I’m so excited to share with you two recipes from Magnolia Table Volume 2.
Friendsgiving Casserole is one of my kid’s favorite dishes and a go-to of mine when I want to take dinner to a new mother or a family who could use a hot meal—mostly because it’s easy to love, even for the pickiest eaters. The chicken is mild in flavor, yet completely satisfying. A lot of the traditional recipes will serve the chicken on a bed of rice or with a ritz or stuffing-like topping. I prefer to crumble a loaf of French bread and bake it right on top, because it never fails to meld oh-so-perfectly with the creamy sauce—which makes it that much easier for a bread-dipping connoisseur like me to get a taste of the good stuff! I like to serve this dish over mashed potatoes and with a side of Holiday Cranberry Sauce.
Friendsgiving Casserole
From Magnolia Table, Volume 2
Prep: 1 hour 10 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Cool: none
Ingredients
1 baguette torn into 1-inch pieces (about 6 cups)
7 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup minced yellow onion
1/2 cup minced celery
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1½ cups heavy (whipping) cream
5 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (home-roasted or rotisserie chicken)
1 cup sour cream
2 cups chicken broth
Freshly cracked black pepper, for serving
3 green onions, minced (optional)
Chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Holiday Cranberry Sauce (recipe follows), for serving
Instructions
1. Lay the torn bread on a sheet pan and place it in a warm oven until dried out, 1 hour on low heat.
2. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
3. In a medium saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and sauté until tender and translucent, 6 to 8 minutes.
4. Add the garlic and flour and cook, whisking constantly, until fragrant but not burned, about 1 minute. Add the garlic salt, salt, and pepper and slowly pour in the cream. Cook, whisking often, until just at a simmer, about 5 minutes.
5. Spread the chicken in a 9 × 13-inch baking dish and spread the sour cream on top. Pour the cream sauce evenly on top and sprinkle on the bread cubes. Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, mix it with the chicken broth, and pour it over the casserole, coating the bread well.
6. Bake, uncovered, until bubbling, about 30 minutes. Broil the last 3 or 4 minutes for a good toasty top. Top with freshly cracked pepper and a sprinkle of minced green onions and parsley, if desired.
7. Scoop out the casserole to serve with mashed potatoes, green beans, and cranberry sauce on the side.
8. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.
Makes 8 to 10 servings
Holiday Cranberry Sauce
From Magnolia Table Volume 2
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Cool: 2 hours 30 minutes
Ingredients
3 cups fresh cranberries
1 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
Instructions
1. In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries, orange juice, sugar, cinnamon stick, and orange zest. Bring to a boil over medium heat, cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook until thickened and bubbly, about 10 minutes.
2. Let cool, then refrigerate. Serve chilled. 3. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days.
Makes 3 cups
