Chicken Breasts with Green Asparagus

Recipe by: Darina Allen

Soaking the chicken breasts in milk gives them a tender and moist texture. We often serve this recipe with orzo, a pasta which looks like grains of rice sometimes called riso. Always worth having a packet in your pantry.

Chicken Breasts with Green Asparagus

SERVES

4

PEOPLE

PREP TIME

80

MINUTES

COOKING TIME

10

MINUTES

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken breasts, free range if possible

  • milk, optional

  • 110g Irish asparagus in season

  • salt and freshly ground pepper

  • 15g butter

  • 150ml homemade chicken stock

  • 150ml cream

  • roux (equal quantities of butter and flour – melt the butter and cook the flour for 2 minutes on a low heat, stirring occasionally)

  • Garnish

  • sprigs of chervil

  • orzo, optional (see recipe)

Method

  1. Soak the chicken breasts in milk, just enough to cover them for 1 hour approx.

  2. To prepare and cook the asparagus.

  3. Hold each spear of asparagus over your index finger down near the root end, it will snap at the point where it begins to get tough. Some people like to peel asparagus, but we rarely do. Cook in about 2.5cm of boiling salted water (1 tsp salt to every 600ml water) in an oval cast iron casserole. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes or until a knife tip will pierce the root end easily. Refresh in cold water, drain and cut into 2.5cm pieces at an angle.

  4. Next, discard the milk, dry with chicken with kitchen paper and season with salt and pepper. Heat the butter in a sauté pan until foaming, put in the chicken breasts and turn them in the butter (do not brown), and cover with a round of greaseproof paper and the lid. Cook on a gentle heat for 5-7 minutes or until just barely cooked.

  5. When the chicken breasts are cooked remove to a plate. Add the chicken stock and cream to the saucepan. Bring to the boil, whisk in a little roux just enough to thicken the sauce slightly. When you are happy with the flavour and texture of the sauce, add the chicken breasts and asparagus back in. Simmer for a 1-2 minutes, taste and correct the seasoning. Serve immediately garnished with sprigs of fresh chervil and some freshly cooked orzo as an accompaniment.

  6. Note: If the sauce is too thick add a little chicken stock to thin to a light coating consistency.

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