Chicken Au-gratin

'Au-Gratin' is a French word which when loosely translated means baked with a golden brown upper crust of scrapings (Courtesy Google) .. To achieve this result, bread crumbs or grated cheese can be used. I prefer grated cheese as it has a flavor of its own and goes well with the other ingredients of this dish. This dish needs a little bit of preparation, but once you have everything ready it is easy to cook/bake. I am sure you will enjoy making this as much as I have loved sharing it here with you. This goes very well when served with garlic bread or toasts and forms a complete meal by itself. You can even skip the bread if you wish to. 

P.S You can add as many veggies as you wish like baby corn, cauliflower, Broccoli, carrots etc.

To make a vegetarian version of this dish replace chicken with tofu or cottage cheese or use just the veggies.

                               

INGREDIENTS :

200 GMS Boneless chicken, boiled and shredded to small pieces

1 Med size red bell pepper

1 Med size green bell pepper

1 Med size yellow bell pepper

100 gms sweet corn kernels (Boiled or steamed)

Grated cheese (Processed or Cheddar) as much as you like 

For the sauce :

1 Tbsp salted butter

2 tsp maida or refined flour

Milk around 300 ml

salt to taste 

black pepper powder 1/2 tsp

red chilly flakes 1/2 tsp

Method :

1. Finely chop the bell peppers ,

2. In a pan heat 1 tsp butter and slightly fry the bell peppers , till they are half cooked. 

Keep it aside

3. Now prepare the sauce using the following recipe:

WHITE SAUCE:

1. Melt he butter in a pan and roast the Maida/refined flour till light brown in colour.

2. Now add the milk and mix in really well and fast, taking care to not let any lumps to be formed.

3. Quickly add the salt, black pepper powder, chilly flakes and mix well.

4. Turn of heat as soon as it thickens .

5. Sauce is now ready for use

               

                                   

ASSEMBLY AND BAKING:

                                 

1. In a glass baking dish, mix the bell peppers, corn and shredded chicken in the sauce. Mix well.

2. Add the grated cheese on top to cover the mixture well.

3. Preheat oven to 180 deg celcius .

4. Since all the ingredients are already cooked, the baking time is really not much

5. Bake at 180 deg Celcius for 10 mins.

6. Grill in the oven (Microwave ovens usually will have the grill option) for another 5 to 7 mins to get the golden brown upper crust.

7. Your 'Au-gratin' is ready. 

8. Serve hot with garlic bread or simple sliced bread or have as it is.