My mother-in-law was someone I had the greatest respect for. She was intelligent and very creative; everything she tried, she made a success of. She had a positive attitude and said, "You can do anything you set your mind to." She instilled that positive attitude in her children as well. She was a fantastic cook; however, she preferred to do other things, so she taught her husband to cook and the maids that they had on their large property in Sterkspruit, South Africa. In later years they moved to the Cape. Ian's Dad was a doctor.
This recipe is a low-carb copycat of hers.
GRANDMA’S CHICKEN
CASSEROLE
A recipe that dates back to my husband’s childhood. He really appreciated the memories when I
made this casserole for him, with my twist on it to make it lower in
carbohydrates. This recipe belonged to
Kay Eloff, my dear mother-in-law.
5
cups diced, cooked chicken (1.25 L)
1
cup soft breadcrumbs (low-carb)* - see Helpful Hints below (250 mL)
2
tbsp olive oil (30 mL)
1
cup chopped onion (250 mL)
1
red bell pepper, chopped, OR
1 cup diced celery (250 mL)
4
eggs, beaten
2
tbsp minced parsley, OR (30 mL)
2 tsp dried parsley (10 mL)
1/2 tsp
salt** (2 mL)
1/4 tsp
black pepper (1 mL)
2
cups chicken stock** (500 mL)
Crispy
Topping:
1/2 cup
grated Cheddar cheese (125 mL)
1/3 cup
Gluten-Free Bake Mix 2, OR (75 mL)
ground almonds and 1 tbsp (15 mL) coconut flour instead
2
tbsp butter, melted (30 mL)
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
In large bowl, combine chicken, breadcrumbs and celery (if using).
In skillet in olive oil, cook onion until turning
soft. Add bell pepper (if using), and
cook until tender-crisp. Add to bowl
with chicken. Spread in 9 x 13-inch (23
x 33 cm) casserole dish.
In medium bowl, beat eggs and stir in parsley, salt
and black pepper. Stir in chicken
stock. Pour this mixture over the
chicken casserole. Bake 50 to 60
minutes, or until casserole has set. Bake the Crispy Topping alongside the
casserole dish in the pie dish The topping may be ready after 20 to 25
minutes; check! The topping should be
browned but not overly. It will crisp up
further as it cools. When the casserole
comes out of the oven, sprinkle with the Crispy Topping and serve.
Crispy Topping: In small bowl, combine Cheddar, OR Mozzarella
cheese, Gluten-Free Bake Mix 2 (OR alternative), and melted butter. Sprinkle in pie dish.
Helpful Hints: *You may use any low-carb bread (or my Jiffy Plain Bread), microwave low-carb bread or savory muffin that comes to about 2 to 5 grams of carbs for 1 slice. Typically 2 slices of low-carb bread should yield about 1 cup (250 mL) soft breadcrumbs.
**If using commercial chicken
stock, this amount of salt will be fine, but if using homemade chicken stock,
you may need to increase the salt to 1 tsp (5 mL). Commercial chicken stock is no doubt very salty-tasting. *To make homemade chicken stock, place rotisserie chicken carcass in slow-cooker. Add water to cover. Add 1 tsp (5 mL) salt, 1 tsp parsley (1 mL), 1/2 tsp (2 mL) thyme (optional) and 1/2 tsp (2 mL) black pepper. Place slow-cooker on low and cook overnight. Strain and either refrigerate or freeze the chicken stock in an airtight container. This chicken stock makes a wonderful base for soups and gravies.
Yield: 9 servings
1
serving
300.9
calories
31.1
g protein
16.2
g fat
0.6 g fiber
4.5
g net carbs