This dish is perfect for those cold, winter or rainy days, we experience a lot of these in our British Summer. So when you come home after a day in the rain or for a lazy sunday lunch, this warming casserole is a great pick me up. The chicken is tender, the sugary sweet potatoes compliments the heat from the mustard, with delicious rice , this is soul food.. a heavenly one pot wonder.
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Sweet Potato and Chicken Casserole
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
Description
A comforting one-pot casserole featuring tender chicken, sweet potatoes, and wholesome rice, perfect for warming up on a cold, rainy day.
Ingredients
- 8 chicken thighs on the bone
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 3 celery sticks, chopped
- 1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch thick rounds
- 1 cup (165 g) brown basmati rice
- 2 tsp dried marjoram
- 2 tbsp English mustard
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Flour, for dusting
- 2 cups (500 ml) chicken stock
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) or gas mark 4.
- Finely chop the onion, celery, and garlic. Peel the sweet potato and cut into rounds about 1/4 inch thick.
- Sprinkle flour on a plate, season with salt and pepper, and lightly coat the chicken thighs.
- Heat olive oil in a large ovenproof casserole dish over medium heat. Add the chicken thighs and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
- In the same dish, add the onion, celery, and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent.
- Add the sweet potato rounds, brown basmati rice, and dried marjoram to the dish. Stir to combine.
- Return the chicken thighs to the dish, nestling them among the vegetables and rice.
- In a small bowl, mix the English mustard with the chicken stock. Pour over the chicken and vegetables.
- Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid, and transfer to the preheated oven.
- Bake for 45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender. Check halfway through and add more stock if necessary.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- For a spicier kick, add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the flour before coating the chicken.
- This dish can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat thoroughly before serving.
- Substitute brown rice with white rice for a quicker cooking time, but adjust the liquid accordingly.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 20
- Carbohydrates: 40
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 30
- Cholesterol: 90
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
- Candied Sweet Potato Casserole
- Malaysian Potato and Chicken Curry
- Baked Sweet Potato and Chorizo Hash with Fried Eggs
- Chicken Khao Soi: Curry Noodle Soup
Frequently Asked Questions
Why use bone-in chicken thighs rather than boneless thighs or chicken breasts?
Bone-in thighs stay moist and tender through the 45-minute oven braise and release more flavor into the surrounding brown basmati rice and 2 cups of chicken stock. The finished chicken comes out “tender” — a result that is much harder to achieve with leaner boneless breast meat at 180°C (350°F) for that length of time.
What does the English mustard do here, and can I use Dijon instead?
I whisk the 2 tbsp of English mustard into the 2 cups of chicken stock and pour it over the casserole before it goes in the oven — it adds sharp heat and a savory backbone that balances the sweet potato’s natural sweetness. Dijon will work as a milder substitute, though I wrote this for the more pungent English variety.
Can I swap the brown basmati rice for white rice?
Yes — white rice will cook faster, so reduce the liquid and check earlier, since white rice absorbs stock more quickly and can turn mushy if left the full 45 minutes.
