Creamy Chicken Casserole Recipe Tastes Gourmet In 20 Minutes by Donna John

Creamy and popping with flavor, this easy chicken casserole recipe is ready in about 20 minutes. With fresh thyme, dill Havarti cheese and a crunchy lemony topping, it's a little fancier than most chicken casserole recipes. One bite will have you hooked!

Zucchini, fresh corn off the cob, garlic and grape tomatoes are cooked in a skillet until soft and golden. Cream, cooked chicken, dill-flavored Harvarti cheese and fresh thyme join in until you have a creamy, tasty combination of flavors. A topping of panko and lemon zest is sprinkled on and then the casserole gets a quick trip under the boiler until golden brown. So easy!

Here is your shopping list for this creamy chicken casserole recipe: panko breadcrumbs, olive oil, lemons for zesting, fresh or dried thyme, corn on the cob, zucchini (check out the health benefits of zucchini), cherry tomatoes, fresh garlic, whipping cream, leftover cooked chicken and dill Havarti cheese (or your favorite cheese).

This chicken casserole recipe is a complete lunch or dinner, but you could add a fresh garden salad.

Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients

Topping

• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lemon, zested (reserve remaining for another use)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

Filling

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 ears corn on the cob, shucked
• 1 zucchini, sliced
• 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 cups whipping cream, heavy cream or milk of choice
• 2 cups shredded, cooked leftover chicken (can use rotisserie chicken)
• 1 cup shredded dill Havarti cheese
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

Recipe Notes

• Not a fan of tomatoes? Substitute red bell pepper, mushrooms, broccoli or your favorite vegetable.

• If you don't have leftover cooked chicken, you could brown about half a pound of ground chicken and use that instead.

• If you can't find dill Havarti, use your favorite cheese.

• If you can't find good corn on the cob (that happens), you could use frozen or drained can corn.

Here's how to make it: 

1. Cut the kernels off the corn cobs. Run the back of your knife down the bare cobs to release as much corn milk as possible. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in an ovenproof skillet. Add the zucchini and cook until it begins to lightly brown.

2. Add the corn, tomatoes and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring, about 2 minutes.

3. Add the cream and cook until it begins to slightly thicken, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

4. Turn off the heat and add the chicken, Havarti cheese and thyme. Mix well.

5. Combine the panko, olive oil and lemon zest in a bowl.

6. Sprinkle the topping over the casserole. Pop it under the broiler for a couple of minutes to brown the top. Serve.

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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