Chicken Stew

This is a basic chicken stew and is absolutely fantastic as a filling for chicken pies or tarts. 

• 180g cubed chicken breast
• 60g diced carrot 
• 100g cubed potato
• 7-8 pieces of mushroom - sliced
• 70g chopped shallot  or onion
• 65g chopped leek (1 small)
• 1 clove of finely chopped garlic
• 1 bay leaf
• 200ml of chicken voluté
• 100ml milk
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

In a large pan, heat one of the tablespoons of oil and then add the chicken. Fry until it is beginning to turn brown and then transfer it to a bowl.  In the same pan, heat up the remaining tablespoon of oil and put in the shallot (or onion), carrot, leek, potato and garlic. 

Fry them until they softened. Pour some chicken broth or water and bay leaf, bring it up to the boil and reduce  by half. Then mix in the chicken and season with salt & pepper.  

Pour in the voluté, bring it up to a gentle simmer and cook it for 20 minutes with the lid on, stirring regularly.
Add the milk, check the seasoning and serve. 

Voluté is not a sauce, more a thickened stock. It is made in a very similar way to Béchamel sauce and is most often used as a base for other sauces. It can also be used to thicken soups and stews.

• 20g plain flour
• 20g unsalted butter
• 400ml stock - chicken or beef

Heat the saucepan in a low heat  and add  butter. Add the flour to the melted butter and stir vigorously to cook the flour. When you see the mixture has turned light brown, pour the stock and stir to break up the lumps. Keep whisking until you get a smooth paste and add some seasoning. Remove from the heat.

Enjoy...jue 
recipe modified  from Really Nice Recipe