Mary Berry Chicken and Herb Casserole Recipe

Mary Berry's chicken and herb casserole is a gently fragrant, golden one-pot with chicken thighs in a herb-scented cream sauce — comforting and elegant.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 20

Servings: 4 Portions

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: British

Calories: 440

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

Chicken and Herb Casserole:
8 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
2 tbsp olive oil
30 g unsalted butter
1 large onion finely chopped
3 garlic cloves crushed
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 sprig fresh rosemary — whole removed before serving
2 tbsp plain flour
200 ml dry white wine
400 ml good quality chicken stock
150 ml double cream
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp fresh tarragon roughly chopped — added at the end only
2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley chopped — added at the end
Salt and white pepper
Juice of ½ lemon — added at the end

Method

Season chicken generously. Brown skin-side down in hot oil 5–6 minutes without moving — deeply golden. Turn — 2 minutes. Remove.
Add butter to same casserole over medium heat. Cook onion 8 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, and rosemary sprig — 2 minutes.
Add flour — stir 1–2 minutes. Add wine — bubble 3 minutes until reduced by half. Add stock — simmer 5 minutes. Add cream and mustard. Season assertively.
Return chicken skin-side up. Cover partially. Cook over lowest heat or in 160°C oven 35–40 minutes until completely tender.
Remove rosemary. Add lemon juice, tarragon, and parsley. Stir gently. Taste and adjust. Serve immediately from the casserole.

Notes

Do not move chicken during browning — undisturbed contact gives deeply golden skin.

Rosemary goes in whole and comes out whole — infuses without harshness.

Tarragon and parsley at the very end only — fresh herbs lose all character in 40 minutes of braising.

Lemon juice at the end is essential — brightens and focuses the cream sauce.

Season assertively — cream sauce dilutes the perception of seasoning.

Add fresh tarragon again when reheating stored casserole.