Description
This French Chicken Casserole a la Normande is pure comfort in a pot. Juicy chicken, crispy bacon, apples, and a creamy cider sauce come together for a cozy, rustic meal with incredible depth of flavor—perfect for chilly nights or impressing dinner guests.
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
2 lbs chicken thighs and legs
Salt, to taste
4 shallots, diced (or 1 medium onion)
1 rib celery, diced
4–5 sprigs thyme
2 garlic cloves, minced
125g/4 oz bacon lardons (or 6 strips of bacon, chopped)
2 tbsp brandy or whiskey
2 tbsp flour
1/3 cup (85 ml) chicken stock
1 1/2 cups (400 ml) hard dry apple cider (like Strongbow)
2 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into wedges
1/2 cup (125 ml) double cream or heavy cream
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
Pat chicken dry, season with salt, and brown in olive oil over medium-high heat. Set aside.
In the same pan, cook bacon until crisp. Remove and set aside.
Sauté shallots, celery, and 2 sprigs of thyme over low heat until soft. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Deglaze with brandy, scraping the pan. Let the alcohol cook off.
Stir in flour to form a paste. Slowly add chicken stock while stirring, then pour in apple cider.
Return chicken and bacon to the pan with remaining thyme. Bring to a boil.
Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 30 minutes more.
Meanwhile, fry apple wedges in reserved chicken fat or butter until golden.
Stir cream into casserole and cook uncovered for 20 more minutes.
Add cooked apples, stir, and serve with mashed potatoes or rice.
Notes
Bone-in, skin-on chicken delivers the best flavor.
For a non-alcoholic version, substitute apple juice for cider and omit the brandy.
Leftovers taste even better the next day—refrigerate in an airtight container.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour 20 mins
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Braising, Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 540 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 34 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 160 mg