This potato-topped chicken gratin is the perfect comfort food for chilly days. Tender chicken in a creamy sauce, and golden, crispy potatoes come together in a hearty, satisfying bake that’s easy to prepare and full of rich, warming flavours.
Whether served as a family dinner or a cozy weekend meal, this gratin delivers on both taste and comfort. With minimal fuss and maximum flavor, it’s a go-to dish to warm you from the inside out.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Yields:
4 serving(s)
Prep Time:
30 mins
Cook Time:
50 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 20 mins
Cal/Serv:
555
Ingredients
75g
butter
1
onion, finely sliced
500g
chicken thigh fillets, cut into bite-size pieces
150g
frozen peas
50g
plain flour
500ml
milk
3
thyme sprigs, leaves picked
1Tbsp.
wholegrain mustard
2
medium floury potatoes
Directions
Step 1
Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4. Melt 25g of the butter in a large pan and gently fry the onion and chicken for 10min until onion is softened. Stir in the peas, and then empty mixture into a sieve set over a bowl to drain excess moisture.
Step 2
Set aside 1tsp of the remaining butter, and then add the rest to the empty pan and melt over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 30sec. Take pan off heat and gradually mix in the milk until smooth. Return pan to heat and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened and smooth – about 5min.
Step 3
Add the thyme leaves, mustard and plenty of seasoning. Pour into a large ovenproof serving dish and stir in the drained chicken mixture.
Step 4
Cut the potatoes (unpeeled) into 5mm rounds. Arrange slices over the chicken mixture in a single layer, overlapping slightly. Melt the remaining teaspoon of butter, then brush lightly over the potatoes. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Cook in the oven for 45-50min or until the potatoes are lightly golden and tender. Serve with steamed greens, if you like.
Can this be frozen?
Yes! Complete recipe, cool completely, then cover and freeze for up to 1 month. To serve, defrost overnight in the fridge. Uncover and reheat in an oven preheated to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4 for about 40min or until piping hot.
How can I switch this up?
Some bacon lardons, fried with the chicken at step 1 would be delicious. You could also swap out the peas and add some fresh spinach instead. Use tarragon instead of thyme for a different herbal flavour, or for an extra indulgent twist add a large handful of grated cheese to the pie topping before baking.
What should I serve with this chicken gratin?
Some steamed greens - like savoy cabbage or buttery wilted spinach on the side would be great, or go for broccoli with our tenderstem broccoli with almonds.
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).
