While I serve this at home in a 1.5-quart round baking dish, you could portion it in four individual ramekins and freeze for reheating later. Serve with a light green salad and good white bread for sopping up the sauce.

Serves 4

Ingredients

Choose presliced Gouda to save time; it'll take a little more than one standard-size package. This dish also works quite well with leftover or rotisserie chicken, if you want to save yourself a couple of steps. This recipe doubles easily.

  • 2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or thighs
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tsp. smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 Tbsp. capers, roughly chopped
  • 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 ounces dried, pitted prunes, roughly chopped
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 7 ounces sliced Gouda
  • 1/2 cup roasted cashews

    Directions

    Sprinkle salt on both sides of chicken.

    In a large frying pan on medium-high, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Brown chicken, cooking about 10 minutes per side. Remove from heat and set chicken aside.

    Add remainder of olive oil to pan, then add onions, bell peppers, celery, garlic and remainder of salt. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, until vegetables have brightened in color. Stir in smoked paprika, pepper, cumin and cayenne pepper and coat vegetables with spices.

    Deglaze pan with wine, scraping any browned bits off bottom, and reduce heat to medium. Add crushed tomatoes, capers, Worcestershire sauce and prunes. Cube cooled chicken and add to pan with lime juice. Simmer for about 10 minutes, until sauce has reduced and thickened slightly.

    Taste and adjust seasonings. Set aside and cool to room temperature. (You can do this up to 3 days ahead—it's better when made at least 1 day in advance; just cool and refrigerate until you're ready to assemble the casserole.)

    Preheat oven to 350°.

    Line a lightly greased 1.5-quart baking dish with slices of Gouda. They need not overlap by much, but should all be touching. Tear pieces to fit, as needed, on bottom of dish—no one will see this part.

    Stir cashews into room-temperature stew. Spoon mixture into cheese-lined pan. Top with remaining slices of Gouda, then bake for about 25 minutes, until stew bubbles around edges and cheese melts and turns golden in parts. Serve hot.

    From Dutch Feast by Emily Wight, published by Arsenal Pulp Press 2017.
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