Ingredients – Serves 4
- 4 chicken breasts, skin off
- 200g mushrooms (we used a mix of oyster and button mushrooms), sliced
- 2 medium onions, peeled and sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
- 4 bay leaves
- few sprigs of fresh thyme
- 200ml double cream
- 400ml hot water
- 200ml cooking brandy (for non-alcoholic, substitute with white grape juice)
- dash of oil
- salt
- 20g english mustard
- 2 chicken cubes
Equipment
- large non-stick frying pan
- baking tray
- whisk
- 2 containers, 1 for peelings and 1 for the preparation of onion, garlic and mushrooms
- pair of tongs
- wooden spoon
- 2 chopping boards
Method
- Pre-heat oven on gas mark 4/180c.
- Prepare a large frying pan and put it on high heat. Add some oil and salt.
- Start slicing through the chicken breast to open it up ‘as a butterfly’ (watch the video from 1:26 to see how). This will quicken the cooking process. Once chicken is sliced, make sure you wash the knife properly and change the chopping board so we prevent cross contamination.
- Place the chicken onto the hot pan and leave it to cook until it gets a nice golden colour.
- Wash your hands and start preparing the onions, garlic and mushrooms. Put everything into a small bowl, add bay leaf and thyme and leave on the side for now.
- In the meantime, keep checking the chicken. Once it’s ready, use a pair of tongs to turn it onto the other side.
- Transfer the chicken on a baking tray with all the juices and put it straight into the oven.
- Put the pan back on the hob and add the garlic, onions and mushroom mix. Give it a gentle stir and leave to cook for about 3-4 minutes.
- Now make sure that you have got the rest of the ingredients ready i.e 200ml brandy, 2 chicken cubes, 400ml hot water, 20g english mustard, 200ml double cream.
- Add the brandy and let it cook to be reduced by 3/4. You can also flame it up if you wish (watch video from 12:00 to see how). This will burn up the alcohol and makes a very tasty palate.
- Add the chicken cubes and the hot water, give it a stir with a whisk so the cubes can dissolve and let it cook to be reduced by half. This will give the sauce a nice consistency.
- Add the mustard and give it a gentle stir.
- Add the double cream and give it another stir with a wooden spoon, let the sauce come to a boil.
- Chicken should be done by now, if not just give it a few more minutes in the oven or finish off cooking it in the sauce.