Chicken in creamy mushroom and beer sauce with herb rice, mashed potato and egg poach

Yesterday I tried my hands on a simple continental fare for dinner and it turned out pretty yummy! I made Chicken in Mushroom and Beer Sauce with Herbed Rice topped with a poached egg and Mashed Potato. I first saw the chicken dish cooked by a friend and since I was not having any alcoholic drink for the time being, this seemed like a perfect substitute! Beer lovers are going to love this dish savoring the beer flavor with each bite as you dig in to the chicken or mushroom chunks. But all you weight-watchers, a caution for you since it has all the fattening and sinful ingredients which gives it the perfect taste. Herb rice goes perfectly with this dish topped with an egg poach and complemented by mashed potato.

Here are the recipes: Serves 5

Chicken in Mushroom and Beer Sauce

What you need

Boneless and skinless chicken cut into small pieces: Net 500 gms

5 tbsp butter

2 medium sized onions, finely chopped

2 tbsp garlic, finely chopped

150 gms mushroom, chopped

1 cup beer

½ cup fresh cream

1/3 cup cheese (preferably parmesan, though I used normal cheese spread due to unavailability)

Salt and pepper to taste

How to prepare

Marinate chicken with salt and a good amount of pepper for 2-3 hours. Heat butter in a pan till it melts. Fry the chicken in butter on low heat till it turns light brown on all sides. Remove the chicken from pan. Add the onion in the same butter and cook till it turns translucent. Add garlic and mushroom and cook till the mushrooms have darkened. Add the beer and stir lightly. Now add the fresh cream slowly and keep stirring. Add the chicken. Allow it to cook till the sauce thickens. You can add water depending on the consistency that you want.

Herb Rice

What you need

2.5 cups Basmati Rice

5 cups water

2 tsp salt

4 tbsp unsalted butter

2 tbsp milk

5 tbsp parsley leaves, chopped

5 tbsp dill leaves, chopped

Freshly ground pepper powder to taste

How to prepare

Combine the rice, water, salt and 2 tbsp butter and cook in pressure cooker, rice cooker or microwave. I cooked in rice cooker and turned it off 5 minutes before the cooking is over (when steam is coming out fully but rice cooker is still in ‘cook’ state). Keep the cooker covered for 2-3 minutes, then remove lid and add the chopped leaves, 2 tbsp butter, milk and a generous dose of pepper and mix well. Turn on the rice cooker and cook till the rice is done.

Mashed Potato

What you need

3 large potatoes cut into four pieces each

4 tbsp fresh cream

2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp milk, optional

Salt and pepper to taste

How to prepare

Place the potatoes in a pressure cooker or any utensil of your choice, add water till the potatoes are covered and 1 tsp salt. Cook till potatoes are completely boiled. Add the fresh cream and butter in a container and heat lightly till melted and mix. Mash the potatoes and add the cream and butter mixture. Add milk if you want to get a lighter consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste. Keep mixing to make the mashed potato light and fluffy.

Egg poach

Melt butter in a frying pan. break the eggs one at a time keeping the yolk intact. Sprinkle salt, pepper and chili flakes to taste and cook on low flame.

There you go.. Enjoy a classic continental dinner with some wine. Do up the table with some candles for a dinner date or play some groovy numbers to chill out with friends over a dinner party!