There’s nothing better than a chicken casserole in the winter months, and Mary Berry's recipe is suitable for the entire family.

The recipe notes on BBC Good Food said: “An all-in-one dish that is really easy to cook and serve.

“Sage was often used as a dried herb in recipes but now it is readily available fresh and is simple to grow. It comes with either grey or purple leaves - they both taste the same.”

This recipe takes less than 30 minutes to prep, one to two hours of cooking time but can be made up to a day ahead, adding the mushrooms and crème fraîche when reheating.

The recipe serves four to six people and is perfect for leftovers as it freezes well, according to the notes.

Ingredients:

250g dry-cured bacon, snipped into small pieces

Two large onions, chopped

Eight chicken thighs, skin removed and bone in

Two tablespoons of sunflower oil, plus extra if needed

30g plain flour

150ml chicken stock

150ml dry white wine

Two large thyme sprigs

Small bunch sage, six leaves reserved for garnish

Two bay leaves

200g small chestnut mushrooms, quartered

100g full-fat crème fraîche 

Knob of butter

Small bunch flatleaf parsley, chopped

Salt and pepper

Method:

Place the bacon in a large non-stick ovenproof frying pan or casserole dish and fry over medium heat for a few minutes to render the fat.

Add the onions and continue to dry until the bacon is brown. Transfer the meat and onions to a plate using a slotted spoon and set aside.

Lightly season the chicken with salt and pepper before using the oil to brown the chicken. Once cooked, add it to the plate with bacon and onions.

Preheat the oven to 160C or 140C Fan and scatter the flour into the pan, gradually incorporating the stock and whisking to thicken.

Pour in the wine and return the bacon, onions and chicken to the pan. Stir well, add the thyme, sage and bay leaves, the sauce will be quite thick.

Bring to the boil, seasoning with salt and pepper before covering and transferring it to the oven for 30 minutes.

Remove the pan and add the mushrooms and crème fraîche. Stir well and return to the oven for a further 15 to 20 minutes, until the chicken is tender.

Meanwhile, heat the butter in a small pan and add the reserved sage leaves, frying until crisp.

Remove the bay leaves, thyme and sage sprigs from the casserole and discard. Stir in the parsley and serve with the crisp sage leaves on top.