Weeknight Tuscan Chicken

I love an easy weeknight recipe that can be made with pantry staples and a handful of fresh ingredients. It goes without saying that it needs to be completely delicious too, the kind of supper that you can’t wait to  add to your favourite list. This Weeknight Tuscan Chicken is one such recipe. It never fails to elicits the quiet murmurings o.f pure pleasure. The recipe is from my cookbook, Bibby’s More Good Food.  And, from reader feedback, it’s been one of the most made supper recipes.

Although you’d be hard pressed to find the recipe on a Tuscan menu, it does a fine job of conjuring up a romanticised taste of Italy. There’s rosemary, Parmesan and sun-dried tomatoes. How can it be anything but good? Every time I make this dish, everyone reaches for the bread, mopping every last bit of rosemary cream sauce. I hope you love it too!

Ps If you need a good crusty bread to go with the chicken, my Overnight Ciabatta is a more than willing, and able, sauce absorber!

Weeknight Tuscan Chicken

 Serves 4 

olive oil, for cooking
4 free range, boneless skinless chicken fillets
1 teaspoon herbs de Provence
2 sprigs rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped
1 large shallot, finely diced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
zest of 1 lemon
6-8 sundried tomatoes, thinly sliced
60 ml white wine (Chenin Blanc)
80 ml chicken stock
125 ml fresh cream
1 teaspoon corn flour combined with 2 tablespoons milk
25 g Parmesan, grated
several lemon slices, to finish

How to make Tuscan Chicken

Place the chicken between two sheets of baking paper and pound lightly to flatten and tenderise. Season on both sides with the herbs, rosemary, salt and pepper.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a wide-based pan. Place the chicken in the hot oil and cook without turning, until golden, about 5 minutes. Turn and cook for a further 4 minutes. Remove the chicken and set aside.

Add a little more oil to the pan and sauté the shallots until softened, about 6 – 8 minutes. Add the garlic, lemon zest and sun dried tomatoes and cook for about 2 minutes.

Deglaze with the wine, scraping up all the sticky bits and reduce slightly. Stir in the stock, cream and cornflour slurry. Bring up to a simmer, then add the Parmesan and stir through. Nestle the chicken in the sauce and simmer until reduced and thickened, around 3-4 minutes should do.

Add lemon slices and serve immediately.

For all our overseas readers, Bibby’s More Good Food is available on Amazon.com and Amazon UK.