Swedish flying Jacob casserole, hello 70s anyone? If you love chicken, curry, and a little bit of heat, you’ll love this dish.
I have updated this recipe with some additional modern spices.
The Flying Jacob casserole is an all-in-one dish that is easy to make and a classic Swedish recipe. It has a unique taste with a hint of sweetness from the banana, chili sauce, and mango chutney, while the bacon and peanuts add a savory touch. It’s perfect to serve when you have many hungry guests, and if there are any leftovers, they taste even better the next day!
Good side dishes to accommodate this recipe are rice and why not, my pickled pressed cucumber.
“First we eat, then we do everything else.”
M.F.K. Fisher
Flying Jacob recipe history:
In the late 1970s, and I was there, a Swedish air freight worker named Ove Jacobsson, known for his culinary experimentation, is credited with creating the Flying Jacob casserole.
Back from a journey to the Middle East, carrying a suitcase packed with unique ingredients such as bananas and peanuts. Thus, Jacobsson made a decision. He chose to fuse these newfound flavors with traditional Swedish elements.
Jacobsson eagerly shared the recipe with co-workers, sparking immediate interest due to the unique combination of ingredients. Swiftly gaining popularity, the dish was named “Flygande Jacob” or “Flying Jacob,” reflecting the idea that its flavors could elevate taste experiences.
The Flying Jacob casserole features a rich and creamy sauce that complements the savory chicken, smoky bacon, sweet bananas, and crunchy peanuts. Over time, it became a staple in Swedish home cooking, often making appearances at gatherings and potluck dinners.
Beyond being a recipe, the Flying Jacob has become a story of culinary creativity, showcasing the fusion of diverse influences in the world of food.
And, if you want to keep things simple and save time, you can use a pre-grilled/roast chicken.
Healthy?
All in all, healthy or not, It’s worth noting that moderation is key when enjoying dishes like the Swedish flying Jacob casserole. You might understand that it may not be considered a “health food” in the traditional sense, but you can make adjustments to the recipe to enhance its nutritional profile.
Or just treat yourself and enjoy!
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Swedish Flying Jacob Casserole
Equipment
- Large/deep oven form
Ingredients
- 1 kg chicken file
- 300 g bacon
- 2 bananas sliced
- 5 dl cream
- 2 dl chili sauce Ketchupy-like-version
- 1 tbsp madras curry powder strong
- 3 tbsp mango chutney
- 1,5 dl peanuts, salty topping
- 1 chili finely chopped, topping. optional
Serving
- 6 portions rice white or black rice
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredientsStart the oven and preheat it to 225C°/435F°
- Shred/cut chicken fillet and bacon.Heat a frying pan and fry the chicken and bacon pieces in batches so that there is not too much at once in the frying pan. Fry on medium heat until the fillet has a nice color. I usually fry for about 2 minutes, turn the pieces over and fry for about 2 more minutes. It does not have to be completely cooked through due to oven time,
- Place the chicken and bacon pieces in an oven dish where all the meat can fit. Slice the bananas and spread over the chicken and bacon pieces.
- Mix the cream with chili sauce, curry and mango chutney. Pour over.Sprinkle with peanuts and the chopped chilies.
- Gratinate in the middle of the oven for 25-30 minutes.
- Serve Flying Jacob with boiled rice (i used black rice this time) and with pressed cucumberMake yourself at home with Cuisine
14 comments
Are you not whipping the cream? That is how we did i in Sweden and Iceland.
Hi Rakel, Actually no, You do not have to. It’s still delicious
But there are variants of this recipe that includes whipping the cream.
Although I have never done it. But maybe I should try next time. More fluffy cream sounds good to mee as well.
Cheers
Richard
I’m an American and I wanted to try this recipe. The problem is I don’t understand the directions very well. I don’t know what a dl is, I don’t know what a Birds Eye chili thing means, and I would have no idea where to get mango chutney from. I’ll search the web to see if I can find a recipe that I would understand.
Hi American,
Fear not :). This is the metric system we use in Sweden/Europe. Doing American recipes is the other way around for me trying to find the correct measurement.
– 1 dl is about 0.4 cups.
– Mango Chutney: You would find it in the nearest store, as an example:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Patak-s-Original-Sweet-Mango-Chutney-12-oz/10420292
– Birds Eye Chili is a small, very hot chili. exchange it for plain hot chili fruit. Or exclude it.
The recipe is so yummy and I hope you do make it.
If so, I would love some feedback.
Thanks
Richard
The recipe rests on chicken / pork file + banana + cream / creme freische + curry / ginger.
Its not important that you get the exact proportions correct, its just that banana + ginger works nicely with a smooth meat such as chicken or pork. And curry works just as well as the spice as ginger. You really can’t go wrong once you understand what you are looking for. I usually fry onions and maybe carrots as a base.
And to make it more fun to eat, you can put nuts on top.
Chicken banana & bacon! It’s amazing. Comes together easily, tastes delicious. I couldn’t follow the recipe exactly and used it as a guide- for me that’s what a recipe is for. I didn’t have curry or mango chutney and used ancho pepper spice, chopped up some frozen mango and a handful of cherry tomatoes.
Thanks for feedback.
And, I’m doing the same as you, improvise, adapt and adjust. Next time I’ll try with some of your variants. Sounds good!
/Richard
Hello, I have two small questions!
How much fat % has the cream you used? I don’t want to overdo it either way, so asking :)
Also – does it survive for a day or two after baking? I am thinking of making it as a part of my meal-prep for the work week :D
Hi,
I use full cream, 36-40% fat.
And yes, it’s perfect for a couple of days for a food box. You can freeze it as well.
Thanks for trying out my recipe!
br
Richard
I found your blog after this casserole was featured on Good Mythical Morning. Out of curiosity, what does the blog name mean???
Hi Emily,
I’m glad you found my site :)
The name? Well, “Lembit” is my middle name, “Lounge” is a cozy corner to hang out with family and friends, and “Cuisine” is the recipe part.
a Swedish Household Staple – so, so weird, but it works. And swap out pork for chicken, or pineapple for bananas – mild chili sauce instead of spicy for the traditionally whimpy Swedish spice tolerance. This recipe has more variations in Sweden than meatballs! Make it your own.
There is nu curry in Flygande Jacob!
Curry makes it into a version of “Chicken a la King”.
Heinz chili sauce and whipped cream is the topping.
Chicken, banana and peanuts underneath.
Crispy bacon strew on top.
Hi John,
In my version, there is, and I really like it.
A recipe is a “living” thing. Adjust and adapt to your liking.
Cheers