There is a particular pleasure in cooking something that looks considerably more impressive than the effort involved. This mozzarella stuffed chicken supreme is one of those dishes.
A chicken suprême — a breast with the wing bone attached and skin on — stuffed under the skin with mozzarella, parsley and black pepper, roasted fast on a high heat, and served with a green peppercorn and mushroom sauce that involves a splash of brandy and, on this particular occasion, a glass of white wine that was already open and therefore available.
The broccoli leaves came from Fran and Jérôme, neighbours who live about forty minutes away — she is French, he is Belgian, and both are generous. They arrived with copious amounts of broccoli leaves, rosemary, mint and bay. Merci.
Mozzarella stuffed chicken suprême with green peppercorn and mushroom sauce at Casa Adora.
A note on cooking chicken: the secret to a moist breast is speed and heat. High oven, short time, and rest under foil. Stuffing something under the skin helps considerably — the mozzarella melts into the flesh as it cooks and keeps everything juicy.
Ingredients for Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken Supreme
(serves 1)
- 1 chicken suprême or breast with skin on
- 50g mozzarella, grated
- A small handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- Freshly ground black pepper
- A little olive oil
- 4–5 baby onions
- 2 carrots, halved lengthways
For the sauce:
- A good handful of dried porcini mushrooms, rehydrated in warm water
- A knob of butter
- 1 tsp green peppercorns
- A few black peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf
- A splash of brandy
- 100ml chicken stock
- 1 tsp cornflour mixed with a little cold water
- A splash of white wine if needed to loosen
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C fan and place a lined baking sheet inside to heat up.
Mix the grated mozzarella with the chopped parsley and a generous grind of black pepper. Using your finger, gently ease a pocket between the skin and the flesh of the chicken and push the mozzarella mixture in. Rub a little olive oil over the skin and season.
Remove the hot baking sheet from the oven. Place the chicken on it alongside the baby onions and carrots. Return to the oven and roast for 20–25 minutes depending on the thickness of the breast. Remove, cover loosely with foil and rest for 5 minutes.
While the chicken rests, squeeze the water from the rehydrated mushrooms and place in a frying pan with the butter. Cook until they take on a little colour. Add the green and black peppercorns and the bay leaf and shake the pan. Add the brandy and cook through — flambé if you're confident the kitchen won't catch fire.
Pour in the chicken stock, add the cornflour mixture and simmer until the sauce thickens. If it gets too thick, a splash of white wine loosens it perfectly.
Serve the chicken over broccoli leaves or greens with the vegetables alongside and the sauce poured generously over.
This mozzarella stuffed chicken supreme recipe is part of my Chicken Recipes collection.
Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures – The Flexible Chef
