There are so many types of casseroles out there that you could make a different casserole every night for over a year. Casseroles have so many options for you to add or delete ingredients to suit your desire. Casseroles are usually very easy to make. They are also a great way to use leftovers. One of the most recognized casseroles is a chicken casserole. Since there are so many chicken casseroles out there, finding a recipe that you and your family will enjoy is not hard. Chicken casseroles are great for an every day meal or special occasions like Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving.
Chicken Casserole Fillers
When deciding on a chicken casserole, think about what you would like to go with your chicken. Do you want a chicken casserole that includes vegetables or do you wish to have a cheesy chicken casserole? You can use potatoes, canned or fresh vegetables, rice, pasta, creams, stock, cheese or anything else you desire in a casserole. When making a chicken casserole you can usually use anything that sounds appealing to you.
Depending on the cooking time you will probably want to prepare your potatoes, rice and other fillers in advance. You can use mashed potatoes, cubed potatoes, boiled rice, boiled pasta, fried rice or anything you desire in your chicken casserole. If you are making a creamy or cheesy chicken casserole you may not even wish to use potatoes, rice or vegetables. You can simply use chicken, a couple cans of cream of chicken, cream of mushroom or cream of celery. Mix them together, add some biscuits and cheese on top and there, you have a casserole. Adding rice or potatoes to a simple casserole like that will make it more filling and more of a one-dish meal.
Preparing Your Chicken
When making your chicken casserole you can usually boil your chicken if you are planning on deboning and shredding it or cutting it in to chunks. If you plan on using boneless chicken breast and want to leave them whole, you can boil them but it is best to bake, broil, grill or fry them. You don’t have to cook them all the way either. If you are making a casserole that will require at least 30 minutes of baking time you may want to cook the chicken medium-well so that when you put it in the casserole it won’t over cook while you are baking it.
Keep in mind, the type of chicken casserole you will be making when seasoning your chicken. For instance, if you choose to make a chicken casserole with vegetables then you may want to boil your chicken using celery stock or celery powder. You can also throw in a can of Rotel Tomatoes to add a spice to your chicken. If you are going to make a cheesy chicken casserole then you probably just want to use the basics. Salt, pepper, seasoning salt and maybe even a little chicken bullion will make perfectly seasoned chicken for your casserole.
Topping Your Chicken Casserole
The toppings you use on your chicken casserole can set the dish aside from any other. Regardless of what most recipes call for, you can add or exclude most toppings. Using toppings like shredded cheese, sliced cheese, French onions, bread crumbs, croutons, and herbs will create a specific taste for your chicken casserole. Toppings also make your casserole appealing. If you use a top base to your chicken casserole like biscuits then you may still want to use some French onions, herbs or shredded cheese on top!
Chicken Casserole is just one of several casseroles. Casseroles are simply combining your favorite foods in a single dish. You may have an old family recipe for your mothers chicken casserole but don’t like the onions. That’s not a problem. Exclude the onions and move on. Use what you desire. Creating you own chicken casseroles recipes is not fun but are delicious as well!
