Mary Berry's chicken casserole is a 'flavoursome' dinner ready in just 25 minutes

has a deliciously rich recipe that is surprisingly easy to make despite its elaborate look. This serves four to six and can be ready in just under an hour, with the cooking time dropping to just 25 minutes if made with chicken breasts.

The former Great British Bake Off judge uses a simple yet effective , while adding extra flavour with the bacon. This versatile dish goes well with a variety of sides, but the chef recommends serving it with mashed potatoes and some kale. Sharing this recipe on her website, Mary said: "Simple but tasty and with lots of flavoursome sauce, this is a casserole that you will come back to again and again."

She added: "You could make it with chicken breasts, too, which would reduce the cooking time to 25 minutes."

Mary Berry's chicken casserole recipe

Ingredients

• Two tbsp sunflower oil
• Eight chicken thighs on the bone, skin removed
• Six rashers of smoked streaky bacon, thinly sliced
• Two onions, thinly sliced
• Three garlic cloves, crushed
• 25g plain flour
• 300ml white wine
• One 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
• One tbsp muscovado sugar
• 400g button mushrooms, sliced
• One tbsp chopped thyme leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 160C (140C for fan-assisted ovens) or Gas Mark three.

Heat one tablespoon of oil in a large, deep, ovenproof pan or casserole dish with a lid. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper, then add them to the pan. Cook over high heat for two to three minutes per side or until they are browned and golden. Remove the chicken from the pan, cover it with foil, and set it aside.

Without cleaning the pan, add the bacon and onions. Fry over high heat for three to four minutes or until the bacon becomes crispy. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour with the wine, adding it gradually and whisking to form a smooth paste. Pour this mixture into the pan along with the tomatoes and sugar. Stir everything together thoroughly, then bring it to a boil.

Once boiling, return the chicken and any juices to the pan, stirring to combine. Cover with the lid and transfer to the oven, cooking for 45 minutes or until the chicken is tender and fully cooked through.

About 10 minutes before the chicken is ready, heat the remaining oil in a frying pan. Add the mushrooms and fry for three to four minutes or until they turn golden and are cooked through. Once done, stir the mushrooms into the casserole along with the thyme.

Serve the casserole while hot, accompanied by mashed potatoes and your choice of green vegetable.