Mary Berry has shared a simple chicken casserole recipe that can be on the table in around 25 minutes, offering a comforting midweek meal made with store-cupboard ingredients. The veteran cookery writer, who has published dozens of books, says her Chicken Valencia is a 'simple but tasty' one-pot dish packed with flavourful tomato sauce and designed to be a reliable family dinner.
Mary Berry's Quick Chicken Casserole
In Mary Berry Everyday, she writes: “Simple but tasty and with lots of flavoursome sauce, this is a casserole that you will come back to again and again.” While traditionally made with chicken thighs, the recipe can also be adapted using chicken breasts for a quicker version, reducing the overall cooking time to around 25 minutes. Berry also suggests a practical tip during preparation - rinsing the tin of chopped tomatoes with white wine to ensure no flavour is wasted. This simple, budget-friendly dish serves four to six people and is ideal for an easy midweek dinner.
Chicken Valencia Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 8 chicken thighs, on the bone and skin removed
- 6 rashers smoked streaky bacon, sliced
- 2 onions, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 25g plain flour
- 300ml white wine
- 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp muscovado sugar
- 400g button mushrooms, sliced
- 1 tbsp chopped thyme leaves
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/Gas 3.
- Heat one tablespoon of the oil in a large, deep ovenproof pan or casserole dish with a lid. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper, then add to the pan and brown over a high heat for two to three minutes on each side until golden all over. Remove, cover with foil and set aside.
- Add the bacon and onions to the pan (no need to clean it first) and fry for three to four minutes over a high heat until the bacon is crispy. Add the garlic and fry for a further 30 seconds.
- Measure the flour into a bowl, then add the wine little by little and whisk into a smooth paste. Add to the pan with the tomatoes (see tip) and sugar, and stir well. Bring to the boil, then return the chicken and any juices to the pan and bring back up to the boil, stirring. Cover with the lid and cook in the oven for 45 minutes or until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
- Shortly before the chicken is ready, heat the remaining oil in a frying pan, add the mushrooms and fry for three to four minutes until golden and just cooked. Add the mushrooms to the casserole and stir in the thyme.
- Serve the casserole hot with mash and a green vegetable such as kale.
For more delicious recipes, explore Mary Berry's collection of family favourites.
