Chicken and Broccoli Gratin

This is a sensational recipe that I've inherited from my mother-in-law Hazel. I've slightly modified Hazel's version to reduce the number of dishes. My kids love this dish and it's perfect with a dash of Tabasco or Chipotle sauce to liven it up for the adults. Since my kids are not that fussed on cheese, I leave this off, which also makes the dish less rich. I've also added more vegetables such as steamed cauliflower, or steamed pumpkin. The shallots can be substituted with a finely diced onion.

This recipe serves 6 if you're hungry.

Ingredients

6 chicken thigh fillets diced
1 head of broccoli sliced into florets
4 shallots chopped
1 tin cream of celery soup (410g)
300 ml sour cream
1 tsp curry powder
black pepper to taste
1/4 cup grated cheese
1/4 tsp paprika (or Tabasco/Chipotle)

Method

1. Steam the broccoli florets for 1 minute until partially cooked. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Saute the shallots in a large oven proof frying pan (I use a paella pan) until tender. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. In a large bowl mix together shallots, sour cream, cream of celery soup, and curry powder.
4. Turn up the heat in the pan and fry the chicken until just cooked. Turn off the heat.
5. Layer the partially cooked broccoli over the chicken and then cover with the sour cream mixture. Sprinkle the grated cheese and paprika over the top.
6. Bake in a moderate (180 degrees celcius) oven for 30-40 minutes until golden brown.
7. Serve with boiled rice.