Ingredients
1 red chilli finely diced
100ml/3½fl oz olive oil
4 chicken breasts
butter
olive oil
¼ onion, chopped
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
150 ml red wine (optional)
700ml/1 pt and 5 ¼fl oz chicken stock
300g/14oz mixed mushrooms of your choice
handful of flatleaf parsley, chopped
sprig of thyme
salt and black pepper
To serve:
mashed potato
sugar snap peas
Method
1. Prepare the chilli oil for the sugar snap peas by simply infusing the chilli in the hot oil. Set aside.
2. Pan-fry the chicken breasts in butter and olive oil.
3. Meanwhile sauté the onions in a little butter until they are well coloured. De-glaze the pan with the red wine and/or balsamic vinegar. Add the chicken stock and reduce by half.
4. Prepare the mushrooms (do not wash them they will become waterlogged) simply wipe them with a damp cloth to remove any dirt, clean any stubborn bits with a toothbrush. Slice and sauté the mushrooms in a very hot pan with a little butter and oil. The heat must be really high to drive off any liquid, you don t want them to stew.
5. Once the chicken is cooked and the stock reduced, strain the liquid, add the cooked mushrooms and finish with the chopped parsley. Season to taste, adding a knob of butter if the sauce tastes too strong.
To Serve: Add some olive oil to the mash and stir well, place some of the potato in the centre of a serving plate. Slice each chicken breast in half diagonally and place on top of the potato. Spoon the sauce around and serve with the sugar snap peas as prepared below. Cook the sugar snap peas briefly so that they retain their colour and texture. Drizzle over the chilli oil and serve in a bowl alongside the chicken.
