I love cooking, but I hate doing dishes, especially pots and pans. This casserole comes together in a large skillet that transitions from stovetop to oven, making cleanup a breeze. I like to use a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet, but a Dutch oven would also work well here.
This earthy, one-pan dish has a woodsy, almost smoky flavor thanks to gruyere and fresh sage. Thickening the sauce with cornstarch gives it a silky mouthfeel and is less fussy than making a béchamel with flour.
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Chicken Mushroom Sage Casserole
6
25 minutes
35 mintes
1 hour
3 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil, divided
3 lbs. (1350 g) chicken breasts (about 6)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. (450 g) cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 cup (120 ml) dry marsala
1/4 cup (115 g) butter
2 1/2 cups (300 ml) chicken broth
2 tablespoons (16 g) cornstarch
3 tablespoons (45 ml) water
1 cup (180 g) long-grain rice
1/2 cup (50 g) gruyere, shredded
1 tablespoon (1 g) fresh sage, chopped (plus additional whole leaves for garnish)
1/2 teaspoon (7 g) salt
1/2 teaspoon (1 g) pepper
1/4 teaspoon (.5 g) nutmeg
1/2 cup (55 g) sliced toasted almonds
Heat oven to 375°.
Add a tablespoon olive oil to a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat.
Add half the chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes to brown, flip and cook 1 additional minute. Transfer to a plate, add another tablespoon of olive oil and repeat with remaining chicken.
Add an additional tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet.
Add garlic and sauté for a minute.
Add mushrooms and cook 4-5 minutes, until tender and mostly dry. Stir in marsala and cook for an additional 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add butter to skillet and stir until melted. Pour in broth and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Combine cornstarch and water to make a slurry. Add to skillet and continue cooking, stirring constantly, for about a minute.
Add rice, gruyere, sage, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir thoroughly to combine. Top with chicken breasts.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a thermometer inserted in breasts reads 165°. Garnish with almonds and additional sage if desired. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Pro Tip: For a gourmet touch, make fried sage leaves for garnish. Heat 1/4 cup of olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add whole sage leaves, 2-3 at a time and fry for 20 seconds. Remove promptly and sprinkle with sea salt.