Chicken is arguably the most versatile meat and pairs perfectly with seasonal greens.
Asparagus is the epitome of a British spring vegetable, grown widely across the UK.
Norfolk, Kent and The Vale of Evesham, Worcestershire are all particularly well-known spots for some of the nation’s best asparagus and are well-placed in this recipe by Mary Berry.
Sharing the recipe from her cookbook Mary Berry’s Absolute Favourites, the chef said: “This creamy chicken dish is easy to prepare ahead so perfect for a dinner party.”
While it’s enough on its own, it pairs well with rice or baby potatoes.
Method
Start by preheating the oven to 180C/160C fan, Gas 4 before moving on to the chicken.
Take a large, deep, ovenproof frying pan and add half the butter along with half of the oil.
Next, season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and fry for two minutes, in batches if necessary. When both sides of the chicken breasts are golden-brown, remove them from the pan and set aside.
Add the remaining butter and oil to the pan, then quickly quarter the shallots lengthwise. Fry them over high heat for five to 10 minutes (they should be golden by this point).
Put the flour in a bowl, whisk in eight tablespoons of the stock and mix the ingredients together until smooth. Add to the pan of shallots and bring to the boil, then pour in the remaining stock.
Add the lemon thyme and return the chicken to the pan. Now cover the pan with a lid and cook in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
Just before serving, trim the tip from each asparagus spear and slice the stem into short, even lengths. Cook the tips and sliced stems in boiling salted water for three minutes then drain, reserving the tips for a garnish.
To make the sauce, stir the lemon juice, crème fraîche and parsley into the pan with the cooked chicken.
Add the sliced asparagus stems and bring to a boil, remove the chicken, and slice each breast into three before plating up.
Finally, spoon over the sauce and arrange two asparagus tips in a cross over the top.
