Chicken with leeks, white wine and thyme
This is an adaptation of a chicken and leek stew that I used to make. This is definitely more time-consuming but I think it's worth the extra effort! By cooking the leeks separately and then returning them to the pan near the end of the cooking time, they keep their lovely, vibrant colour.
If you prefer to make the stew, simply cut the chicken into chunks and sauté along with leeks and thyme. Then simply stir in the flour, before slowly pouring in the wine and the stock, stirring all the time to avoid any lumps. Season and then cover and cook for 25-30 minutes.
Chicken breasts (1 per person)
3-4 tablespoons of olive oil
2 Knobs of butter
425g leeks
Handful of fresh thyme
100-150ml white wine
285ml chicken stock
2 tablespoons of flour
Seasoning
- Cut the leek(s) in half lengthways and then into slices.
- Remove the thyme leaves from the stalks.
- If the chicken breasts are large, cut the chicken fillet (tenderloin) from the chicken breasts and save for another dish.
- Lay the chicken breasts, one at a time, on a chopping board between two sheets of cling film.
- Beat each chicken breast with a rolling pin until they are approx 1.5 cm thick. The chicken breasts want to be flattened so they are an even thickness.
- Season the chicken.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan and then sauté the leeks and thyme over a low heat until lovely and soft. Season and set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over a medium heat until the oil is shimmering.
- Carefully place the chicken breasts into the pan and cook for 3-5 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove from the pan.
- Reduce the heat and wait for a few minutes for the temperature to lower. This is important or you will burn the butter.
- Add a good knob of butter and drizzle of olive oil.
- Once the butter has melted, stir in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes before slowly pouring in the wine. It's important that you continue stirring to avoid any lumps forming.
- Now slowly pour in the stock as you continue to stir, until you have removed any lumps of flour. A small plastic whisk is good for this.
- Season, cover and leave for 5-10 minutes to let the sauce thicken.
- Return the chicken breasts to the pan and then spoon the sauce over the top of the breasts. Cover and leave for 5-10 more minutes until the chicken is back up to temperature.
- Near the end of the cooking time, add the sautéed leeks to the pan and combine gently with the chicken and sauce.
- Serve with mashed potato, baked potato or sautéed potatoes and greens.
