Recipe - Chicken and Mushrooms in Cream Sauce

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Chicken and Mushrooms in Cream Sauce

(Blanquette de Poulet)

A classic French dish derived from the famous "Blanquette de Veau". A slight variation in this menu gives the creamy sauce colour and subtle flavours beyond what you would normally expect.

These quantities are for 2 people, so half, double or whatever depending on the number of people you are cooking for.

Blanquette

2 chicken breast filets

1 onion

1 red pepper (capsicum)

Extra virgin olive oil

50g Lardons (or chopped pancetta)

200g "Giroles" mushrooms (button mushrooms can also be used, but a forest mushroom gives a much earthier flavour)

200ml chicken stock

salt & white pepper to taste

200ml single cream

A palm-full of parsley leaves.

Accompaniment

Rice

Sprig of parsley

Cooking

20 to 25 minutes before serving - Finely chop the onion. De-seed and cut the red pepper into small squares.

Pour about 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large frying pan on a high heat. Add the onions and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the lardons and cook for 2 minutes. Add the diced red pepper and cook for 2 minutes.

Boil some water for the rice and start to cook according to packet instructions.

Dice the chicken breast into cubes of about 2 to 3 cm (1 inch cubes). Add the chicken into the pan and spread around evenly. Turn occasionally allowing the meat to cook through and leave a light brown colouring all over the outside (this takes about 5 minutes).

Wash, then cut the mushrooms into halves. Add into the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Season with a little salt and white pepper. Add the chicken stock.

Bring back to the boil and reduce the liquid to a thick sauce (not dry). Throw in a hand-full of chopped parsley along with the single cream. Mix well and allow to cook for about 3 minutes until the cream has absorbed the flavours and the sauce is slightly thickened. Taste and re-season if required.

Serving - Serve on a bed of rice which has a little parsley on top. Basmati rice is great with this dish but any rice will do just as well in fact. The red peppers and parsley brings an otherwise bland cream sauce to life in a very subtle way!

Alternatives - This base sauce can also be used with veal, pork or turkey. With veal or pork, allow a little longer for the meat to cook through, but don't let it dry out.

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