rustic pan-fried chicken in creamy mushroom sauce

This simple Saturday lunch also makes an effortlessly elegant meal for entertaining. It's a recipe that I've made a few times now, originally adapted from a recipe that I'd had lurking around in my 'to cook' pile from 'BBC Good Food'. It's unfailing ability to hit the spot with it's creamy, tangy, garlicky mushroom sauce, has made it a favourite of mine, especially as it is sooooo easy to make! So, on that basis, because we all love dishes that are uncomplicated and easy to throw together, but look, and taste like we've spent hours in the kitchen, I thought that is was really worth sharing....

Rustic Pan-fried Chicken in Creamy Mushroom Sauce

(recipe by Alfie)

1 tablespoon oil

50g butter

handful of fresh or dried herbs (basil, coriander, parsley, oregano, thyme all work well!)

6 chicken breasts or large chicken legs divided into thighs and drumsticks

700mls vegetable stock - I like to use Marigold vegetable bouillon

300mls dry white wine, or whatever you have in the fridge

50g butter

1 onion

400g mixed wild mushrooms - although chestnut mushrooms will do just as well

2-3 cloves garlic

2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

330mls creme fraiche

50-75g ground almonds

another handful of fresh herbs to finish

• Fry off the chicken in the oil, butter, and herbs to seal it. This will take about 10 mins, until they're golden brown. You may need to cook the chicken in several batches to avoid overcrowding the pan and steaming the meat.
• Transfer to a large saucepan and pour over the stock and wine to cover the chicken.
• Bring back to the boil and cover the pan and simmer the chicken for about half an hour.
• While the chicken is cooking, fry the onion in the remaining 50g butter until soft but not coloured. Add the mushrooms and fry for about 3-4mins. Grate over the fresh nutmeg and add the grated garlic for a further 1 min, then leave aside until the chicken finishes cooking.
• When the chicken is cooked, drain off the stock. Set the chicken aside and add the mushrooms and onion to the stock. Bring back to the boil, and reduce by about a half - at this stage you can reduce it further if want a thicker sauce that will just coat the chicken.
• Add the creme fraiche, and the ground almonds and fresh herbs and simmer for 5-10 mins to heat the chicken through, and thicken the sauce slightly.

This is fabulous served simply with hunks of crusty bread warm from the oven for a sumptuous Saturday, or weekday lunch. Or you can dress it up with wild rice, and asparagus or some wilted spinach for an impressive meal for friends. Either way it really is wonderful!