Mary Berry Chicken Tartiflette​ Recipe

This chicken tartiflette is a comforting bake of tender potatoes, juicy chicken, smoky bacon and melted cheese. Inspired by the flavours of the French Alpine classic, it has a creamy centre and a golden, bubbling top. It is an easy recipe for home cooks, with a few simple steps before everything goes into the oven. Allow about 1 hour and 20 minutes from start to finish, including a short rest before serving.

What Is Chicken Tartiflette?

Traditional tartiflette combines potatoes, onions, bacon and Reblochon cheese in a rich baked dish. This chicken version adds diced chicken breast to make it a satisfying main course. It is a Mary Berry-inspired interpretation rather than a claim to reproduce an official recipe.

Chicken Tartiflette Ingredients

This recipe serves 4. You will need a medium baking dish, roughly 25 x 20cm, a saucepan and a large frying pan.

For the Potato and Chicken Filling

• 800g waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into 5mm slices
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 400g boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 150g smoked bacon lardons
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the Creamy Topping

• 150ml double cream
• 100ml chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 200g Reblochon cheese, sliced, rind left on

How to Make Chicken Tartiflette

• Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 200°C or 180°C fan. Place a shelf in the middle of the oven and have a 25 x 20cm baking dish ready.
• Cook the potatoes: Put the sliced potatoes in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, until just tender but still holding their shape. Drain well and set aside.
• Brown the chicken: Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, turning until lightly golden. Transfer to a plate; it will finish cooking in the oven.
• Cook the bacon and onion: Add the bacon to the same pan and fry for 3 minutes. Add the onion and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring, until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
• Mix the sauce: In a small jug, stir together the double cream, chicken stock and Dijon mustard. Season with black pepper. The bacon, stock and cheese are salty, so taste before adding any extra salt.
• Assemble the tartiflette: Arrange half the potatoes in the baking dish. Add the chicken and bacon mixture, then cover with the remaining potatoes. Pour the cream mixture evenly over the top and arrange the cheese slices over the potatoes.
• Bake: Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cheese is golden and the sauce is bubbling. Check that the chicken has reached 74°C in the centre of the largest pieces and that the potatoes are tender.
• Rest and serve: Leave the dish to rest for 10 minutes before serving. This gives the sauce a little time to settle and makes the portions easier to lift out.

Tips for the Best Chicken Tartiflette

How do I stop the potatoes from falling apart?

Choose waxy potatoes and simmer them only until a knife meets a little resistance. They will continue cooking in the oven, so there is no need to make them completely soft in the saucepan.

How can I prevent a watery tartiflette?

Drain the potatoes thoroughly before layering them. Measure the stock carefully and allow the finished bake to rest for 10 minutes so the sauce can settle.

What can I use instead of Reblochon?

Camembert or Brie will give a similarly soft, creamy topping, although the flavour will be different. Slice the cheese with the rind on and distribute it evenly over the dish.

How do I keep the chicken tender?

Cut the chicken into evenly sized pieces and brown it briefly rather than cooking it through in the pan. Finish cooking it in the oven, checking the largest pieces with a food thermometer.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve with a crisp green salad and a sharp mustard vinaigrette.
• Add steamed green beans or broccoli for a simple vegetable side.
• Offer cornichons alongside to balance the creamy cheese.
• Use crusty bread to mop up the sauce.

Storage and Reheating

Room Temperature

Do not store the tartiflette at room temperature. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking, or within 1 hour if the room is above 32°C.

Refrigerator

Transfer leftovers to a covered container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat in a covered ovenproof dish at 180°C or 160°C fan until piping hot throughout and the centre reaches 74°C. The time will depend on the portion size; add a small splash of milk if the sauce looks dry.

Freezing

Freeze cooled portions in airtight containers for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat until the centre reaches 74°C. The cream sauce may separate slightly, but the dish will still be enjoyable.

Nutrition

Approximate values per serving, based on 4 servings:

• Calories: 760 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 40g
• Protein: 45g
• Fat: 45g
• Saturated fat: 24g
• Sodium: 1,100mg

Nutrition values are estimates and will vary with the ingredients and brands used.

FAQs

Recipe Card

Chicken Tartiflette

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: MainCuisine: French-inspiredDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Total time

1

hour 

10

minutes

A Mary Berry-inspired chicken tartiflette with tender potatoes, smoky bacon and a creamy Reblochon topping.

Ingredients

• 800g waxy potatoes, peeled and sliced

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 400g boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced

• 150g smoked bacon lardons

• 1 large onion, thinly sliced

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 150ml double cream

• 100ml chicken stock

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 200g Reblochon cheese, sliced

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 200°C or 180°C fan. Have a 25 x 20cm baking dish ready.
• Simmer the potato slices for 8 to 10 minutes until just tender. Drain well.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Brown the chicken for 4 to 5 minutes, then transfer to a plate.
• Fry the bacon for 3 minutes. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
• Mix the cream, stock and mustard in a jug. Season with black pepper.
• Layer half the potatoes, the chicken and bacon mixture, and the remaining potatoes in the dish. Pour over the sauce and top with the cheese.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden and bubbling. Check that the largest chicken pieces reach 74°C.
• Rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

• Use Brie or Camembert if Reblochon is unavailable.
• Drain the potatoes well to avoid a watery sauce.
• Total time includes 10 minutes of resting.