Top News

Mary Berry's easy chicken and tomato traybake is perfect for a midweek dinner
Reach Daily Express | April 8, 2026 5:40 PM CST

It is all too easy to fall into a rut with weeknight dinners, with many households cycling through the same familiar recipes time and again. Fortunately, Mary Berry has a wealth of straightforward, fuss-free dishes that are ideal for injecting some extra excitement into your evening meal.

The beloved TV chef's recipes burst with flavour, as she puts her own unique twist on classic dishes. A highlight is Mary's chicken traybake with pesto, taleggio and roasted tomatoes, which serves six. It can even be prepared in advance and frozen for up to two months, making it a brilliant option for those looking to stock up the freezer for future meals.

Mary's recipe, taken from her Cook Up a Feast book, has been described as "scrumptious".

Love Food noted: "It's also quick to make. Homemade pesto is best, but you can use good-quality pesto from a jar if you're short of time. Serve with potatoes and salad."

Mary Berry's chicken and tomato traybake

Ingredients

  • Six skinless, boneless chicken breasts
  • A pinch salt and black pepper
  • 175g taleggio cheese, cut into small cubes
  • Three tbsp pesto
  • Two tbsp freshly chopped basil
  • Three tbsp full-fat cream cheese
  • 50g fresh breadcrumbs
  • Pinch of paprika
  • 400g cherry tomatoes on the vine
  • Two tbsp olive oil
  • One tbsp balsamic vinegar

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 220 °C/200 °C Fan/Gas mark 7.
  • Arrange the chicken breasts in an ovenproof dish, ensuring they are not overlapping. Season with salt and black pepper.
  • Mix the Taleggio, pesto, basil and cream cheese in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Spoon the mixture onto the chicken breasts, covering them completely. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and dust with paprika.
  • Bake for 20 minutes before removing from the oven. Arrange the tomatoes around the chicken, and pour the oil and vinegar on them.
  • Return to the oven for a further 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Serve the chicken and tomatoes alongside new potatoes and salad, spooning some of the cooking juices from the dish over the top.
  • Should you wish to prepare the dish in advance or freeze it, follow the steps right up until the point of placing it in the oven.

  • READ NEXT
    Cancel OK