Potato Casserole with Chicken and Bell Peppers Recipe
This casserole combines slices of potatoes with pieces of juicy chicken and colorful bell peppers. The flavor is a bit like a one-pan stovetop dish, but thanks to baking in the oven everything melds together nicely and gets lightly browned. It’s a convenient family dinner you can assemble in advance and just bake before serving.
This potato casserole tastes like a hearty, home-style one-dish meal – tender potatoes, juicy chicken and sweet peppers come together in a gently creamy sauce. Thanks to baking in layers, every bite has a bit of everything, and the browned cheese on top adds that comfort food feel. It has the vibe of a Saturday dinner after a long walk or workout, when everyone is really hungry.
Chef's tips
The key is slicing the potatoes thinly – if they’re thicker than 3–4 mm, they may stay firm despite the baking time, so if in doubt, pre-bake them for 10 minutes on their own under foil. Don’t fry the chicken for too long before baking; it should just seal lightly on the outside, otherwise it will dry out in the oven. Before taking the casserole out, I always stick a fork into the center of the dish – if the potatoes yield without resistance, it’s ready, even if the edges are still gently bubbling.
How to serve
Serve it with a simple slaw of white cabbage, carrot and apple, or with quick sliced pickled cucumbers with onion. A homemade compote (for example from frozen fruit) or a glass of kefir goes great with this kind of meal and nicely cuts through the creaminess of the sauce. The casserole works well on weekdays – you can assemble it in the morning or the night before and just pop it in the oven when you get home from work.
Ingredients
- potatoes medium, for boiling - 800 g
- chicken breast - 500 g
- red bell pepper - 1 piece
- yellow bell pepper - 1 piece
- onion - 1 piece
- 18% cream - 200 ml
- chicken stock can be made from a stock cube - 150 ml
- yellow cheese grated - 100 g
- rapeseed oil - 2 tablespoons
- sweet ground paprika - 1 teaspoon
- granulated garlic - 0.5 teaspoons
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Preparation
- Peel the potatoes and slice them thinly, about 3 mm thick. Rinse in cold water and dry on a cloth or paper towel.
- Cut the chicken breast into cubes of about 2 cm. Transfer to a bowl, add 1 tablespoon of oil, sweet paprika, granulated garlic, a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix and set aside for a few minutes.
- Wash the peppers, remove the cores and cut into strips or cubes. Peel the onion and slice into thin wedges or half-moons.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (top and bottom heat). Lightly grease a baking dish with the remaining oil.
- Arrange a layer of potato slices on the bottom of the dish, slightly overlapping. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Spread half of the chicken, half of the peppers and half of the onion over the potatoes. Cover with another layer of potatoes, again seasoning lightly with salt and pepper. Place the remaining chicken, peppers and onion on top.
- In a bowl, mix the cream with the stock, add a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour the sauce evenly into the dish, trying to let it run between the layers.
- Cover the dish with aluminium foil and place in the oven for 25 minutes.
- After this time, remove the foil, sprinkle the top with grated cheese and bake for another 15–20 minutes, until the cheese is golden and the potatoes are tender (check with a fork).
- After removing from the oven, let the casserole rest for 10 minutes so it can set slightly. Serve hot.
Storage
Store cooled leftovers covered in the fridge and reheat in the oven or microwave before serving. Best eaten within 2 days.
