Poached chicken with sauce gribiche

Name: Poached chicken with sauce gribiche
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 2 litres chicken stock*; 2 garlic cloves; 1 tsp sea salt; 1 tsp whole peppercorns; 4 parsley stalks; 3 sprigs thyme; 2 fresh bay leaves; ¼ lemon; 4 x 180g chicken breasts, skin on

Neil Perry

September 5, 2016

Poached chicken with sauce gribiche.William Meppem

Time:30 mins - 1 hourServes:4

Propel the humble poached chook into culinary orbit with a super-savoury classic French sauce that’s so easy to make. Sauce gribiche goes with so many springtime dishes, whether hot or cold – consider chicken, seafood or new-season asparagus. Replace hard-boiled with super-runny soft-boiled eggs for a mayonnaise-style dressing.

Ingredients

For the chicken

2 litres chicken stock*
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp whole peppercorns
4 parsley stalks
3 sprigs thyme
2 fresh bay leaves
¼ lemon
4 x 180g chicken breasts, skin on

For the salad

4 cups of mixed salad leaves such as baby cos, frisee, treviso or radicchio
¼ cup of chopped mixed herbs such as dill, chives and chervil
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season

For the gribiche

2 small hard-boiled eggs, peeled
1 eschalot, finely diced
1 tbsp chopped baby capers
1 tbsp chopped baby cornichons
1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season
* check gluten-free if required

Method

For the chicken
1. Place stock in a medium saucepan. Smash the garlic with the back of a knife and add to the stock along with salt, pepper and herbs. Squeeze the lemon and add to stock. Bring stock to the boil then add chicken breasts. Poach gently for four minutes but do not allow to stock to come back to the boil. Remove saucepan from heat and allow chicken to sit in stock until just cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.
2. For the gribiche: dice the eggs, place in a mixing bowl and add the remaining ingredients. (If using runny soft-boiled eggs, smash in a bowl with a whisk, whisk in the oil until emulsified, then add remaining ingredients.) Stir through until well combined, adjust seasoning to taste.
3. Remove chicken from stock. Peel off skin and discard. Slice meat on a diagonal into thick pieces.
4. For the salad: Place salad leaves and herbs in a bowl and dress with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and seasoning.
5. Place a handful of salad over four plates, add chicken, garnish with gribiche. Serve immediately.