One Pan Creamy herbed Chicken

This one pan chicken is a perfect dish to put together when the weather outside is getting cooler and you need a little comfort. I am particularly fond of this with creamy mash potato, but also works well with pasta or just a big helping of vegetables. With it being a one pan dish, it is much easier, less cleaning up afterwards, it is quick to get started and is perfect for people trying to multitask with getting the kids homework done, bath time, laundry or whatever you have going on, this one is a good one!

It’s hard to believe we are in lockdown- take two! This time feels a little different, the weather isn’t as good, it’s dark way earlier with the hour change and it’s all just a bit shit really! I go through phases of feeling ultra positive and energised and then feeling a bit lack lustre and bored, this counts for both life and cooking. But cooking dishes like this give me a lift. I feel like a super hero when dinner is made, homework is done and we can eat a bowl of chicken and mash all curled up on the sofa with a movie and the promise of ice cream afterwards.

As I am typing this recipe up, I am on annual leave from work. It is the first time I have taken more than one day off since the beginning of Covid. It feels totally weird to be on ‘holidays’. Six minutes into my leave this morning and I was already messaging my boss to see if he needed a hand with anything. Working from home has its advantages, the laundry never piles up and the dinner ‘mise en place’ can be prepped in advance and no need to go to the post office as I am always here for deliveries, but it is also has disadvantages, because I never leave the house apart from doing the school run and park time with my son, it feels very eerie sitting at my desk writing the blog and not working. I feel somewhat guilty or like I am forgetting to do something. Today is just day one, by tomorrow, I am sure I will have forgotten all about work. Fingers crossed.

For this recipe I use wine. I only recently started to cook with wine again. I avoided it as I was airing on the side of caution with my son being little but food just tastes so much better with wine in it so feck it, I’m gonna use it. It is also a great excuse to have a glass while I cook, “sure I may as well if the wine is already open” is my excuse. My former boss would be outraged to hear I cook with inexpensive wine, I used a cheap Pinot Grigio for this recipe. My boss always said that you should only cook with wine that you would enjoy drinking. Ashamed to say that these days I drink anything. I took a job this year that gives me less actual take home pay so good wine was one of the things that went out the window. I’m sure we all understand that right? But should my former boss disagree you are welcome to pop me down a bottle or two of wine to cook with, you know where I live, hint hint G!

ONE POT CREAMY HERBED CHICKEN

• Two chicken breast fillets
• 1 tsp of mixed dried herbs, oregano, dill, rosemary
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves removed
• salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp of sunflower oil
• 1 tbsp of good olive oil
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 3/4 cup or 180 ml of white wine
• 3/4 cup or 180 ml of cream
• 40 g of grated/sliced Parmesan cheese
• 40 g of fresh spinach sliced
• 2 shallots, sliced not diced
• 1 clove of garlic crushed

THE HOW

Add the herbs to the chicken, and season with salt and pepper. Rub the herbs in all over.

Place a skillet or frying pan over a medium heat. Add the 2 tbsp of sunflower oil to heat. I use sunflower oil here as it has a higher threshold for heat and the herbs on the chicken won’t burn.

Place the Chicken fillets in the pan, smooth side up and sear for 2 minutes until nicely brown, turn the chicken over and sear again for 2 minutes.

Add the sliced shallots and garlic and the 1 tbsp of olive oil, no need to remove the chicken. Let the shallots and garlic cook until nicely sauteed.

While the garlic and shallots are cooking, in a jug whisk the wine with the Dijon mustard. Once the shallots and garlic are sauteed (usually 2 minutes), turn the chicken smooth side back up and then add the wine and mustard mix to the pan and let bubble for a minute and then add in the cream. I find that the cream slightly curdles due to the acidity of the wine so I don’t pre-mix these before adding to the pan.

Cover the pan and let the chicken cook in the sauce for 15 to 20 minutes depending on the size of your fillets. Lift the lid and stir the sauce occasionally.

Turn off the heat and add in the Parmesan cheese and the chopped spinach and stir. No further cooking required, the heat from the pan will melt the cheese and wilt the spinach. Serve with potatoes, mash or pasta and enjoy.