The good thing about chicken casserole is that you can put it in the oven on a timer and just forget about it, until it's ready. It isn't difficult to prepare, and not costly. You can prepare the day or two before, then put it in the oven with timer set while you're at work, studies, or just visiting, and when you come home, you can tuck right in to your chicken casserole!

Chicken breasts start from around £1.00 each, and the vegetables per person cost about 70 pence per person depending on your choice, so this dish can be cooked for around £2.00 per person.

You can use any of your favourite vegetables or any leftover veggies that you have in your fridge at the time.

Another good thing about this chicken casserole recipe is that you get protein, carbs and at least 2 a day of your greens and if you choose to use the cream in the sauce, then you get your dairy too!

My Suggested Ingredients

1 chicken breast for each person

potatoes, carrots, leeks, onion, mushrooms, broccoli spears, peas

garlic bulb, chopped or crushed, salt and pepper

chicken stock of your choice.

oil or butter or little of both to brown or seal the chicken

teaspoon of dried tarragon, optional, but I love it in chicken casserole (you can use any herb fresh or dried)

Optional tablespoon of double cream to thicken sauce.

Prepping

slice your chicken breasts, about half inch or small chunks

wash veg and peel if you prefer, in my instance shown, I used new potatoes so they just needed washing.

Put the potatoes and most of the carrots in a pan to boil, (not forgetting to season,) they need just a little longer than the rest of the ingredients. While the potatoes and carrots are simmering, heat oil or butter and brown the chicken with the garlic and mushrooms, then add your stock, I used fresh chicken stock from a small boiling chicken which you can buy in the supermarket, usually around £2 - £2.50. I usually freeze the stock then portion it into bowls with lids and slice off the portion I need.

When the chicken is browned, add tarragon and the other veg, and stir.

When the potatoes are partly cooked, mix all ingredients in a casserole dish and use some of the veg water to add to the stock.

Place in the fridge if you want for another day, or cook for 40 minutes at 180 degrees with the lid on, then take the lid off and cook for a further 15 minutes to brown the top of the casserole and eat.

I use a knob of butter to mix with the oil, I know butter is a no no in most people's kitchen, but I only used a little and it really does add something to the cooking. Don't fry you chicken in just butter as it burns if cooked too high, whereas mixing the butter with the oil avoids this.

If you used my recipe and enjoyed it (or not), send me a photo and let me know your comments. If I can figure out how, I will show them on my hub!