Chicken and Mushroom Casserole Recipe

This chicken casserole recipe is easy and quick to make. It can be made in larger quantities and then boxed up to put in the freezer. You can vary the basic recipe according to you taste. This recipe is good for 2. Double up for 4.
Ingredients
2 chicken breasts off the bone
2 medium onions chopped
2 garlic cloves chopped fine
2 rashers of smoked bacon chopped
2 cups--225gm--8ozs sliced mushrooms
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 teaspoon of dried sage
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
140ml--1/4 pint of water
1 teaspoon of cornflour
2 teaspoons of water
Method
Place the chicken breasts into a casserole dish. Add the onions, garlic, bacon, mushrooms, sage, salt and pepper, balsamic vinegar and water. Drizzle the olive oil on the top. Cover with foil. Put on the lid and cook at gas 5, 190C or 375F for 1 hour thirty minutes. Mix the cornflour and 2 teaspoons of water add to the casserole and stir so that the sauce thickens. Serve
Variations
1. Add red wine or white wine instead of water.
2. Add lager, stout, brown ale or beer instead of water.
3. Chop the chicken into chunks instead of leaving the breasts whole.
4. Add a can of haricot beans, red kidney beans or chickpeas to extend the casserole.
Serve
This is good with a salad, baked potatoes or pasta .
Enjoy



The raw ingredients for the chicken and mushroom casserole.
The Chicken and mushroom casserole is ready for the oven.
The Chicken and Mushroom casserole comes out of the oven ready to have the sauce thickened.

Beef ,Onion and Mushroom Casserole

This casserole is great for those cold days and very tasty. I make double the quantity and freeze for later use.
Ingredients
2 cups--550 gm--1 lb stewing beef, braising steak or rump steak. These are the names for it in the UK. I cut it into chunks and remove the fat. I keep some fat to add to the flavour and any veins of fat will melt away during cooking.
2 large onions chopped
2 cups--200 gm--8 oz--sliced or chopped mushrooms
1 oxo cube or 1 beef stock cube
2 cloves of garlic chopped very fine
1 teaspoon of tarragon
water to cover, about 1/2 pint--250 ml
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon of cornflour
Method
Place meat, onions, garlic, mushrooms, salt, pepper and tarragon into a casserole dish. Crumble the stock cube over the ingredients and then add water. I then cover the casserole dish with foil and place the lid on the top.
I cook it at gas 5, 190C, 375 F for 2 1/2 hours. I check after 1 hour to see if it needs any extra water. At the end of cooking put the cornflour into a cup, add 2 teaspoons of water, stir until it is smooth and add to the casserole, stir well and it will thicken the gravy.
Serve with baked potatoes and a green vegetable.
Variations
1. Use lager , beer, stout or Guinness instead of water, this makes it really tasty.
2. Use mixed herbs, thyme, oregano instead of tarragon. I expect you will have a personal preference but I love tarragon.
3. You can fry the meat in a pan with some olive oil and then put it into the casserole, this will seal in the juices and add to the flavour. If you toss the meat in flour prior to frying it will then thicken the casserole.
4. Omit the garlic if it is not to your taste.