Chicken à la Queen
This is dinner fit for a queen!
Ingredients
- 8 puff pastry shells, such as Pepperidge Farm brand
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- 4 ribs celery from the heart with leafy tops, thinly sliced on an angle
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 medium carrots, thinly sliced on an angle
- 1 fresh bay leaf
- Salt and black pepper
- 1/2 red bell pepper, halved lengthwise then thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 quart chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast or tenderloins, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1/2 pound thin asparagus, trimmed, then cut into 1-inch pieces on an angle
- 1 cup frozen baby peas
- 5-6 sprigs fresh tarragon, leaves stripped and chopped
Preparation
Pre-heat oven according to package directions for puff pastry shells. Arrange shells on a nonstick baking sheet, then place in oven. Bake until golden, remove from oven and let cool.
Place a large deep-sided skillet over medium-high heat with two turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Add celery, onion, carrots and bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. Cook the vegetables, stirring frequently, for about 6-7 minutes, until they become tender. Add the red bell pepper and continue to cook for an additional 2 minutes.
Scoot the veggies over to the sides of the skillet and add the butter to the center of the skillet. Once the butter has melted, add the flour and cook for about a minute. Whisk in white wine, reduce for 30 seconds, then whisk in chicken stock. Bring the liquids up to bubble, reduce heat to simmer and poach the chicken for 7-8 minutes. Add in the asparagus and simmer for 2 minutes more. Add peas and tarragon and stir to combine. Adjust salt and pepper, to taste. Turn off heat.
Place two pastry shells on each dinner plate and ladle the chicken mixture down over the top of the shells. Garnish with pastry lid tops and serve.
