This hearty meal is perfect for busy days.

Most of us don't want to spend more time than we have to in the kitchen, especially when we all lead busy lives that mean we have a hundred other things we'd rather be doing than making dinner. But thankfully, if you have a busy Saturday ahead of you, or you're looking to plan a tasty midweek meal for next week, Mary Berry has you covered with a quick and easy one-pot fricassee.

The former Great British Bake Off judge said she makes the tasty chicken stew as a "midweek supper," and it can be made up to one day in advance, meaning you could make it this weekend to kick start your week. What's more, it only takes 20 minutes to prepare and can be slowly cooked in the oven.

Mary shared her recipe in her cookbook, and said: "We often have friends round for a midweek supper and this is a perfect dish to make ahead. We like chicken thighs, skinned but left on the bone for full flavour, but you could also use skinned chicken breasts."

Ingredients

You will also need a frying pan with a lid or an ovenproof casserole dish to prepare the dish.

Method

First, preheat the oven to 160C, or gas mark 3. Then, start by cutting the onions into wedges, slicing the fennel bulbs into thick slices, and chopping the tarragon. Set all this to one side and add oil to your pan and heat it until hot, before seasoning your chicken with salt and pepper and searing it quickly in the pan.

Remove the chicken from the pan and set it to one side. Add the onions and fennel to the pan and cook for roughly five minutes, stirring occasionally so the vegetables cook evenly. Pour in the sherry and let it boil on a high heat until the liquid has reduced by half, then pour in the chicken stock and return the chicken to the pan.

Bring the mixture to a boil, cover the pan with a lid, and then transfer it to the oven. Cook the mixture for 45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked and tender. If you're using chicken breasts instead, it'll only take around 30 minutes. Two minutes before the mixture comes out of the oven, add the cornflour in a small bowl with a little cold water and stir until you have a smooth paste.

Transfer the pan with the stew mixture back onto the hob, then stir in the creme fraiche and then add the cornflour paste. Stir on a high heat until the sauce has thickened. Add in the tarragon, sugar, and lemon juice, then season once again to preference.