Chicken and Cheese Casserole
a hearty bechamel based baked dish loaded with tons of flavour!
- Prep time
- 20 min
- Cook time
- 35 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp butter (or 2 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp oil)
- 4 tbsp flour
- 3 +1 cup milk (whole preferred, 2% works)
- 1/2 cup minced onions
- 2-4 minced green chilies
- 1-1 1/2 cup cut up boiled potato (1 cm pieces)
- 3/4-1 cup sweet corn
- 1-1 1/2 cup shredded chicken or chicken pieces
- 1 cup chicken stock or half a boullion cube diluted in one cup water
- a pinch grated nutmeg (optional)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- salt
- 2+1/2 cup shredded cheese - cheddar or monterey jack
Instructions
- 1
Lightly grease a 10 cup dish and set it aside
- 2
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F
- 3
Melt the butter in a large pot or dutch oven on medium heat.
- 4
Sprinkle in the flour, stirring constantly until it starts looking a little darker and has an almost nutty aroma - 2 minutes
- 5
Gradually add the three cups of milk, whisking constantly to ensure there are no lumps
- 6
The sauce will start to thicken and bubble (stir frequently so it doesn't burn)
- 7
Add in the onions, green chillies, nutmeg, pepper, and stock.
- 8
Mix well and cook to thicken - another 3-5 minutes
- 9
Fold in your chicken, potatoes and corn and take it off the heat
- 10
Stir in 1.5 cup of the cheese and then if your sauce is too thick looking add a little of the reserved milk until you get the right consistency. It should be thick enough to easily scoop up with a piece of bread.
- 11
SEASON! Because salt varies with stock and cheese wait till the end to season the dish. You want the dish to be a smidge more salty because the potatoes will suck up a little of the salt.
- 12
Pour into your pan, scatter over the remaining cup of cheese and bake for 8-10 minutes, can broil for another 2 to get crispier cheese.