Name: Chicken and leek bake
Total time: 1 h
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 3 tbsp olive oil; 500g skinless chicken thigh fillets, cut into chunks; 4 rashers streaky bacon, chopped; 2 leeks, washed and sliced; 4 sprigs thyme, plus leaves stripped from 6 sprigs; 1 tbsp English mustard; 350g ready-made cheese sauce; 50g cheddar; 100g breadcrumbs

A rectangular chicken and leek bake with a serving spoon in it

3 tbsp olive oil
500g skinless chicken thigh fillets
cut into chunks
4 rashers streaky bacon
chopped
2 leeks
washed and sliced
4 sprigs thyme
plus leaves stripped from 6 sprigs
1 tbsp English mustard
350g ready-made cheese sauce
50g cheddar
100g breadcrumbs

Method

step 1
Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a non-stick frying pan, season the chicken fillets well and fry with the bacon for 3-4 minutes, turning, until golden brown. Tip into a 20cm x 30cm baking dish. Add the leeks to the pan with a pinch of salt and cook gently for 10 minutes until softening, then add the thyme sprigs, mustard, cheese sauce and 50ml of water, and mix well. Tip into the baking dish and mix well again.
step 2
Mix together the cheese and breadcrumbs, then sprinkle evenly all over the chicken and leeks, drizzle the rest of the oil and sprinkle over the thyme leaves.
step 3
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden and bubbling. Serve with a big green salad, if you like.