Roasted chicken breasts with wild mushroom ragout

The sauce can be prepared up to a day ahead and reheated.

After the funky food combinations from the MasterChef contestants, I like to cook simple food like this chicken recipe, but still with a special touch from the wild mushrooms. As this dish relies on the ingredients, I’d advise you to get the best-quality chicken breasts you can.

Serves 2 Prep 20 mins Cook 35 mins ragout only

1 tbsp vegetable oil

2 skin-on chicken breasts (try to buy supremes with the wing bone attached)

FOR THE RAGOUT

25g dried porcini mushrooms 1 tbsp vegetable oil

2 rashers smoked bacon, chopped

into small chunks

½ onion, chopped

½ tbsp thyme, chopped

2 tbsp flour

2 tbsp white wine

200ml chicken stock

100ml milk

50ml double cream

1 For the ragout, soak the mushrooms in 500ml boiling water for 5 mins, then drain, reserving 100ml of the mushroom liquid. Heat the oil in a frying pan, fry the bacon until golden, then add the onion, mushrooms and 100ml liquor and thyme, and cook until the onion starts to colour. Add the flour and cook for 1 min more, stirring continuously. Remove the pan from the heat, add the wine, then slowly add the stock, followed by the milk and double cream, stirring continuously. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 mins until you have a thick and velvety sauce.

2 Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Heat the oil in an ovenproof pan over a medium-high heat, season the chicken and cook, skin-side down, to crisp up for 5 mins. Turn over and transfer to the oven. Roast for a 8-10 mins or until cooked through, then rest for a few mins. Serve the chicken with the mushroom ragout.

PER SERVING 608 kcals, fat 35g, saturates 14g, carbs 19g, sugars 6g, fibre 5g, protein 55g, salt 1.2g