Season chicken thighs generously with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder.
Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven. Brown chicken skin-side down over high heat for 5-6 minutes until skin is crispy and golden. Flip and cook 2 more minutes. Remove.
In same pot, sauté onion 5 minutes. Add garlic 1 minute.
Add uncooked rice and stir to coat in the fat, toasting for 1 minute.
Add cream of mushroom soup and chicken broth. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits.
Place chicken pieces on top of the rice mixture, skin-side up.
Cover tightly with foil or lid. Bake 45 minutes. Remove cover, bake 10-15 more minutes until chicken skin is crispy and rice is cooked. Add peas in last 5 minutes.
Garnish with fresh parsley and serve straight from the pot.
🥘Beef and Potato Shepherd's Pie
⏱ 1 hr 20 min👤 6
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🧺 Ingredients
700g (1.5 lbs) ground beef (or lamb for authentic)
Make mashed potato topping: boil potatoes in salted water until very tender. Drain, steam-dry for 2 minutes. Mash with butter and warm milk until very smooth. Season generously. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F).
Cook ground beef over high heat in a large oven-safe skillet, breaking up until well browned. Drain most of the fat.
Add onion, carrots, celery — cook 5-8 minutes until softened. Add garlic and tomato paste, cook 2 minutes.
Add beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme. Simmer 10 minutes until sauce reduces and thickens. Add peas and corn. Season well.
Spread mashed potatoes over the filling in an even layer, swirling with a fork to create texture.
Dot the top with small pieces of butter.
Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden brown and filling is bubbling around the edges.
🥘Green Bean and Tuna Casserole
⏱ 45 min👤 6
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🧺 Ingredients
500g (1.1 lbs) fresh or frozen green beans trimmed
Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Blanch broccoli florets in boiling salted water 3 minutes until bright green and just tender. Drain well.
Make cheese sauce: melt butter over medium heat, whisk in flour for 2 minutes. Add milk gradually, whisking constantly. Simmer 5-8 minutes until thick. Remove from heat, add cheese, mustard, nutmeg. Season well.
Combine broccoli and diced ham in a buttered 9x13 baking dish.
Pour cheese sauce over, making sure it gets into all the gaps. Stir gently to distribute.
Mix panko with melted butter and Parmesan. Scatter over the top in an even layer.
Bake 25-30 minutes until topping is deep golden and sauce is bubbling at the edges.
Rest 5 minutes. Serve hot.
🥘Mexican Enchilada Casserole
⏱ 1 hr👤 8
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🧺 Ingredients
12 corn tortillas cut into quarters
500g (1.1 lbs) ground beef or shredded chicken
2 cans (800g) enchilada sauce (red)
1 can (400g) black beans drained
1 can (300g) corn kernels
200g (7 oz) cheddar and Monterey Jack blend grated
Salt eggplant slices and let sit 20 minutes. Rinse, pat dry. Brush with oil and roast at 200°C (400°F) for 20 minutes until golden. Or grill.
Meat sauce: cook onion until golden, add lamb, brown well. Add garlic, tomato paste, cinnamon, allspice. Add crushed tomatoes and wine. Simmer 20 minutes until thick. Season.
Béchamel: melt butter, whisk in flour 2 minutes. Add warm milk gradually, stirring constantly. Cook until thick. Off heat, add Parmesan, eggs, nutmeg, salt.
Preheat oven 180°C (350°F). Layer in baking dish: eggplant, meat sauce, eggplant, meat sauce, then pour all béchamel over top. Sprinkle with extra Parmesan.
Bake 45-50 minutes until top is golden brown. Cool 30 minutes before cutting — moussaka needs to set.
Serve in squares with a simple Greek salad.
🥘Chicken Pot Pie Casserole
⏱ 1 hr👤 6
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🧺 Ingredients
500g (1.1 lbs) chicken breast or thighs cooked and shredded
Bolognese: brown onion in olive oil, add meat, brown well. Add garlic, tomato paste, wine. Add crushed tomatoes. Simmer 45 minutes, season generously.
Béchamel: melt butter, whisk in flour 2 minutes. Add warm milk gradually, stirring constantly. Simmer 8-10 minutes until thick. Season with salt and nutmeg.
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
Spread thin layer of bolognese in 9x13 baking dish. Layer lasagna sheets (break to fit). Spread bolognese, then béchamel, then some mozzarella. Repeat 3-4 times ending with béchamel on top.
Cover with remaining mozzarella and all the Parmesan.
Cover with foil, bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 20 more minutes until golden and bubbling.
Rest 20 minutes before cutting — absolutely essential for clean slices.
🥘Baked Ziti
⏱ 55 min👤 8
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🧺 Ingredients
500g (1 lb) ziti or penne
500g (1.1 lbs) Italian sausage or ground beef
700ml (28 oz) marinara sauce
250g (1 cup) whole-milk ricotta
250g (9 oz) mozzarella shredded, divided
60g (½ cup) Parmesan grated
2 eggs
2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
3 garlic cloves minced
1 tsp red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper
Fresh basil to serve
👨🍳 Instructions
Preheat oven 190°C (375°F). Cook pasta 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain.
Brown sausage or beef, breaking into pieces. Drain fat. Add garlic and red pepper, cook 1 minute. Add marinara, simmer 5 minutes.
Mix ricotta, eggs, half the mozzarella, half the Parmesan, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
Combine meat sauce with pasta. Mix in ricotta mixture.
Spread in buttered 9x13 dish. Top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 15-20 more minutes until cheese is golden and bubbling.