Chicken Casserole with Lemon, Garlic, and White Wine

We all know about impulse buys, right? You go grocery shopping while starving, and come home with half a dozen things you never would have bought. You see a major sale, and buy something you wouldn't have dreamed of buying normally! Or you see a meal, and on sight only, decide that is what I'm having for dinner tonight. I had a plan yesterday, and it was a good plan. Still trying something new, and healthy, and hopefully tasty. Then I read through my blog feed, and this recipe from my friend Mary of Inside a British Mum's Kitchen floored me. I had to make it. So, we are having a menu change, because I just couldn't wait till next week to share this one!

What do YOU think when you hear the word "casserole"? I picture cream of something soup, cheese, noodles or rice, and some meat. Maybe veggies. Maybe crushed crackers or breadcrumbs. Don't get me wrong, casseroles can be fabulous comfort food. But do you think "white wine"?? I sure didn't!! This isn't like any casserole I have ever had. It redefines casserole for me. My eyes have been opened!

It looked so amazing that I finally got up the guts to cook with real, no kidding wine for the first time in my life. I did some research so I wouldn't walk in there and pick the first bottle of white wine I saw. I read that chardonnay goes well with chicken, (I don't drink it, so I wouldn't know!) and I used a trick my mom taught me: if you are a cooker, but not a drinker, and aren't going to finish off the rest of that bottle soon, get one of the little 4-packs of mini wine bottles. Then they can sit safely in your pantry till you need more!

Chicken Casserole with Lemon, Garlic, and White Wine (adapted slightly from Inside a British Mum's Kitchen)
Printable Recipe

1 large or 2 small chickens, cut up into 8 pieces (or an assortment of your favorite pieces. We used thighs and breasts)
olive oil
2-3 lemons, quartered
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cayenne pepper
6 cloves of garlic, peeled
2 medium (or one large) onions, peeled and chopped into quarters
2 cups white wine (if you don't want to use wine, you can substitute chicken broth)
fresh parsley, chopped coarse (I think I used about 1/8 of a cup)
salt and pepper (I like kosher salt and fresh-ground black pepper)
1 Tb unsalted butter
1 Tb all purpose flour

Sprinkle your chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Stir the cumin, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper together in a small bowl, and rub over the chicken. (Refrigerate for a couple of hours if you can. Overnight would be good too!)

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Place the chicken in a baking dish (or roasting pan, or Dutch oven), add chopped up onions, garlic cloves and lemon quarters, and generously drizzle olive oil over the whole thing. Sprinkle with some more salt and pepper, the fresh parsley, and pour wine over everything. 

Place into the oven (uncovered) and roast for about 50-60 minutes or until the chicken is nicely browned.

Remove from oven and take chicken pieces out of the sauce. Place them on a large platter (you want some room, or an edge, you'll be pouring sauce over the whole thing) and cover with foil to keep warm.

Stir butter and flour together in a small bowl. Add 1-2 Tb of chicken juices to this mixture and stir well. Add this mixture back to the chicken juices, bring to a simmer and stir until the sauce thickens. (If you can do this in the original baking dish/pan, that's best. If not, scrape all juices and chunks into a pot to thicken) Pour it all over the chicken. Sprinkle with fresh parsley if desired, and serve!

This was the perfect recipe to break in my new Dutch oven!! And it looks so pretty in there, doesn't it??

You cannot imagine how amazing this smelled while cooking. Mouthwatering!!  Those spices, the lemon and savories... a meal fit for a king!

This is our new favorite chicken dish. Hands-down. I've never had better. Who needs restaurants when you can cook like this at home?? And so easy!!

The chicken was moist, tender, and flavorful, the sauce is heaven itself! I thought the spices were an unusual mix, but it turned out to be a delicious combination.

I can't wait for leftovers!!

Shared at Tasty Tuesdays