A casserole is a meal that is baked and served in a large, deep, usually ceramic dish. Chicken casseroles usually include chicken that is raw or precooked, sundry chopped vegetables, a starchy binder like potatoes, flour or pasta and a sauce that is derived from the added vegetables and soup, stock, wine or some other liquid. Casseroles have evolved into comfort dishes that supply the full complement of protein, carbohydrates and vegetables in one dish. The traditional Midwest casserole often includes flavorings of canned creamed soup topped with cheese, but if you expand your menu palette and find healthy substitutes for fatty, salty, processed toppings, you can transform simple comfort casseroles into healthy comfort casseroles.
Precooking the Chicken
Many chicken casserole recipes call for cooked chicken. An easy, healthy way to pre-cook chicken is as follows: Fill a 6-quart stock pot two thirds full of water. Bring the water to a boil. Then place a 2- to 4-pound fryer chicken into the stew pot. Bring the water back to a boil. Once the water is boiling again, shut off the heat source, put a lid on the stew pot and let the chicken steep in the water for one full hour. After one hour, remove the chicken from the pot. Let it cool a bit, then tear the chicken from the bones and remove the skin. The chicken will turn out perfectly cooked, moist and delicious every time.
If the casserole calls for precooked chicken breast, use healthy cooking oils such as canola oil or pure virgin olive oil to fry the breasts. Canola oil is low in saturated fat and high in monosaturated fats, and contains the essential omega-3 fat alpha linolenic acid. It has a mild flavor. Olive oil contains monosaturated fat and also has phytochemicals that may reduce cancer risks and decrease blood cholesterol, according to Family Education. It has a rich flavor that contributes to your dish.
Diversify Your Menu Plan
Most families rely on just nine recipes or so for the majority of their home meals, according to "Daily Mail." One in four mothers, according to one poll, serve particular meals on specific days of the week. Expand your menu repertoire by experimenting with different healthy chicken casseroles. Once you’ve discovered a casserole your family enjoys, add it to your list of favorite dishes.
Bring the World to Your Table
Sample the casseroles of cuisines from around the world. Mediterranean chicken casseroles often include olive oil, tomatoes, vegetables and legumes, and they provide a low-fat, heart-healthy appealing mélange of flavors. For example, try the Mediterranean chicken casserole found at Taste. Moussaka is a traditional Greek dish that derives its unique flavor from garlic, tomatoes, cinnamon and eggplant. Substitute ground chicken for the ground lamb for a healthy, economical, low-fat treat the family will love. Chicken and spinach biryani, a popular Indian dish, combines a tasty curry tomato sauce with rice, vitamin-rich spinach and low-fat boneless, skinless chicken. Many groceries have imported biryani and curry pastes that streamline the preparation process by providing the basic flavoring ingredients to which you simply add fresh onion, garlic, tomatoes, vegetables and chicken.
Substitute to Reduce Calories
If you are fond of the traditional Midwest hot dishes that are topped with creamed soups and cheese, you can decrease fat and calories by substituting low-fat soups and cheese for the original ingredients. For example, the “Healthified” creamy chicken enchiladas recipe at Betty Crocker uses a “healthy request” soup and has 60 percent less saturated fat, 50 percent less fat and 25 percent more calcium than the original recipe.
Go Heavy on the Veggies
Scores of chicken casseroles are loaded with sundry vegetables. Traditional Midwest casseroles use root vegetables like potatoes, carrots and onion, but broccoli, cauliflower and celery casseroles abound such as found at Betty Crocker or Recipe. Use ground chicken for protein, flavor and texture, but experiment with substituting additional vegetables for meat or starches in your favorite recipes. Curries, chili’s and stews provide robust flavors that imbue vegetables with a zesty zing, so even hardcore meat and fat lovers wolf down veggie-dense meals without realizing they are eating healthy.
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