Mary Berry Creamy Chicken Casserole is the perfect one-pot meal for busy weeknights or lazy Sundays. It’s a hearty, easy dinner the whole family will love, made with chicken thighs, bacon and mushrooms simmered in a luxuriously creamy sauce!

Mary Berry is the queen of fuss-free cooking and baking – I love her simple recipes and straightforward instructions. This creamy chicken and herb casserole is a Mary Berry favorite!

You can’t go wrong with tender chicken thighs cooked with white wine, bacon, mushrooms and herbs! The finishing touch, crème fraîche, turns this one-pot recipe into something truly special.

This chicken casserole is fantastic – I have made it several times now and can’t wait to make it again. Definitely recommend!

Annie

What’s In This Casserole?

This recipe is inspired by Mary Berry’s own “Rather Special Chicken and Herb Casserole” – a slow-cooked, creamy dish built on bacon, white wine and fresh herbs. The two recipes share the same core idea (and the same crispy fried sage leaf garnish!) but there are a few real differences worth knowing about if you’ve made Mary Berry’s original before:

• Faster: Mary Berry’s original browns the chicken and bacon, builds a flour-based roux, then simmers in the oven for around 45–50 minutes total. This version speeds things up to about an hour total by thickening the sauce at the end with a little cornstarch or xanthan gum instead of a roux.
• Skin-on chicken thighs: The original uses skinless thighs but my version keeps the skin on for extra flavour and a better sear (you can still use skinless if you prefer – see the ingredient notes below).
• Same make-ahead trick: Both recipes hold back the crème fraîche and mushrooms until the final few minutes – this is genuinely the secret to why this casserole reheats and freezes so well without the sauce splitting (more on that below).

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Here’s What You’ll Need

You will need an oven-safe casserole dish for this recipe. I’ve tweaked the method of this recipe to simplify it and speed it up a bit. You can cook the casserole on the stove or partially in the oven.

• Chicken thighs I used bone-in and skin-on thighs but you can use boneless and skinless if you prefer
• Smoked streaky bacon Reduce the overall amount of salt in your bacon is very salty
• Onions and garlic to build the base flavor
• Mushrooms: Small white button mushrooms or crimini (chestnut) mushrooms will do the trick.
• White wine Dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Gris
• Chicken stock from a cube or homemade
• Crème fraîche or thick heavy cream (double cream)
• Cornstarch (cornflour) or xanthan gum to thicken the sauce if needed
• Fresh sage leaves, dried thyme, bay leaves

2. Pan fry the bacon over medium heat until it starts to render its fat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring, for five minutes until the onions soften and the bacon starts getting crispy at the edges.
3. Add the mushrooms, salt, pepper and dried herbs and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are browned.
4. Stir in the white wine, chicken stock, fresh sage and bay leaves. Add the chicken thighs. Bring to a low simmer, cover and cook in a 325°F (160°C ) preheated oven for 20 minutes. Take the lid off and continue to cook for a further 10 minutes.

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Recipe Notes and Tips

• You can cook the casserole entirely on the stove instead of transferring to the oven. Make sure the chicken is cooked through to a safe temperature of 165°F / 75°C when checked with a meat thermometer.
• Replace the crème fraîche with heavy cream (a.k.a double cream) or full-fat sour cream if preferred.
• If you don’t like cooking with wine, you can simply substitute with more chicken stock or broth.
• Mary Berry’s Chicken Casserole is garnished with crispy fried sage leaves on top. I usually love to make them, but they are not necessary! Save them for when you really want to impress…
• If you are on a low carb or Keto diet, use xanthan gum instead of cornstarch to thicken the sauce. You can serve it with cauliflower or celeriac mash and steamed vegetables.

Troubleshooting

Chicken casserole is forgiving, but a few classic mistakes can leave you with a bland or watery result. Here’s what to watch for – this recipe is already built to avoid them:

• Don’t skip the browning step. Browning the chicken and bacon first builds a flavour base you can’t get any other way – don’t rush or skip step 1.
• Don’t use boneless, skinless chicken breast. Bone-in thighs (as used here) stay juicier over the longer cook time and add more flavor to the sauce – breast meat is more likely to turn dry and stringy.
• Thicken the sauce properly. A thin, watery sauce is one of the most common casserole complaints. This recipe uses a little cornstarch or xanthan gum stirred in at the end – the original uses a flour roux built at the start. Either works; just don’t skip this step.

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Leftovers and Storage

• Refrigerator: Keep leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of chicken stock or water if the sauce has thickened up too much.
• Freezing: Assemble the casserole up to the point just before adding the crème fraîche and mushrooms. Let it cool completely, then portion into containers, label, and freeze for up to 3 months.
• Reheating from frozen: Defrost in the fridge overnight, then warm gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. Once hot, stir in the crème fraîche and mushrooms and cook for a further 15–20 minutes until piping hot throughout.

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Serving Suggestions

This casserole is rich and saucy, so it’s best served with something to soak it all up. I’d suggest you choose one of these as the ideal side:

• Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes or cauliflower mash for a lower-carb option – already the classic pairing for this dish
• Air Fryer Roast Potatoes if you’d rather have something crisp alongside the creamy sauce
• Air Fryer Dinner Rolls for mopping up every last bit of sauce
• Air Fryer Green Beans or Braised Red Cabbage for a simple green or veg side

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Frequently Asked Questions

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You may also like…

• Chicken Normandy (Poulet à la Normande)
• French Onion Beef Stew
• Creamy Tarragon Chicken
• Chicken Cacciatore (Italian Chicken Stew)

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Have you made my Chicken Casserole recipe? I’d love to hear how it turned out – leave a comment and a star rating below, it really helps other readers (and me!). And if you snap a photo, tag me on @Instagram or TikTok  or pin it for your next cozy Sunday dinner!