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Help please! My chicken casserole was a disaster.

(35 Posts)
Cold Tue 25-Nov-25 18:13:41

Some vegetables release more water than others. I always check seasoning and fluid levels with about 20-30 mins to go. Some cream can help

I have made chicken casserole today from stuff that has been hanging around and needed using
- a pack of lemon herb marinated chicken that's been in the freezer
- an onion
- a leftover leek
- snack carrots that I cannot eat because of emergency dental work
- chicken stock
- a ½ bottle of white wine I don't remember buying
- about 100ml of left over cream
- thyme and rosemary that I froze

browned the chicken and stuck everything but the cream in the slow cooker

Iam64 Tue 25-Nov-25 17:37:25

Could it have been the quality of the chicken? I made a beef casserole recently which was poor. Despite my usual recipe and long slow cook the meat wasn’t tender. I bought it at our supermarket (begins with M ) rather than the butcher

Oreo Tue 25-Nov-25 17:34:52

Just check that the casserole doesn’t dry out, half way through I usually add some chicken stock, or just water and stir thoroughly.

Purplepixie Tue 25-Nov-25 16:45:45

I never brown the meat because I think it tastes better. You had some great suggestions.

teabagwoman Tue 25-Nov-25 16:39:07

Oreo I will try your recipe. I’d like to think that easybee’s explanation is right but I suspect it was down to me. My cooking has become a bit hit and miss recently. It upsets me because it was one of the few things I was good at.

eazybee Tue 25-Nov-25 16:12:57

Perhaps the chicken pieces weren't the same quality as usual?

Oreo Tue 25-Nov-25 15:25:23

I cook my chicken casserole in the oven in a cast iron casserole pot.
I cut up chicken breast into big chunks, no browning first, add chopped carrots and chopped onions raw, also garlic and some frozen sweetcorn.I use a Colmans chicken casserole mix with water and also pop in a few dried herbs including sage and a chicken gravy ‘pot’ which melts when the casserole heats up.
Cook for almost two hours.It’s delicious.And easypeasy.

teabagwoman Tue 25-Nov-25 14:43:31

Thanks usedtobeblinde, I was beginning to think I had lost my marbles. It shouldn’t have been over cooked as I used my usual timings but it does seem likely.

Usedtobeblonde Tue 25-Nov-25 14:14:32

None at all, that is how I would have made it and it should have been fine unless you didn’t use enough seasoning.
Did you overcook it to make the chicken stringy?
Just suggestions really.

teabagwoman Tue 25-Nov-25 13:33:42

My dgd is very picky about what she eats so when she asked for chicken casserole and dumplings I was happy to oblige. Made it my usual way, browning skinless, boneless chicken thighs, browning onion, carrot and celery, adding a good stock cube, flour, thyme and 500ml water and simmering gently on the hob. The result was a tasteless stew and stringy chicken. Can’t work out why it went wrong. Any suggestions?