I swap my cutlet dinner for a one-pot meal. I bake chicken and zucchini in a creamy sauce
A dinner of cutlet, vegetables, and potatoes or pasta is a classic Polish dish, but everything has to be prepared separately. A casserole is a simpler option.
- 4
- Calorie count
- 587 in each serving
- 500 g chicken breast
- salt and pepper
- 2 teaspoons of thyme
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 pinch of turmeric
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 teaspoon of flour
- 150 g pasta, e.g. penne or macaroni
- 1 per
- 125 ml of broth
- 1/2 tablespoon of butter
- 1 zucchini (approx. 250 g)
- 1/2 red pepper or 3/4 cup broccoli florets
- 150 ml of cream 30% fat
- 100 g sera camembert
- 5 tablespoons of grated Parmesan or Grana Padano
- Preparation method
- Prepare the chicken. Dice the meat into small cubes. Add salt, pepper, thyme, sweet paprika, turmeric, and pressed or grated garlic. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and mix thoroughly. Finally, lightly dust the meat with flour.
- Sear the chicken. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet. Add the chicken and sauté briefly until lightly browned. It doesn't need to be fully cooked. Remove from the pan.
- Cook the pasta. Place the pasta in salted boiling water and cook until slightly firm. Drain and set aside.
- Prepare the vegetables Cut the leek into half-slices, the zucchini into half-slices, and the pepper into small cubes.
- Sauté the leek. In the same pan, add the leek and sauté for about 2–3 minutes. Then add the broth, add the butter, and cook for about 2 more minutes, until some of the liquid has evaporated.
- Add the remaining vegetables. Add the zucchini and bell pepper. Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Combine ingredients. Add the chicken back in, stir, and transfer to the pot with the cooked pasta. Combine ingredients.
- Make a creamy sauce. Pour the cream into a pan. When it boils, add the diced Camembert and stir well until the cheese begins to melt and the mixture becomes creamy. Pour the sauce into the pot with the pasta and stir.
- Bake. Transfer everything to an ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan or Grana Padano cheese. Bake for about 15 minutes in a preheated oven at 200°C, uncovered. The top should be lightly browned.
- Read also: I pour this sauce over the chicken and 3 other ingredients. The casserole is quick to make, and the recipe is a hit. Read also: I don't add the grated zucchini directly to the mixture. This ensures the casserole turns out perfectly.
A recipe for a creamy sauce without eggs
In a classic pasta casserole with white sauce, the ingredients are topped with heavy cream, which is often combined with eggs and grated yellow cheese. These act as a thickener and binder, holding the portions together. However, the classic flavor can become boring. Then it's worth trying a different combination. A blue cheese with a white rind, such as Camembert or the more mild Brie, works perfectly here. When ripe, they become liquid, creamy, and full of flavor.
Although Camembert is full-fat, it also provides a good amount of filling protein, about 20g per 100g. It's a good source of calcium, selenium, zinc, and B vitamins. To use it in a sauce, dice it and dissolve it in hot cream with a 30% fat content. Stirring for a few minutes with a whisk will help, leaving the tasty bits of skin in the sauce.
Preparing chicken and zucchini casserole
It's best to start by seasoning the diced chicken breasts. In addition to salt and pepper, you can also add sweet paprika, turmeric, granulated garlic, and dried herbs. The mixture is complemented by oil, which helps the flavors penetrate the meat and protects it from burning.
Before frying, the pieces should be dusted with flour. When added to the sauce, it helps thicken it. It coats the ingredients better and adds even more flavor. Chicken breast cubes shouldn't be heated for too long. A few minutes is enough, as they'll finish cooking in the oven, retaining their softness.
The casserole also includes pasta, which needs to be cooked even shorter than al dente. Subtract 4 minutes from the time indicated on the package. This will ensure it has a firm consistency when removed from the oven.
Vegetables are also an important element of the dish. The base is sautéed leek, which is then simmered in broth with chopped zucchini and peppers, although broccoli florets can also be used.
Once you have these ingredients, all you need to do is combine them with the cream sauce. The final step is to bake the mixture under a layer of grated Parmesan cheese. After fifteen minutes in the oven, the meal is ready.
Recipe: Chicken and zucchini casserole
This casserole tastes really great, you have to try it.
- Main course
- Type of kitchen
- Traditional
- Number of servings
