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French Style Chicken Casserole in the Norman Way

A cozy and comforting French-style chicken casserole featuring succulent chicken thighs, creamy apple and onion medley, perfect for a delightful weeknight dinner.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: French
Calories: 550
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 4 pieces bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs About 2 lbs total
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced About 1 ½ cups when sliced
  • 2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup chicken broth
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves About 4-5 sprigs stripped; dried thyme works in a pinch, use 1 tsp
  • to taste Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
  2. Pat chicken thighs dry and season generously with salt and pepper on both sides.
Cooking
  1. Heat a 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium heat and melt the butter until foaming but not browned.
  2. Add chicken thighs, skin-side down, to the skillet. Cook for 4-5 minutes until beautifully caramelized and golden. Flip and brown the other side for about 3 minutes. Transfer the browned chicken to a plate.
  3. In the same skillet, add your sliced onions and apples. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until softened and sweet.
  4. Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up all the tasty browned bits from the pan bottom.
  5. Nestle the browned chicken thighs back into the skillet, skin-side up, tucking them into the apple-onion mixture.
  6. Slowly pour the heavy cream over everything. Sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves.
  7. Transfer the entire skillet to your preheated oven. Bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until the cream is gently bubbling and the chicken registers 165°F (74°C) at its thickest part.
  8. Once done, let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Serve this cream casserole straight from the skillet for a rustic feel. It can be kept in the fridge for 3-4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat with a splash of chicken broth or cream.