Here is a recipe that we just thought would not be easy to make a vegan version of. But how wrong we were, and here is our easy vegan one pot chicken casserole recipe. Now to share some insider information with you: we didn’t even make a revision to our first go at this. The very first time it went that well we didn’t touch a thing, and we can’t wait for you to try it.
Most importantly for us we’ve stayed true to our mission for this easy recipe as well. We’ve used simple ingredients, the whole thing needs left than 30 minutes of your time (plus some oven time), and it makes for a great family dinner. Just double up serves 2 ingredients list for a family of 4. Plus perhaps the best thing (because who even likes doing the dishes) this is a one-pot recipe, you only need a large non-stick casserole dish (and probably something to stir with).
Obviously we’re using all plant-based ingredients. The easy ones are the vegetables and seasonings. You’re going to need some soy sauce, so just check you are using a vegan brand. You’ll also need some meatless chicken breasts, we’ve chosen our favorite off the shelf pea-protein brand. Everyone has a preference, so totally up to you, just get the right quantity. Finally we’re defiantly not going to be using a chicken broth, so grab some vegan vegetable stock or bouillon as well.
We’re sure that the whole family will love this. We think it’s a really delicious casserole, it has a whole lot of flavour and whether we’re making it in one of the colder months or not it’s still one of our favorite dishes.
Vegan One Pot Chicken Casserole Ingredients
360 g meatless chicken breasts
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion (roughly diced)
100g mushrooms (quartered large or halved small)
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 medium carrots (peeled and sliced)
10 g all purpose flour
250 ml vegetable broth
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 a leek (trimmed and cut into 1 cm slices)
Ground salt and black pepper
How to Make a Vegan One Pot Chicken Casserole
Cut each of the meatless chicken breasts into 3 pieces. Not length ways, we aren’t cutting chicken strips, we’re cutting across the breast.
Peel and roughly dice the onion. No need to finely chop it, just into fairly small, rough cut squares.
For the mushrooms, you don’t have to get rid of the stalks. They’ll have plenty of time to soften when they’re simmering in the stock. You should wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp cloth, avoid rinsing them in water. Not drowning the mushrooms in running water means they fry so much better. They won’t release all the water you used to wash them with which will just float around in the pan taking all the flavour from the seasonings which should be smothering the mushrooms instead.
If you have small mushrooms just chop them in half, larger mushrooms you can quarter them. You can just don’t want huge pieces of mushrooms, we’re after nice bite-sized pieces.
Peel and slice the carrot into coins, not sticks. They don’t want to be too thick either. If you slice them reasonably thin, then they’ll soften up nicely and match the texture of everything else in the casserole. We’re not going for crunch amongst the rest of the vegetables.
Peel the leeks of all the tough leafy sections. The darker green outer leaves won’t soften so well, and have a stringiness to them. Remove and discard of the whitest end of the leek too. Slice the fresh green section l into 1 cm (a bit less than a 1/2 inch) thick rings.
Preheat your oven to 190°C / 170°C Fan / 380°F / Gas Mark 5. Making sure you have a shelf in the middle with nothing above it as a casserole dish it quite tall.
Season on both sides your already sliced vegan chicken pieces with freshly ground salt and plenty of black pepper.
Now set your non-stick casserole dish over a medium heat, then pour in and warm up a little olive oil. Then fry the meatless chicken pieces until they’re golden brown and almost crispy on the outside. You’re frying them a little past where the brand you’ve purchased likely says to so that when they simmer in your casserole dish for an hour they still have a chance to keep the right texture. Traditional chicken doesn’t soften like the meat substitutes often do. Which is fine, we just need to account for that.
Take the casserole dish off the heat for a moment and set the golden brown protein you just fried onto a plate until a bit later on.
Add a dash more olive oil to the casserole dish, along with your chopped onions and mushrooms, smoked paprika and soy sauce. Stir well, coating all the vegetables in the oil and seasoning. Fry for no more than 5 minutes until the onions are just starting to brown and the mushrooms have shrunk a bit and become tender.
Add the sliced carrots and flour, then stir into the onions and mushrooms until the flour has evenly coated all the vegetables and you can barely see it. This should take no more than a minute. The coating of flour is going to help the vegetable stock thicken into a sauce when it’s bubbling away in the oven.
Next add the thyme, and just a little stock at first, no more a quarter of what you’ve made. Turn up the heat to medium-high then stir everything together, add a little more stock and keep repeating (pour then stir) until you have all the stock in the casserole dish.
Take the vegan chicken pieces you’ve already fried and add them back into the dish. Stir them into the vegetable filled broth and bring your casserole back up to gentle simmer. Then place the lid onto the casserole dish and set it into the pre-heated oven for 45 minutes.
Finally, remove the dish from the oven. Take off the lid and tip in the sliced leek. Stir them into the casserole with a little more ground salt and pepper, replace the lid and return the dish to the oven for another further 15 minutes.
When the vegetable broth has thickened to become more of a sauce and the leeks have softened you have yourself one tasty, comfortable casserole ready to serve. As a side dish that pairs well with this meal try boiled potatoes, topped with melted vegan butter, seasoned with salt and pepper.
For another delicious oven baked dish try our cheesy cauliflower and broccoli bake, which would also make a pretty good side dish as well. For something different again but another classic set and forget, and great weeknight meal we have a simple recipe for a creamy tomato pasta bake (covered in your favorite vegan cheese of course).
EASY VEGAN ONE POT CHICKEN CASSEROLE RECIPE
Equipment
- 1 Large non-stick casserole dish
Ingredients
- 360 g meatless chicken breasts
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 onion roughly diced
- 100 g mushrooms quartered large or halved small
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 1/2 medium carrots peeled and sliced
- 10 g all purpose flour
- 250 ml vegetable broth
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 a leek trimmed and cut into 1 cm slices
- Ground salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Cut each of the meatless chicken breasts into 3 pieces.
- Peel and roughly dice the onion.
- For the mushrooms, you don’t have to get rid of the stalks. They’ll have plenty of time to soften when they’re simmering in the stock. You should wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp cloth, avoid rinsing them in water.
- If you have small mushrooms just chop them in half, larger mushrooms you can quarter them.
- Peel and slice the carrot into coins, not sticks.
- Peel the leeks of all the tough leafy sections and then slice them into 1 cm thick rings.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C / 170°C Fan / 380°F / Gas Mark 5.
- Season your vegan chicken pieces with freshly ground salt and plenty of black pepper.
- Set your non-stick casserole dish over a medium heat and warm a little olive oil. Then fry the meatless chicken pieces until golden brown and almost crispy on the outside.
- Take the casserole dish off the heat for a moment and set the fried protein onto a plate.
- Add a dash more olive oil to the dish along with your chopped onions and mushrooms, smoked paprika and soy sauce. Stir well, coating all the vegetables in the oil and seasoning. Fry for no more than 5 minutes until the onions are just starting to brown.
- Add the sliced carrots and flour, then stir into the onions and mushrooms until the flour has evenly coated all the vegetables and you can barely see it. This should only take a minute.
- Next, add the thyme and a little stock at first. Turn up the heat to medium-high then stir everything together, add a little more and repeat until it’s all in the casserole dish.
- Take the vegan chicken pieces you’ve already fried and add them back into the dish. Stir them into the vegetable-filled broth and bring your casserole back up to a gentle simmer. Then place the lid onto the casserole dish and set it into the pre-heated oven for 45 minutes.
- Finally, remove the dish from the oven. Take off the lid and tip in the sliced leek. Stir them into the casserole, replace the lid and return the dish to the oven for another further 15 minutes.
- When the vegetable broth has thickened to become more of a sauce and the leeks have softened the casserole is ready to serve. It pairs well with boiled potatoes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use different vegetables in this casserole?
Absolutely! You can customize the vegetables to your liking or based on what you have on hand. Just ensure they’re cut into bite-sized pieces for even cooking. Why not try adding some bell pepper, butter beans, or some green onions, or even black beans?
How do I prevent the vegetables from becoming mushy?
To maintain the texture of the vegetables, avoid overcooking them. Be mindful of the cooking time and don’t simmer the casserole for longer than recommended.
Can I omit the soy sauce for a soy-free option?
Certainly! You can omit the soy sauce or substitute it with tamari or coconut aminos for a soy-free alternative.
Can I freeze leftovers of this casserole?
Yes, you can freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to three months. Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight and reheat before serving.
