Alice Springs Chicken Casserole is an easy, comforting dinner that combines tender chicken, browned mushrooms, savory ham, and a creamy Alfredo sauce topped with melted cheese. The combination of flavors makes this casserole feel a little more special than an everyday chicken dinner, while the preparation is still simple enough for a weeknight meal.
The chicken is lightly browned with sage, thyme, and onion powder before being sliced and layered in the casserole dish. Browned mushrooms and ham are added on top, followed by a creamy mixture of Alfredo sauce, sour cream, and freshly grated Parmesan. Mozzarella and Monterey Jack finish the casserole, creating a deliciously cheesy topping that browns beautifully in the oven.
One of the things I like about this recipe is that much of the work can be done ahead of time. Once the chicken, mushrooms, and ham are prepared and layered in the casserole dish, everything is covered with the sauce and cheese and ready for the oven. Baking it covered first helps everything heat through, while uncovering it for the final 20 minutes allows the cheese to melt completely and develop a nicely browned top.
This Alice Springs Chicken Casserole is an easy meal that can also impress your guests. Serve it hot with a green salad, roasted vegetables, or your favorite side dish for a hearty and satisfying dinner.
Alice Springs Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
- 4 very large chicken breasts boneless and skinless
- 4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
- ¼ teaspoon sage dried
- ¼ teaspoon thyme dried
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 lb mushrooms brown mushrooms, washed and thickly sliced
- 6 oz. ham lean diced into cubes
- 15 oz Alfredo sauce 1 jar
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- ½ cup cheese Mozzarella grated
- ½ cup cheese Monterey Jack grated
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F. spray casserole dish with nonstick spray or olive oil. (I use a 9×12 but it could be a bit smaller)
- Trim four large chicken breasts and rub with the dried herbs.
- Heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan and barely brown the chicken, just 3-4 minutes per side (It will cook more in the casserole dish)
- Remove the chicken to cutting board and let it cool. when it's cool enough to handle, cut the chicken lengthwise into thick strips and layer in the bottom of casserole dish.
- While the chicken cooks, wash mushrooms, if needed, thickly slice, add one more teaspoon oil to the pan and cook until the mushrooms are lightly browned. Layer the mushrooms over the chicken in the casserole dish.
- Cut ham into cubes, and add the last teaspoon of olive oil and saute the ham in the same frying pan until it's slightly browned to bring out the flavor. Layer browned ham over the mushrooms.
- Mix sour cream and grated Parmesan with the Alfredo sauce.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken, mushrooms, and ham.
- Sprinkle with grated Mozzarella and Monterey Jack Cheese, or any white cheese you prefer.
- Bake about 20 minutes covered, or until the cheese is mostly melted.
- Uncover and bake about 20 minutes more, or until the top is nicely browned. Serve hot.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Art of Cooking Recipes (Paulson Pursuits} is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
