His Favourite one

I had an appointment to meet Marisa at 5:30 PM. Her place is just a stone's throw from my flat—I'm in number 2, she's in number 1. 

At 4:45 PM, Sinyo asked me to make Chicken Breast in Creamy Mushroom Sauce. I immediately went to the kitchen, frying chicken and boiling potatoes for mashed potatoes. Then, I texted Marisa, saying I'd be 15 minutes late because I had to make a quick dash to the supermarket for cream and parmesan cheese. Back from the store, I put my nose to the grindstone and finished cooking. Right at 5:45 PM, dinner was on the table for Sinyo, and I legged it over to Marisa's place. Hahaha, I got back at 7 PM and found half the food left, 'for you,' Sinyo said. He was over the moon about that dish, saying it was just that good.

Jackie| Balaclava 

CRISPY CHICKEN

2 chicken breasts

1/2 tsp salt

black pepper

1/4 cup flour

15g / 1 tbsp unsalted butter

Mushroom Sauce

30g / 2 tbsp unsalted butter

300g mushrooms

2 garlic cloves , minced

1/2 cup chicken stock 

1 cup thickened / heavy cream

1/2 cup parmesan

Split breast: 

Cut each breast in half horizontally to form 4 thin steaks in total.

Dust with flour: Sprinkle each side with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with flour and use your fingers to spread it all over the surface.

Cook chicken: 

Melt 15g butter in a large non-stick frying pan over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook each side for 2 1/2 minutes until golden brown and just cooked through. Remove from pan, cover and keep warm.

Cook mushrooms: In the same frying pan, add remaining butter and increase heat to high. Add mushrooms and cook for 4 minutes, until starting to turn golden brown on the edges.

Add garlic later: 

Then add garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper, and continue cooking for another minute until both garlic and mushrooms are golden.

Make creamy sauce: 

Add chicken stock, cook vigorously for 1 minute so it mostly evaporates. Then add cream, lower heat to medium and simmer for 2 minutes until it reduces and thickens slightly.

Add parmesan: Stir in parmesan, taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Finish chicken in sauce: 

Return chicken to sauce for 30 seconds (to warm through slightly.) Garnish with chives and serve as-is in the pan, for people to help themselves (or transfer to serving platter, if you prefer). Alternatively, serve a portion of chicken onto each plate, spoon sauce over and garnish with more chives.

Sides: Ideal served with mashed potato or rice – something to soak in that amazing sauce!