This easy Chicken in Baked Bread Sauce by Jamie Oliver is a comforting, creamy dish with tender chicken thighs nestled in a rich mustard-spiced bread sauce. The crispy, golden crust adds a delicious contrast. Perfect for a simple family dinner, it uses common ingredients and can be adapted with cauliflower for a tasty vegetarian option.
Ingredients Needed
- 1 onion
- 600ml / 2½ cups whole milk
- 2 teaspoons English mustard
- 4 small bay leaves
- 2 large free-range eggs
- ½ a nutmeg, finely grated
- 2 cloves, finely grated
- 300g / 10½ oz white bread
- 4 large free-range chicken thighs (skin-on, bone-in)
- Olive oil
- 2 rashers smoked streaky bacon
- Sea salt & black pepper
How To Make Chicken In Baked Bread Sauce
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.
- Prepare the sauce: Peel, halve and finely slice the onion. Place it in a 25cm x 30cm (10in x 12in) roasting tray with the milk, mustard, bay leaves, eggs, grated nutmeg, cloves, salt, and black pepper.
- Prepare the bread: Slice off the crusts (set them aside) and tear the soft part into the tray. Scrunch and mix everything together. Dunk the reserved crusts in the mixture and arrange them around the edge of the tray.
- Prepare the chicken: Rub the chicken thighs with olive oil, salt, and black pepper, then nestle them into the tray, skin side up. Halve the bacon rashers and add them in.
- Bake: Roast for 50 minutes or until the chicken is golden and cooked through.
- Serve: Enjoy hot with seasonal greens.
Recipe Tips
- Use stale bread for better texture. Fresh bread can become too mushy, but slightly stale bread soaks up the sauce while keeping a good structure.
- Don’t skip the mustard. It adds depth and a mild kick to the sauce, balancing the creamy flavors.
- Nestle the chicken well into the bread. This helps the juices mix into the sauce, making it richer and more flavorful.
- Crisp up the bacon at the end. If it’s not crispy enough after baking, place the tray under a grill (broiler) for 2-3 minutes.
- Let it rest before serving. Giving it 5 minutes out of the oven helps the flavors settle and makes the sauce thicker.
How To Store And Reheat Reheat Leftovers?
- Refrigerate: Let the leftover chicken in baked bread sauce cool to room temperature. Transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Place the leftovers in an oven-safe dish, cover with foil, and bake for 15-20 minutes until heated through. Remove the foil in the last 5 minutes to crisp up the top.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 serving (serves 4)
- Calories: 691
- Total Fat: 32.7g
- Saturated Fat: 10.9g
- Total Carbohydrate: 59.1g
- Dietary Fiber: 4.1g
- Sugars: 14.6g
- Protein: 40.6g
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