Signature Dish of the Day: Chicken, Mushroom, & Zucchini Casserole
Signature Dish of the Day: Given the incredibly difficult times we are all going through at the moment, I have been very hesitant to resume regular posting as though things were just normal...it is most certainly not "business as usual" and normalcy bias is a very real and dangerous threat particularly in times of crisis. Admittedly, I have also faced my own periods of increasing anxiety as news about the rapidly spreading global pandemic have unravelled quickly over the past few days, so it has understandably been very challenging to even refocus my mind towards developing new creative content as part of my regular blogging process. However, in the spirit of keeping the flames of faith and hope burning, I have decided to gradually resume posting to help brighten an otherwise dull and difficult atmosphere with the hope that it will inspire you to continue trying out new, home-based recipes even as we all hunker down during this unprecedented crisis.
Our signature dish of the day today is this absolutely delicious, creamy, and deeply flavorful Chicken, Mushroom, & Zucchini Casserole! I have been keen on making a casserole dish lately. Since they are by definition "one-pot meals," casseroles are a bona fide comfort food and are not only easy to prepare but also make for a perfectly satisfying dinner meal on any given day.
To prepare this dish, I first thawed a packet of six skinless, bone-in chicken thighs for about 6 hours ahead of time at room temperature before cooking. As always, chicken thighs are the most flavorful and juicy portion so that is what I would recommend particularly when roasting/baking in the oven. In a large skillet, I lightly seared the chicken pieces on each side with about 3 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkled 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour over them to create a nice, brown crust coating. I seasoned the thighs with some ground black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and some salt. I kept turning them using a wooden spoon until they were all browned before transferring all pieces into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish as shown below. Be sure to spread them out evenly within the dish. Using the same skillet, I then lightly sautéed a mixture of 1 cup of chopped cremini mushrooms and 1/2-inch round slices of about 4 green zucchini for about 3 minutes. I was so glad that the zucchini ended up cooking so beautifully while retaining their crunch, so I highly recommend cutting them specifically into that size to retain firmness. I seasoned the mushroom and zucchini medley with some ground black pepper and salt as well - it is very important to keep seasoning each layer to ensure that the final dish is well balanced in flavor. I then poured this mixture over the chicken thighs in the baking dish and spread them out as evenly as possible.
A casserole dish is most definitely not complete without an accompanying creamy sauce...so I also developed a garlic-ginger gravy sauce to complement and complete this delectable dish. Using the same skillet as before, I melted about 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter before adding 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. I stirred this vigorously to ensure the flour blended well into the butter and did not start to clump up. I then added in very finely chopped pieces of garlic and ginger and let this blend into the flour and butter mixture for about 2 minutes before finally pouring in 1 cup of whole milk (heavy cream can be substituted here as well) while stirring continuously. I seasoned the mixture with some ground black pepper, smoked paprika, and some salt to taste and left it to simmer down until it achieved a smooth and thick consistency.
I then poured this gravy sauce over the chicken, mushroom, and zucchini mixture in the baking dish as shown below and again tried to ensure I spread it out as evenly as possible. For an additional creamy layer, you can spread some grated cheddar cheese on top or fold it into the gravy as well. Thereafter, I covered the dish with some aluminum foil and baked the casserole at 375℉ for about 35 minutes. I served this dish hot and paired it with a delicious vegetable-rice dish for a complete dinner meal. While the steps involved in preparing this amazing dish may seem daunting at first, I assure you that this is a very simple recipe that will reward you with a deeply rich and flavorful creamy dish that you simply will not be able to resist! I look forward to experimenting with different vegetables and flavor profiles for similar recipes but for now, this dish comes highly recommended and I hope you will add it to your home menu as well too. Enjoy! 😋😍💖
