Make-ahead savory Chicken Crepes with Mushrooms are perfect for a romantic date night dinner or a dinner party. These easy chicken and mushroom crepes are blanketed in a cheesy mornay sauce. Not only do they look sensational, but you won't believe how delicious they are.
1rotisserie chickenbones and skins removed, and meat chopped (about 3 cups)
Sauce Ingredients:
4tablespoonsunsalted butter
4tablespoonsall-purpose flour
2cupsmilkwhole or 2% milk
¼teaspoonground black pepper
4ouncesshredded Swiss cheeseplus additional for topping
⅓cupgrated Parmesan cheese
¾cuphalf and half
2tablespoonsdry sherryoptional
Topping Ingredients:
2tablespoonschopped fresh parsley
2tablespoonsunsalted buttermelted
½cuppanko bread crumbs
Crepes
8crepespurchased
Instructions
Chicken and Mushroom Filling Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook for about five minutes or until they are translucent. Add the mushrooms and cook for seven to ten minutes, or until they are cooked. Stir in the chicken and salt and set aside.
Sauce Directions:
Melt four tablespoons of butter in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and stir until smooth. Let cook for two to three minutes. Whisk in the milk slowly until well incorporated and smooth. Cook until it starts to boil and thicken.
Add pepper and slowly add the Swiss and parmesan cheeses. Heat and stir until the cheese melts and the mixture is smooth. Add the sherry (if using) and stir. Remove one cup of the sauce and add to the chicken and mushroom mixture. Mix well.
Add the half-and-half to the remaining sauce and stir until well combined. Set aside.
Topping Directions:
Add the melted butter, parsley, panko, and remaining Swiss cheese to a small bowl and mix well. Set aside.
Crepe assembly:
Place ½ cup of the chicken and mushroom mixture in the middle of each crepe and gently roll up like a cigar. Place the filled crepe, seam side down, in a 9x13 baking dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Repeat with the rest of the filling and crepes.
Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the crepes and sprinkle the topping evenly over the top.
Bake in a 350-degree oven for 20-30 minutes or until the topping is brown and crusty and the cheese has melted.
Notes
Sharon's Expert Tips:
Purchase premade crepes at your local grocery store, or you can order them online from Amazon. I found mine at Whole Foods.
To make ahead, before baking, cover the dish tightly and store it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours or in the freezer for up to three months. If frozen, allow the casserole to thaw overnight before baking. Remove the casserole from the refrigerator and leave it on the counter for about 30 minutes to come to room temperature before baking.
If you would rather cook the chicken yourself instead of using a rotisserie chicken, see this post, Easy Roasted Chicken Breasts, for directions. You will need about three cups of cooked chicken.
If you are only feeding a few folks, feel free to divide the crepes up and bake some and freeze some. I usually cook half and freeze half.
You can substitute one tablespoon of dried parsley flakes for fresh parsley.
Save the carcass and skin from your rotisserie chicken to make Homemade Chicken Stock. If you don't have time right now, simply put the bones in a plastic freezer bag and freeze until you are ready.