Mary Berry Slow Cooker Chicken Casserole Recipe

This slow cooker chicken casserole is a proper, comforting one pot meal with tender chicken, soft vegetables, and a rich, savoury gravy that tastes like it’s been gently simmering all day. It’s straightforward and beginner-friendly, but the flavour is wonderfully deep thanks to a quick browning step and a few classic British touches. Expect a silky sauce, juicy chicken, and that cosy Sunday lunch feeling on a weeknight. Total time is about 6 hours 40 minutes, with only 20 minutes of hands-on prep.

Ingredients

For the chicken casserole

• 8 bone-in, skinless chicken thighs (about 1.2kg)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 150g smoked bacon lardons
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2 celery sticks, sliced
• 200g chestnut mushrooms, halved
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 150ml dry white wine (optional)
• 500ml hot chicken stock
• 1 tsp dried thyme (or 4 thyme sprigs)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 150g frozen peas
• 3 tbsp crème fraîche (optional, for richness)

For the herby dumplings (optional)

• 150g self-raising flour
• 75g beef or vegetable suet
• 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
• Pinch of salt and pepper
• 8 to 10 tbsp cold water

To finish

• Small handful of fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

How to Make Mary Berry Slow Cooker Chicken Casserole Recipe

• Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 200°C or 180°C fan. Place a shelf in the middle of the oven so the chicken browns evenly before it goes into the slow cooker.
• Brown the chicken and bacon: Pat the chicken thighs dry and season with a little salt and pepper. Toss the chicken and bacon lardons with the olive oil on a large roasting tray, then roast for 15 minutes until lightly golden. This step builds flavour and helps keep the chicken juicy.
• Mix the casserole base: Add the onion, carrots, celery, mushrooms, and garlic to your slow cooker (4.5 to 6 litres is ideal). Sprinkle over the flour and stir so the vegetables look lightly coated. Stir in the tomato purée and Worcestershire sauce.
• Add the stock and season: Pour in the white wine (if using) and the hot chicken stock, stirring well so there are no floury lumps. Add the thyme and bay leaves, then season with the salt and pepper.
• Slow cook (the gentle “baking” step): Nestle the browned chicken thighs into the liquid and tip in the bacon. Cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken is tender and cooked through. If you have a food thermometer, aim for 75°C in the thickest part.
• Finish the sauce: Remove the bay leaves. Stir in the peas and crème fraîche (if using), then cook for 10 to 15 minutes until the peas are hot and the sauce looks glossy. Taste and adjust seasoning.
• Optional dumpling topping: Mix the self-raising flour, suet, parsley, and seasoning in a bowl. Add enough cold water to form a soft dough. Drop 6 to 8 spoonfuls on top of the casserole, cover with the lid, and cook on HIGH for 45 to 60 minutes until puffed and cooked through.
• Cool and assemble: Turn off the slow cooker and let the casserole stand for 10 minutes to settle and thicken slightly. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve straight away.

Tips

Do I have to brown the chicken first?

No, it will still cook safely and taste good if you add it straight to the slow cooker. That said, browning gives a deeper, roastier flavour and a better texture on the chicken, so I do it whenever I can.

How do I stop the casserole sauce from being watery?

Use hot stock, keep the lid on during cooking, and stir the flour through the vegetables before adding liquid. If it is still thinner than you like, stir in a cornflour slurry (1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 1 tbsp cold water) and cook on HIGH for 10 to 15 minutes, or ladle the sauce into a pan and simmer it briskly for a few minutes.

Why are my dumplings heavy?

Dumplings need a soft dough and a hot cook. Avoid overmixing, and make sure the slow cooker is on HIGH for the dumpling stage. Keep the lid on so the steam can do its job.

Can I add potatoes to make it more filling?

Yes. Add 400g baby potatoes (halved if large) at the start. Keep an eye on the liquid level, as potatoes soak up sauce, and you may need an extra splash of stock.

Serving Suggestions

• Buttery mashed potatoes or creamy mash with a pinch of mustard
• Steamed greens, cabbage, or tenderstem broccoli
• Crusty bread for mopping up the gravy
• Cooked rice or pearl barley for an easy weeknight option

Storage

Room temperature

Cool the casserole quickly and do not leave it out for more than 2 hours (1 hour in very warm rooms). Once cooled, refrigerate promptly.

Refrigerator

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat until piping hot all the way through. The sauce often tastes even better the next day.

Freezing

Freeze for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat gently on the hob or in the slow cooker on LOW until hot. If you have dumplings, they can be frozen too, but they soften on reheating, so I prefer making fresh dumplings if I have time.

Nutrition

• Calories: 480 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 18 g
• Protein: 34 g
• Fat: 22 g
• Saturated Fat: 7 g
• Sodium: 900 mg

Disclaimer: Nutrition values are estimates and will vary depending on the ingredients and brands you use.

FAQs

Slow Cooker Chicken Casserole

Recipe by Milli RoseCourse: MainCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

bowls

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

6

hours 

Total time

400

minutes

Calories

480

kcal

6

hours 

20

minutes

Tender chicken thighs slow cooked with bacon, mushrooms, carrots, and herbs in a rich, savoury gravy. An easy British-style chicken casserole, with optional herby dumplings.

Ingredients

• For the casserole

• 8 bone-in, skinless chicken thighs (about 1.2kg)

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 150g smoked bacon lardons

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced

• 2 celery sticks, sliced

• 200g chestnut mushrooms, halved

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 2 tbsp plain flour

• 1 tbsp tomato purée

• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

• 150ml dry white wine (optional)

• 500ml hot chicken stock

• 1 tsp dried thyme (or 4 thyme sprigs)

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 150g frozen peas

• 3 tbsp crème fraîche (optional, for richness)

• Optional herby dumplings

• 150g self-raising flour

• 75g beef or vegetable suet

• 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley

• Pinch of salt and pepper

• 8–10 tbsp cold water

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Season the chicken and brown it with the bacon on a tray for 15 minutes.
• Add onion, carrots, celery, mushrooms, and garlic to the slow cooker. Sprinkle over the flour and stir well.
• Stir in tomato purée, Worcestershire sauce, wine (if using), stock, thyme, bay, salt, and pepper until smooth.
• Add browned chicken and bacon. Cook on LOW for 6–7 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours until tender and cooked through.
• Stir in peas and crème fraîche (if using). Cook for 10–15 minutes more. Taste and adjust seasoning.
• For dumplings: mix flour, suet, parsley, seasoning, and water to a soft dough. Drop spoonfuls on top, cover, and cook on HIGH for 45–60 minutes.
• Rest for 10 minutes, remove bay leaves, and serve with a sprinkle of parsley if you like.

Notes

• Browning the chicken adds flavour, but you can skip it if you are short on time.
• If the sauce is thinner than you like, thicken with a cornflour slurry or reduce it on the hob.
• Dumplings stay soft in the slow cooker. For a golden top, place cooked dumplings under a hot grill for 3–5 minutes.