Chicken bacon and leek casserole … hearty, wholesome and absolutely packed with flavour. Win over the whole family with this delicious dinner – easy to pull together, with relatively inexpensive and perfect for those cold nights as we transition from Winter to Spring.
Chicken, bacon and leeks are a traditional flavour combination for a reason, add the creamy mash and tangy cheddar and you can’t go wrong.
How to make this chicken bacon and leek casserole:
Ingredients for the filling:
- 600g chicken thighs, chopped into bite sized pieces
- 120g (8 rashers) streaky bacon, chopped into bite sized pieces
- 350g finely sliced leeks
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1tbsp olive oil
- 300ml chicken stock
- 2tbsp creme fraiche
- Squeeze lemon juice
- A few sprigs of fresh thyme
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1tbsp butter
- 1tbsp plain flour
Ingredients for the mash:
- 1kg potatoes
- 3tbsp salter butter
- Salt & pepper
- 30g cheddar cheese (to sprinkle on top) (grated)
How to:
- Preheat oven to 180C
- Warm a frying pan – add the bacon and cook for 3-5 mins until a little bit golden
- Remove bacon from heat with a slotted spoon and set aside for now
- Brown the chicken thighs in the bacon pan (3-5 mins)
- Remove chicken and set aside
- Add 1tbsp butter to the pan, allow it to melt and then add the leeks
- Turn the heat down and slowly saute the leeks for about 10 minutes, until soft and translucent
- While the leeks are sauteing, peel the potatoes for the mash and cut into even pieces, add these to a large pot of cold water. Pop this pot on the stove and bring to the boil
- Next, add the grated garlic to your leek mixture – allow to get fragrant for about 2 minutes
- Return chicken and bacon to the pan, followed by the flour – stir well and cook for a couple of minutes to cook out the flavour of the flour
- Add stock, creme fraiche, lemon juice and thyme and stir – simmer for 10 minutes
- After your potatoes have simmered for 10-15 minutes (depending on the size), check for doneness with a fork – you should be able to pierce the potato but it doesn’t fall apart. Drain in a colander and return to the pan. Using your potato ricer, mash the potatoes into a large bowl, adding butter, salt and pepper. Stir well and check for taste – season further if needed.
- Add the mixings to an oven safe dish
- Top with mashed potato and grated cheddar
- Cook in the oven for 20 minutes until golden and bubbling
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Chicken Bacon and Leek Casserole
Chicken bacon and leek casserole … hearty, wholesome and absolutely packed with flavour. Win over the whole family with this delicious dinner
Ingredients
Casserole filling
- 600 g chicken thighs chopped into bite sized pieces
- 120 g streaky bacon (8 rashers) chopped into bite sized pieces
- 350 g leeks finely sliced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 300 ml chicken stock
- 2 tbsp creme fraiche
- Squeeze lemon juice
- Few sprigs of fresh thyme
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp plain flour
Mashed potato
- 1 kg potatoes
- 3 tbsp butter
- salt and pepper
- 30 g cheddar grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C
- Warm a frying pan – add the bacon and cook for 3-5 mins until a little bit golden
- Remove bacon from heat with a slotted spoon and set aside for now
- Brown the chicken thighs in the bacon pan (3-5 mins)
- Remove chicken and set aside
- Add 1 tbsp butter to the pan, allow it to melt and then add the leeksTurn the heat down and slowly saute the leeks for about 10 minutes, until soft and translucent
- While the leeks are sauteing, peel the potatoes for the mash and cut into even pieces, add these to a large pot of cold water. Pop this pot on the stove and bring to the boil
- Next, add the grated garlic to your leek mixture – allow to get fragrant for about 2 minutes
- Return chicken and bacon to the pan, followed by the flour – stir well and cook for a couple of minutes to cook out the flavour of the flour
- Add stock, creme fraiche, lemon juice and thyme and stir – simmer for 10 minutes
- After your potatoes have simmered for 10-15 minutes (depending on the size), check for doneness with a fork – you should be able to pierce the potato but it doesn't fall apart. Drain in a colander and return to the pan. Using your potato ricer, mash the potatoes into a large bowl, adding butter, salt and pepper. Stir well and check for taste – season further if needed
- Add the mixings to an oven safe dish, top with mashed potato and grated cheddar
- Cook in the oven for 20 minutes until golden and bubbling
[…] Chicken, Bacon and Leek Casserole – another ideal Sunday afternoon oven dinner […]