go to the recipe card at the end of this post.
The steps are simple:
- Brown chicken thighs seasoned with salt and pepper in a large casserole pot then remove for a moment.
- Add in diced onions and celery and cook for 10 minutes until translucent.
- Add in the carrots, diced swede, fresh herbs, garlic, Dijon mustard, redcurrant jelly, gluten-free Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock and the browned chicken.
- Place the lid on the pot and bake in an oven pre-heated to 190°C/170°C fan/gas mark 5 for 50 minutes.
- Remove the chicken and shred it into bite-sized pieces.
- Make a cornflour slurry then pour into the casserole along with the green beans. Bring to a gentle boil on the stovetop until the sauce has thickened.
- Add the chicken back in and cook for a final 5 minutes.
- Serve with the parsley scattered over.
Recommended Equipment – Le Creuset Large Casserole Dish, Garlic Mincer
Pro Tips
- Skinless, boneless chicken thighs – try to use thighs rather than chicken breast. The meat will be so tender and juicy. If you can’t get boneless then you can cook the casserole with the skin in the chicken thighs. There is no difference in cooking time. When you remove the chicken at the end of the cooking process, just shred off the bone and discard the bones before adding the chicken back in at the end.
- Wait until the oil has completely heated up before adding the chicken into the pot – this will prevent the chicken from sticking.
- Fresh organic vegetables – this casserole is so simple that every ingredient matters. Use good farm grown carrots if you can. The small chantenay carrots you can buy from the supermarket lack flavour.
- Use fresh chicken stock. I urge you if you can to use fresh chicken stock, this is what will elevate your chicken casserole into sublime status. The sauce will be so much more velvety and deep with flavour. Of course if you have run out then using stock prepared from a stock cube works too, don’t worry your stew will still be delicious! Although check the label to make sure your stock cube is gluten-free.
- Redcurrant jelly – you only use a teaspoon but the sweet fruitiness that the jelly provides is absolutely worth it. If you have homemade jelly then all the better. However, if you are avoiding sugar then you can leave out or use a teaspoon of date paste.
- How thick do you like it? – This casserole gives a silky sauce which is perfect to mop up with a mound of buttery mashed potato or a lovely hunk of soda bread. If you want a thicker sauce though just use 1-2 more tablespoons cornflour mixed with an additional 1-2 tablespoons water.
What other vegetables can you use in your Chicken Casserole?
- Butternut Squash, cubed
- Courgette – dice and add in at the same time as the celery and onions
- New Potatoes – halved
- Parsnips, cubed
- Leeks – add in the same time as celery and onions
- Shredded kale – add in the end for 5 minutes in the same way as the green beans
What to serve with it
- Buttery Mashed Potato – the classic!!
- Long Grain Rice - I love a bit of rice with my casserole
- Roast Potatoes - ooh, such a treat!
- Buttered new potatoes – I actually love this simple accompaniment if I’m short on time.
- A huge hunk of fresh bread – Click on the link to grab my recipe for Gluten-Free Irish Soda Bread.
Taking your Easy Gluten-Free Chicken Casserole to the next level
- You can add a touch of luxury to this homely casserole by adding in cubes of pancetta or smoked bacon for a minute or so just before you add in the onion and celery. It will add a lovely smoky meatiness to the end result.
- Add in 100ml of double cream or crème fraiche for the final 5 minutes of cooking to create a really creamy chicken casserole. You could even use coconut cream (the thickened part of your tin of coconut milk) if you want to keep this meal dairy-free.
FAQs
Can you use leftover chicken?
Yes you can, or rotisserie chicken. The flavour won’t be as pronounced as the chicken won’t have cooked in the gravy so it’s even more important to use fresh chicken stock. You won’t need to brown this chicken at the start so just begin making the casserole from frying the onions and celery. Add the shredded leftover chicken in at the end as per the original recipe.
Can you make it ahead?
Absolutely. Leave the casserole to cool completely before storing in an airtight container in the fridge. It will keep for up to 3 days. You can re-heat on the stovetop in a large saucepan or pot with a lid. It will take about 15 minutes to re-heat.
Can you freeze it?
Yes. It will keep up to 2 months stored in an airtight container in the freezer. Defrost thoroughly in the container overnight. You can re-heat on the stovetop in a large saucepan or pot with a lid. It will take about 15 minutes to re-heat.
Want more delicious chicken recipes?
I urge you to give this Easy Gluten-Free Chicken Casserole a try. If you do then please leave a comment below and give the recipe a rating which helps others find the recipe on Google. If you then go on to use this recipe as a launch pad for your own culinary creation then I’d also love it if you’d share it and tag me on Instagram. It is so lovely for me to see your versions and variations of my recipes.
Easy Gluten-Free Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 skinless and boneless chicken thighs - about 500g
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large onion - peeled and diced
- 2 celery sticks - chopped finely
- 2-3 carrots - (200g), peeled and sliced to a medium thickness
- ½ swede - peeled and chopped into small cubes (about 300g once cubed)
- 2 fresh bay leaves
- 1 large sprig fresh thyme
- 1 stem fresh rosemary
- 1 garlic clove - crushed
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon redcurrant jelly
- 1 teaspoon gluten-free Worcestershire sauce
- 1 litre fresh chicken stock
- 120 g green beans - chopped into 3rds
- 4 tablespoons cornflour
- 4 tablespoons cold water
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley - to serve
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas mark 5.
- Pour the olive oil into a large casserole pot or saucepan and heat until the oil starts smoking.
- Season both sides of the chicken pieces with the salt and pepper and place into the pot in a single layer. Cook for 3-4 minutes on both sides until the chicken has browned. Then remove the chicken and set aside for now.
- Add the onions and celery into the cooking pot and cook for 10 minutes until the vegetables start to turn translucent.
- Add in the carrots, cubed swede, herbs, garlic, mustard, redcurrant jelly, Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock and stir together. Add the chicken back in, tucking under the liquid. Place the lid on the pot and transfer to the oven. Bake for 50 minutes. Then remove from the oven and place back on the hob on a very low heat.
- Remove the cooked chicken pieces from the casserole pot using a pair of tongs and place into a bowl.
- Make the cornflour slurry by whisking the cornflour with the cold water until smooth.
- Add the slurry into the casserole along with the green beans and bring the casserole up to a gentle boil.
- Shred the chicken with two forks into the bowl until you achieve bite sized pieces.
- Add the chicken back into the casserole, the sauce should now have thickened because of the cornflour, and cook for a final 5 minutes.
- Remove the stems of fresh herbs and the bay leaves.
- Serve the casserole sprinkled with fresh parsley.
Notes
- You can use bone-in chicken thighs and just shred the chicken off the bone at the end of the cooking process.
- For the vegetables you can substitute (or use as well as) leeks, courgette, butternut squash, parsnips, new potatoes or shredded kale.
- You can use stock prepared from a stock cube if you don’t have fresh stock to hand but make sure to check the label that it’s gluten-free.
- For the cornflour you can substitute tapioca flour or arrowroot powder.
- Wait until the oil has completely heated up before adding the chicken into the pot – this will prevent the chicken from sticking.
- You can cook this casserole completely on the hob without using the oven, I find the gravy is a little thinner this way so you may need some more cornflour at the end to thicken.
- For a thicker gravy add 1-2 tablespoons more cornflour and 1-2 tablespoons more water when making your slurry.
- Mashed potato
- Long grain rice
- A hunk of fresh bread
Charlie says
A go-to meal when we need to reset! We used your recipe again tonight after a week of illnesses & pre-Christmas chaos. Perfect, home-cooked, happiness in a bowl
Georgina Hartley says
I'm so happy you are using my recipes!! This is such a great one for a re-set it's so true.