Poached Chicken with Mushroom Ragout
My wife likes white meat chicken instead of chicken thighs. The problem is chicken breasts can become dry very easily. I decided to poach the chicken breasts in a simple broth and sauté some mushrooms to serve with them. Poaching isn't as common as it used to be, but it's the simplest way to cook chicken breasts healthily and make them very soft in a gentle and almost effortless way.
Ingredients
Poached chicken:
2 chicken breasts, boneless skinless
1/2 lemon juice
2 bay leaves, dried
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp black peppercorn
1 tbsp salt
Mushroom ragout:
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
450g / 16 oz mushrooms
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 garlic cloves
1/3 cup (80 ml) white dry wine dry (I used Sancerre)
2/3 cup (160 ml) chicken stock
1/2 cup (120 ml) sour cream
1/2 cup (50g) Parmesan cheese
Handful of parsley
Preparation
Take the chicken breasts out of the fridge one hour before cooking to bring them to room temperature.
Fill a pot with enough water to fully cover the chicken, making sure there’s a couple of inches of water above it. Bring the water to a boil.
Add 2 bay leaves, 1 tablespoon of black peppercorns, 1 tablespoon of salt, 2 garlic cloves, and the juice of a lemon.
Place two chicken breasts in the pot. Once the water comes to a boil, cover with a lid and turn off the heat.
Let it sit, covered, for 30 minutes. The chicken will be perfectly poached and ready to use.
To make the mushroom ragout, Warm a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter.
Slice the mushrooms and sauté for about 4 to 5 minutes until nicely caramelized, stirring occasionally.
Add the garlic to the mushrooms, then season with ½ teaspoon of salt and pepper. Mix well and cook for about half a minute.
Deglaze with ⅓ cup white wine, stirring well, and simmer for about one minute until the wine has evaporated.
Add ⅔ cup of chicken stock, ½ cup of sour cream, and ½ cup of grated Parmesan. Mix well. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook for another minute. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed
If you like, add some chopped fresh parsley and serve over the poached chicken breasts.
Keywords: Chicken Main
