Description
Barefoot Contessa chicken casserole brings comfort and elegance to classic home cooking. Creamy layers of tender chicken, aromatic herbs, and rich sauce create a satisfying meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 450 g (1 lb) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1.25 cm (0.5 inches) pieces
- 2 bunches kale, tough centre stems removed, chopped into 5 cm (2 inches) pieces
- 225 g frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and roughly chopped
- 240 ml (8 fl oz) low-sodium chicken stock
- 180 ml (6 fl oz) 2% milk
- 4 tbsps grated Parmesan
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 tbsps plain flour
- 2–3 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsps panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Nonstick cooking spray, for greasing the baking dish
Instructions
- Blanch Kale: Boil water and quickly submerge kale until tender, drain thoroughly, and set aside.
- Sear Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken, cook until golden, developing rich caramelization, then remove and reserve.
- Develop Base: Reduce skillet heat, sauté onions until translucent. Sprinkle flour and stir, creating a roux to thicken the upcoming sauce.
- Create Creamy Sauce: Slowly whisk milk and chicken stock into the skillet, raising heat to simmer and achieve a smooth, velvety consistency.
- Combine Ingredients: Incorporate kale, artichokes, and cayenne into the sauce. Return chicken to the skillet, ensuring complete cooking and thorough integration of flavors.
- Add Cheese Dimension: Stir in Parmesan, allowing its nutty essence to permeate the dish.
- Prepare for Finishing: Preheat broiler, transfer mixture to a sprayed baking dish, creating an even layer.
- Final Transformation: Sprinkle panko and remaining Parmesan across the surface. Position under broiler, watching intently to achieve a perfectly golden, crisp topping without burning.
Notes
- Kale Preparation: Quickly blanch kale to retain vibrant color and prevent overcooking, which can make it bitter and lose nutrients.
- Chicken Browning Technique: Achieve golden edges by not overcrowding the skillet, allowing chicken to develop rich caramelization and enhance overall flavor profile.
- Sauce Consistency Tip: Whisk milk and stock continuously to prevent lumps, creating a smooth, creamy base that binds ingredients perfectly.
- Broiling Precision: Monitor breadcrumbs closely during final 3-minute broil to ensure golden-brown color without burning, which can create bitter, acrid taste.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Broiling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg