Mary Berry's 'simple' but 'flavoursome' chicken casserole recipe

When it comes to comfort meals, very few dishes beat a hearty casserole. There is so much scope when it comes to making a casserole, allowing home cooks to truly experiment with different ingredients and flavours to create a homey delicious dinner. However, if you don't have a clue where to start from when making one, or you're just looking for some new methods, Mary Berry is on hand to help.

The celebrity chef's easy recipe comes from her book Mary Berry Everyday. It features a delicious combination of chicken, vegetables and herbs, in a tomato sauce, and can be served with mashed potatoes and greens. For those who experience busier days, this recipe is great as it can be made up to two days ahead and then reheated. Regardless of whether you enjoy it start away, or a couple of days later, it's so good that you will certainly want it again and again.

Ingredients for Chicken Valencia:

• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 8 chicken thighs on the bone, skin removed
• 6 rashers of smoked streaky bacon, thinly sliced
• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 25g (1oz) plain flour
• 300ml (10fl oz) white wine
• 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp muscovado sugar
• 400g (14oz) button mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tbsp chopped thyme leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/Gas 3.

Step 2

Heat 1 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 2-3 minutes on each side until golden all over. remove, cover with foil and set aside.

Step 3

Add the bacon and onions to the pan (no need to clean it first) and fry for 3-4 minutes over a high heat until the bacon is crispy. Add the garlic and fry for a further 30 seconds.

Step 4

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 in 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.

Step 5

Shortly before the chicken is ready, heat the remaining oil in a frying pan, add the mushrooms and fry for 3-4 minutes until golden and just cooked. Add the mushrooms to the casserole and stir in the thyme.

Step 6

Serve the casserole hot with mash and a green vegetable such as kale.