Mary Berry Chicken and Leek Casserole

Mary Berry’s chicken and leek casserole is honey-browned chicken breasts baked over leeks and new potatoes in a creamy apple, thyme and crème fraîche sauce. It serves 6 and takes about an hour and a quarter, with 35 minutes in the oven.

Berry calls it Chicken Breasts with Leek, Potatoes and Thyme in The Complete AGA Cookbook (2015), and describes it as “a prepare-ahead dish, perfect for all the family.” The sauce uses apple juice instead of stock or wine, which gives it a gentle sweetness that suits the leeks. She also gives conventional oven timings, so you don’t need an AGA.

The trick is to par-boil the potatoes and leeks before they go into the sauce. Berry boils the potatoes for 12 minutes, then adds the leeks for the last 3, so both are just tender. That way they finish in the oven at the same time as the chicken, instead of staying hard under it.

Mary Berry Chicken and Leek Casserole

Recipe by Pinch Perfect

5.0 from 1 vote

Course: Dinner, Lunch, MainCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

55

minutes

Calories

515

kcal

Total time

1

hour 

15

minutes

A one-dish family supper from The Complete AGA Cookbook (2015), with the potatoes cooked in with the chicken and sauce. It can be made a day ahead, and it freezes without the potatoes, so it’s a good one to batch for a busy week.

Ingredients

• 350g (12oz) baby new potatoes

• salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 4 thin leeks, cut into 2cm (¾in) slices

• 6 small chicken breasts, skinless and boneless

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 tablespoon runny honey

• 50g (2oz) butter

• 1 onion, thinly sliced

• 450ml (16fl oz) apple juice

• 1 garlic clove, crushed

• 50g (2oz) flour

• 200ml (⅓ pint) full-fat crème fraîche

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

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Directions

• Prepare: Butter a 2.3 litre (4 pint) ovenproof dish. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan/Gas 6).
• Par-boil: Put the potatoes into a pan, cover with cold water, add salt and bring to the boil. Boil for 12 minutes, then add the leeks and boil for a further 3 minutes, until the potatoes are just tender. Drain in a colander.
• Brown the chicken: Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a high heat, add the chicken and drizzle with honey. Brown quickly for a few minutes on each side until golden, then remove with a slotted spoon.
• Make the sauce: Add the butter to the unwashed pan, then fry the onion and garlic for a minute. Cover with a lid and soften for 10 minutes over a low heat. Uncover, fry for another minute, then sprinkle in the flour. Stir in the apple juice until smooth, then add the crème fraîche and thyme, season, and stir until thickened and boiling.
• Assemble: Take the pan off the heat, add the leeks and potatoes and stir to mix. Tip into the dish, sit the chicken on top, then cover with foil and seal the edges.
• Bake: Bake for up to 25 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for a further 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
• Serve: Sprinkle with the parsley and serve with a green vegetable.

Notes

• (AGA): Use the Boiling Plate for steps 2 to 4, and soften the onion in the Simmering Oven for 10 minutes. Bake on the grid shelf on the floor of the Roasting Oven for 20 minutes, then uncover for 8 to 10 minutes.

FAQs

Can I make chicken and leek casserole ahead or freeze it?

Yes. Berry says it can be made up to a day ahead, and it “freezes well without the potato for up to 2 months.” If you’re freezing it, leave the potatoes out at step 5 and boil fresh ones on the day you bake it. Potatoes go grainy and watery in the freezer, and that’s why she leaves them out.

Why is there honey on the chicken?

The honey caramelises in the hot pan, so the breasts take on a deep golden colour in just a few minutes on each side. That matters, because skinless chicken breasts brown pale and patchy otherwise. Keep the heat high and move fast, because honey burns if you leave it too long.

Why apple juice instead of stock?

Apple and leek are a classic pairing, and the juice gives the sauce a mellow sweetness that thyme and crème fraîche round off. It’s lighter than cider and has no alcohol, which is why it suits the “all the family” table Berry has in mind. Use plain, unsweetened apple juice, not a cloudy or spiced blend.

Does she make a version with chicken thighs?

She does. Her Chicken Thighs Normande in the Complete Cookbook (2024) roasts bone-in thighs on leeks, bacon and dry cider, then finishes the sauce with crème fraîche. For a deeper, brandy-rich take on the same flavours, try our Normandy chicken, or her hearty country chicken casserole.

What should I serve with it?

Berry says a green vegetable, because the potatoes are already in the dish. Buttered peas, steamed broccoli or green beans all work and add colour against the creamy sauce. If you want something more substantial, her chicken and leek pie turns the same pairing into a pastry-topped dish.