Winter Dish Casserole Bake (Printable)

A warming dish featuring chicken, butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, and a creamy herb sauce.

# What You'll Need:

→ Protein

01 - 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed
03 - 2 cups Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
04 - 1 cup carrots, sliced
05 - 1 cup parsnips, sliced
06 - 1 cup leeks, cleaned and sliced
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Sauce

08 - 1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
09 - 1 cup heavy cream
10 - 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
11 - 2 tbsp cornstarch
12 - 1 tsp dried thyme
13 - 1 tsp dried rosemary
14 - ½ tsp ground black pepper
15 - 1 tsp kosher salt

→ Topping

16 - 1 cup grated Gruyère or Swiss cheese
17 - ½ cup gluten-free breadcrumbs
18 - 2 tbsp olive oil

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray or butter.
02 - In a large bowl, combine chicken pieces, squash, Brussels sprouts, carrots, parsnips, leeks, and garlic. Toss thoroughly to distribute evenly. Spread mixture in the prepared casserole dish.
03 - Whisk together chicken broth, heavy cream, Dijon mustard, cornstarch, thyme, rosemary, black pepper, and salt in a mixing bowl until smooth and well combined.
04 - Pour sauce evenly over the chicken and vegetables. In a small bowl, combine cheese, breadcrumbs, and olive oil. Sprinkle mixture uniformly over the casserole.
05 - Cover casserole loosely with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes to allow vegetables to begin softening and chicken to start cooking through.
06 - Remove foil and continue baking for 20 minutes until vegetables are tender, chicken reaches internal temperature of 165°F, and topping is golden brown and crispy.
07 - Let casserole rest for 5-10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld and sauce to thicken slightly. Garnish with fresh herbs if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The creamy herb sauce somehow makes Brussels sprouts taste like a revelation
  • Everything bakes in one dish so cleanup is practically nonexistent
  • Leftovers somehow taste even better the next day for lunch
02 -
  • Dont skip resting the casserole or the sauce will be too runny when you cut into it
  • The vegetables should be cut to similar sizes so they finish cooking at the same time
  • If the topping browns too quickly, tent it loosely with foil
03 -
  • Cut your vegetables into uniform pieces so nothing ends up undercooked or mushy
  • Room temperature ingredients blend more smoothly into the sauce

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