Mary Berry Chicken and Broccoli Bake Recipe

Mary Berry's chicken and broccoli bake is a creamy, golden-topped bake with tender chicken and broccoli in a rich cheese sauce.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Total Time 50

Servings: 6 Portions

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: British

Calories: 540

Bake: 600g chicken thighs or breasts in 3cm pieces 400g broccoli in small florets, 2 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper
Cheese Sauce: 50g butter 50g plain flour, 600ml warm whole milk, 150g mature Cheddar and 50g Parmesan — both grated, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, ¼ tsp nutmeg, salt and white pepper
Topping: 50g fresh breadcrumbs 50g Cheddar and 25g Parmesan — both grated, ½ tsp smoked paprika

Season and brown chicken in batches in hot oil — 3–4 minutes per batch. Remove.
Blanch broccoli in well-salted boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain — dry completely.
Make cheese sauce: melt butter, add flour, stir 2 minutes. Add warm milk gradually, whisking. Cook until thickened. Add both cheeses, mustard, and nutmeg. Season assertively.
Preheat oven to 190°C / 170°C fan / Gas 5. Fold chicken and broccoli into sauce. Transfer to dish.
Mix topping — scatter over surface. Bake 25–30 minutes until golden and bubbling. Rest 5 minutes.

Blanch broccoli for 2 minutes only — it cooks further in the oven.

Use warm milk for the sauce — cold milk causes lumps.

Season sauce assertively — it dilutes when combined with chicken and broccoli.

Smoked paprika in the topping gives colour and warmth — do not omit it.

Freeze before baking for up to 2 months.