Chicken Stew in Mustard Tarragon Cream Sauce

This French-country style stew is like heaven. Once you have tried it with mashed potatoes, you may never want to eat anything else ever again. Seriously.

You will need:

1.5 lbs cubed chicken (boneless & skinless thighs-cut in quarters or eighths or breasts work equally well; whatever you prefer)
2 cups chicken stock
1 medium onion, diced
1 leek, trimmed and sliced
2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 small containers fresh mushrooms, cleaned and sliced (plain white or porto mushrooms work well)
Dijon Mustard (about 2 tbsps)
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp dried tarragon
15% cooking cream (250 ml)
Salt and black pepper to taste
2-3 tbsps vegetable oil (adjust depending on whether you use white or dark meat, there will be more fat if you use chicken thighs)

In the bottom of a large pot or dutch oven heat 2 tbsps of vegetable oil over medium high heat
Add onions and leeks and sauté until they begin to clarify and soften (2-3 mins)
Add chopped garlic and stir for another minute until softened
Once softened, remove mixture from pot and put aside in a small dish

Next, add chicken pieces to bottom of pot, turning every few minutes until they are brown on all sides (about 8 mins total)
Reserve chicken (again, remove from pot and put aside)

Heat another 1.5 tbsps of vegetable oil in bottom of pot
Add washed sliced mushrooms, and sauté until most of the water evaporates and mushrooms begin to brown
Add leek and onion mixture back into the pan, stirring together with mushrooms;
Next add the lemon juice, tarragon, salt, pepper and chicken stock, deglazing the pan (scrape up any browned bits of chicken or leek which have stuck to the bottom)
Allow the mixture to come to a boil, then add back in chicken, and half the cream, stirring
Reduce heat, and allow mixture to simmer on medium low heat for 30 mins, stirring occasionally and adjusting salt and pepper to taste.

When sauce has thickened to thin gravy consistency and the chicken is tender and cooked through, it is ready to serve.

Best (as noted above) served with mashed potatoes, but also good with simple crusty bread and a green salad.

Bon appétit!

Chicken Cesar Pockets

Make a bunch, freeze them, and microwave when you're feeling lazy. These make a great meal.

Ingredients
2 packages Grands!(c) Pillsbury croissant dough (enough for 8 croissants.)
1/2 cup spinach chiffonade
1/2 cup Italian tomato, cored and seeded, sliced into rings
1/4 cup baby sweet peppers, sliced into rings
1/2 of a small red onion, sliced in half-rings
1/2 cup grated mozarella
2 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
2 strips cooked bacon
1 tsp olive oil
4 Tbsp ranch or cream dressing
Salt, pepper, rosemary and marjoram to taste

Directions
1) Preheat oven to 350F.
2) Brush 1/2 tsp olive oil on chicken breasts, season with salt, pepper, rosemary and marjoram, bake for 30 minutes.
3) Turn chicken over, brush remaining oil, season, and return to oven for 20 minutes.
4) Allow chicken to cool 5 minutes before slicing into strips approximately 1/2" wide.
5) Using one full square (two crescent triangles) per serving, place into the centre of the square
a) 1/8 cup spinach,
b) 1/8 of the red onion,
c) a handful of peppers,
d) 1/8 cup tomato,
e) 1/2 of a chicken breast, in slices,
f) 1/8 cup of grated cheese,
g) 1 Tbsp salad dressing
h) 1/2 strip bacon, cut into 1/2" square pieces
6) Pull the left side over the top, seal top and bottom, and pull the right side over. This will create a pocket of dough.
7) Place seam-sides down (flipping the above pocket upside-down) on a baking sheet. Bake in 350F oven for 20-25 minutes, checking at 20 for a hardened golden brown shell that sounds hollow when knocked lightly.
8) Allow to cool for 5 minutes.

Makes 4 large pockets.