Drunken Chicken

3.67 from 6 votes

This casserole was adapted from one of my grandmother’s recipes, which used canned cream of mushroom and cream of celery soup as the sauce base. The updated version of this sauce covers the chicken and keeps it juicy during a low slow bake. Covered with cheese, this updated casserole is excellent served with a cauliflower rice and some roasted broccoli or asparagus.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword american, casserole, cheese, Chicken, dairy-free, dinner, egg-free, lunch, main, mushroom, nightshade-free, nut-free

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 3 30

Total Time 3 45

Servings

Calories 742kcal

Author Jenny Ross

Ingredients

For the Sauce

2 tablespoons butter or butter flavored coconut oil for dairy-free, or other oil of choice
12 ounces button mushrooms diced (I like to run whole mushrooms in the food processor until coarsely ground)
2 stalks celery diced
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce make sure it it a gluten-free one
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream or coconut cream, for dairy-free
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup sherry
2 green onions chopped, plus more for garnish

For the Chicken

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs 8 thighs, (or breasts, if desired)
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 pound sharp cheddar cheese Daiya brand for dairy-free

Instructions

Preheat oven to 275ºF. Grease a 9x13-inch glass baking dish and set aside.
Melt butter in a large pot over medium high heat. When foaming subsides, add the celery and mushrooms. Cook until soft, and most of the liquid release by the mushrooms has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Add the sherry and cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic powder, onion powder, Worcestershire sauce, broth, and cream and bring to a simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Puree with an immersion blender until smooth. Stir in the green onions.
Transfer the puree into the prepared dish. Season the chicken with salt and pepper then place it onto the sauce and press it down into the sauce so that it is submerged. Bake uncovered for 3 hours at 275ºF. Top with cheese with 45 minutes of baking left so that it melts and browns.
Let cool at least 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with more green onions, if desired.

Notes

The sauce naturally tends to separate, if this bothers you, simply add in a bit of glucomann powder when you add the cream and simmer for a couple of minutes to thicken. Use only 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon, slowly adding more, if needed.

Daiya brand cheese is a plant-based alternative that will melt and crisp similarly to traditional dairy-based cheese. It is slightly higher in carbohydrate than dairy-based cheese as it does contain some tapioca starch as well as chickpea and potato proteins. As such, this item should be used as an occasional treat only.

Nutrition