You will need:

(Serves four)

  • 25g/1oz butter
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
  • 1 red pepper, cored, deseeded and diced
  • 1 green pepper, cored, deseeded and diced
  • 100g/3 1/2oz button mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 stems fresh tarragon
  • 4tbsp white wine
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the sauce:
  • 40g/1 1/2oz butter
  • 40g/1 1/2oz plain flour
  • 450ml/1/2 pint
For the topping:
  • 40g/1 1/2oz fresh breadcrumbs
  • 40g/1 1/2oz mature Cheddar cheese, grated
  • Heat the butter in a frying pan, add the onion and chicken and fry for five minutes, stirring until lightly browned.
  • Stir in the peppers and mushrooms. Tear the tarragon into pieces and add with the wine and seasoning. Simmer for five minutes.
  • Meanwhile, make the sauce: heat the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour, and cook for one minute. Gradually add the milk and bring to the boil, stirring until smooth and thickened. Season.
  • Stir the chicken mixture into the sauce. (You can add a variety of ingredients to the chicken if desired at this point. Apricots add a lovely sweetness, sweetcorn is tasty and prunes make a really special pie.)
  • Then tip into a shallow ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs and cheese and bake at 190C/Gas Mark 5 for 20 minutes until golden brown and the chicken is thoroughly cooked.
  • Serve with baby carrots or a selection of mixed vegetables.
  • Nutritional information per portion: energy 2,684KJ/641Kcal; protein 49.35g; carbohydrate 37.9g; fat 32.0g; sodium 1.5g; fibre 4.3g.