Chicken & Lima Bake

Browned chicken pieces bake in a creamy celery soup sauce alongside lima beans, whole small onions, and quartered carrots. The Worcestershire sauce adds a savory backbone that keeps this from tasting like a plain cream-of-something casserole.

Browning the chicken first is a must. Those golden, caramelized edges add flavor that no amount of seasoning can replicate, and deglazing the skillet with the soup and milk picks up every bit of fond stuck to the pan.

The lid comes off for the final 15 minutes so the top gets a little color and the sauce thickens into a spoonable consistency rather than a thin broth.

Pro Tips

• Don’t crowd the skillet when browning. Work in batches so the chicken sears instead of steaming.
• Frozen lima beans go in straight from the freezer, no thawing needed.
• Scrape the skillet well when adding the soup. That’s where the deepest flavor lives.
• A squeeze of lemon juice at the table brightens up the creamy sauce nicely.

Variations

• Substitute cream of mushroom soup for a richer, earthier sauce.
• Use chicken thighs instead of a whole cut-up bird for more forgiving cook times.
• Add frozen peas during the last 10 minutes of baking for extra color and sweetness.