I don’t cook much French, but when I do I know I can’t go wrong with a recipe from Julia Child. In her cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 1, the Supremes De Volaille Aux Champignons is not to be ignored.
Don’t let the long French description scare you away from making this recipe. Yes it’s super French in the sense that there’s butter, wine and cream involved, and even a small French cooking technique is to be learned, but it’s actually very simple to make. Best of all you only need just ONE pot for the entire recipe. Less dishes equals less mess and less work. Can’t get any better than that!
The sauce is very light but it surely doesn’t lack any flavor. Julia first bakes the mushrooms, allowing the flavors to concentrate before the liquids (chicken stock, wine, cream) are added in to make this creamy flavorful sauce.
Julia’s Chicken with Mushroom Cream Sauce is simple enough for a weeknight dinner yet elegant enough for a formal dinner party. Serve it with a side of potatoes, steamed/roasted vegetables, or even with some rice or quinoa. The MNSDK house salad is also a perfect pairing. Click here for the recipe: MNSDK House Salad
Bon appétit!
Recipe adapted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 1 by Julia Child. I have adjusted the proportions from Julia’s (hers served 4) to accommodate my family of 5.
Chicken with Mushroom Cream Sauce
A chicken recipe with a light and creamy mushroom cream sauce. It's simple yet elegant. You'll love it.
Ingredients
- 6 chicken breasts
- 1 lemon
- salt and pepper
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 500g mushrooms (any variety), sliced
- 1 sheet of parchment paper (one side lined with butter)
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 cup dry vermouth/port
- 1.5 cups heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 2-3 sprigs thyme (optional)
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard (optional)
Directions
- Step 1 Preheat oven to 400 degrees Farenheit (204 degrees Celsius).
- Step 2 Rub the chicken with lemon juice, and lightly sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Set aside.
- Step 3 In an oven-proof pot (like a Dutch oven/Le Creuset) heat butter on medium-high. Once it’s bubbly/foaming add in the chicken breast pieces. Cook each side for 3 minutes. Then take the chicken pieces out and set aside for later. (At this point the chicken is not fully cooked. Don’t worry, it will be baked later.)
- Step 4 In the same pot add in the shallots and sauté for about a minute without browning. Then add in the mushrooms and sauté lightly for about 2 minutes, just until the mushrooms are lightly browned. Sprinkle with salt. (*see pic)
- Step 5 TIP: Use a dry brush or dry paper towel to clean your mushrooms. Add the chicken pieces back in the pot. (*see pic)
- Step 6 Grease one side of your parchment paper with butter. Then place it (buttered side down) over the chicken. (*see pic) Cover the pot with its lid and then put the entire pot into the oven. Bake for 30 minutes. (This step helps concentrate the flavors of the mushrooms and further cook the chicken.)
- Step 7 Once baking is done remove the chicken pieces and set aside on a plate.
- Step 8 MAKE THE SAUCE. Add the chicken stock and wine to the same pot with butter/mushrooms/shallots. If you are using thyme and mustard add it in now too. On medium-high heat boil down until it becomes thicker.
- Step 9 Stir in 1 cup heavy cream and boil down again over medium-high heat until cream has thickened slightly. If you want a creamier sauce add in additional heavy cream.
- Step 10 Turn off heat and taste for seasoning. (Add drops of lemon juice to taste, if desired.)
- Step 11 To serve you can either add the chicken back into the pot so that the chicken absorbs a bit of the sauce before it is served, or you can place your chicken directly on serving plates and pour the sauce right over the chicken.
- Step 12 Finish with a sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley before serving.