Chicken & Mushroom in White Wine Sauce

With the days getting shorter and the temperatures falling my appetite for comfort food is always growing. Whilst I do like all the fresh food that is on offer during the warmer months, a salad will simply not do anymore come November. So, that means I need warm food full of flavour, pies, stews and all things comforting.

It's also the kind of food that tends to be uncomplicated and that can be cooked after work, without 5 different pans or a store cupboard containing ingredients which are 5 years past their 'best before' date because they don't actually ever get used...

Anyway, this is one of my favourites. Chicken never goes out of season, it just needs to be adapted to the time of the year. Mushrooms add an autumnal touch and wine - well, as far as I'm concerned, wine should be incorporated into as many dishes as possible... So, here it goes...

Here's how it's done...

Peel and half the shallots and slice thinly.

Cut the mushrooms into slices.

Pour the oil into a pan and heat up, then place the chicken breasts skin side down into the pan and fry on a high heat until golden. Turn the breasts round and fry the other side until golden. Remove from pan.

Lower the heat to medium.

Put the sliced shallots into the pan and fry until they're translucent.

Add the chicken breast back into the pan and pour over the wine.

Reduce the wine to 1/3 of its original amount.

Add the sliced mushrooms, stir and cook in the remaining wine until slightly soft.

Slowly pour the hot stock into the crème fraîche whilst stirring - hot into cold will prevent it from curdling.

Chop the tarragon.

Add the fluids and the tarragon to the pan.

Leave to simmer for about 20 minutes or until reduced to 1/3.

Remove from the pan, season with a little freshly ground pepper and serve immediately.

The dish tastes fabulous on its own or can also be served with rice. A glass of chilled, dry white wine does of course compliment it...

Bon Appétit! 

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