Jessica Ransom
This chicken leek and cheddar bake uses seven ingredients and only requires 5 minutes of prep time.
There are only three steps in the method of this easy recipe and you could make the cheese sauce ahead if you want to. Simply rewarm when you’re ready to assemble and finish the whole dish. We like to serve it with a salad but a side of peas or steamed veggies and garlic bread will also be a hit with the whole family. If you have leftover sauce you can mix it through pasta or roasted cauliflower.
Ingredients
- 1tbsp oil
- 4 chicken breasts, diced
- 2 leeks, washed and sliced
- 25g butter
- 2tbsp plain flour
- 300ml semi-skimmed milk
- 125g Cheddar cheese, grated
WEIGHT CONVERTER
Method
- Heat the oil in a large, non-stick frying pan and fry the chicken for 5 mins. Add the leeks and fry for 10 mins, covered.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan and stir in the flour. Cook for 1 min. Off the heat, gradually whisk in the milk then bring to the boil until thickened, stirring regularly. Season and add half the cheese. Stir until melted. You can place on a low heat to help the melting process if needed.
- Scatter the chicken in a heatproof serving dish and pour over the cheese sauce. Sprinkle over the remaining cheese and place under a preheated grill for 2-3 mins until golden and bubbling. Serve with a green salad.
Watch how to make this chicken, leek and cheddar bake
Top tips for making this chicken, leek and Cheddar bake
Transform the recipe into a pasta bake by stirring through some cooked pasta before you place the dish under the grill. You can also omit the chicken to make it veggie or swap it for some shredded pork or beef.
What can I use instead of leeks?
Leeks are part of the same family as onions. This means spring onions and chives are a good alternative. You could also use some wilted wild garlic leaves if it’s in season or try a small grated garlic clove and a couple of handfuls of wilted spinach leaves instead.
Can I make this bake dairy-free?
Swap the butter for olive oil and use your choice of dairy-free milk. We’d recommend soya or unsweetened oat milk. Add a sprinkle of nutritional yeast if you’d still like a cheesy flavour or add some spices or mustard for flavour instead.
“Whenever I make a pasta bake or gratin-style dish like this one, I like to add a crunchy topping. It provides great contrast in textures and is an easy way to add even more flavour. A mix of breadcrumbs, seeds, olive oil and salt is a simple choice but a crushed bag of ready salted crisps will also do the trick.”
We finish the dish in a large enamel baking tray and think it’s a great versatile tin to have in the kitchen.
We have lots more chicken breast recipes and healthy chicken recipes too. Try these cheap family meals if you want some tasty, budget-friendly dinner inspiration everyone will be excited to tuck into.
