Eunice Power's Chicken, Leek & Mushroom Casserole in White Wine Cream
This dish is a firm favourite with my lovely clients for parties and buffets or as bowl food. It’s a real crowd-pleaser. If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can add a heaped teaspoon of flour to the leek and mushroom before adding the stock and wine reduct
Ingredients
200ml chicken stock
200ml white wine
6 chicken fillets
30ml olive oil
30g butter
1 leek, outer leaves and tops removed, washed thoroughly and sliced
250g mixed mushrooms (or flat-cap mushrooms), sliced
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
240ml cream
small bunch of fresh tarragon, leaves stripped and finely chopped (or 1 scant tsp dried tarragon)
sea salt and black pepper
Recipe from My Irish Kitchen Table by Eunice Power (Gill Books)
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/Gas 4.
Place the chicken stock and white wine in a pan and simmer until reduced by half.
Season the chicken fillets with salt and pepper. In a large non-stick frying pan, heat half the olive oil over a medium heat. Pan-fry the chicken fillets for a few minutes on each side, until they’re golden and have a nice colour. You may need to do this in batches. Transfer the chicken to a roasting tin, add a tablespoon of the reduced wine and stock and 3 tablespoons of water. Place the tin in the oven and roast for 15 minutes. Once cooked, allow the chicken to cool.
Meanwhile, in a wide-based saucepan, heat the remaining olive oil and butter over a medium heat. Add the sliced leek and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the mushroom and garlic, cooking for another 5 minutes. Pour in the reduced wine and stock and allow it to simmer.
Next, pour the cream into a small saucepan, bring it back to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until it has reduced by almost half.
Once the chicken has cooled, tear it into bite-sized pieces and add it to the leek and mushroom mixture. Stir in the reduced cream and the chopped tarragon. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
Note: If you are preparing ahead of time, add the cream and tarragon only when you’re ready to serve. This dish is best served with creamy mashed potatoes.
