High-protein chicken fricassee with asparagus and peas

High-protein chicken fricassee with asparagus and peas: a creamy comfort dish with chicken, mushrooms, cream, stock and a delicate lemony note.

At a glance

• Serves 2
• Prep time: 20 min
• Cooking time: 50 min
• Total time: 70 min
• Calories: 480 kcal per serving
• Protein: 38 g
• Fat: 28 g
• Carbs: 14 g

Ingredients

• 500g chicken breast or 2 chicken legs
• 1 splash of dry white wine
• 150g white mushrooms
• 150g frozen peas
• 40g plain flour
• 100ml whipping cream
• 500ml chicken stock
• 40g butter
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Salt and white pepper
• Nutmeg

Method

You’ll need: frying pan · wooden spoon

1. Bring the chicken stock to the boil, poach the chicken in it over a low heat until cooked, then take it out. Cut the meat into bite-sized pieces and keep the stock.
2. Brown the mushrooms in a frying pan and set aside briefly. That way they get more flavour and stay pleasantly firm in the sauce later.
3. Melt the butter, stir in the plain flour and cook briefly. Add the white wine, then gradually stir in the hot chicken stock until you have a smooth sauce.
4. Stir in the cream and season the sauce with salt, white pepper, nutmeg and lemon juice. Then add the chicken, mushrooms, asparagus tips and peas.
5. Let the fricassee simmer gently over a low heat until the asparagus and peas are cooked and everything has come together.
6. Serve hot, ideally with fluffy rice. If you like, grate a little fresh nutmeg over the top at the end.

Good to know

This is one of those meals that feels light and comforting at the same time. Creamy, delicately seasoned and still pleasantly clear in flavour.

Swaps

Plain flour → oat flour or finely ground oats (more fibre) Whipping cream → Greek yoghurt or skyr, stirred in at the end (more protein, less fat) Chicken legs → chicken breast or turkey breast (leaner, plenty of protein) Dry white wine → extra chicken stock with a little more lemon juice (alcohol-free, uncomplicated)

Allergens

Contains milk, gluten and sulphites (wine); season mildly for children, and in pregnancy cook the chicken all the way through and use extra stock with a little lemon juice instead of the wine, as cooking doesn't remove all the alcohol.

Frequently asked questions

Which nutrients are in peas?

Peas contain fibre, plant protein, folate and some iron. Frozen peas are a solid choice, as they're usually processed quickly after harvest.

What do mushrooms bring nutritionally?

Mushrooms provide B vitamins, potassium and small amounts of selenium, among other things. The exact content varies with variety, storage and growing conditions.

Is the cream a problem if you're sensitive to lactose?

That depends on your individual tolerance. Cream usually contains less lactose than milk but isn't automatically fine for people with marked lactose intolerance.

Does nutmeg have any particular nutritional significance?

In the very small amounts used, nutmeg only provides a little essential oil and trace nutrients. The usual kitchen quantity is too small for any real nutritional effect.