Mary Berry’s Watercroft Chicken
In this recipe from Mary Berry's BBC 2 series Mary 90, chicken breasts are stuffed with a buttery mushroom farci and served with a lime marmalade sauce.
Introduction
Over the years this has been a trusted and favourite go-to recipe. If the chicken breasts are large, slice them into three once cooked and they will serve more people. If liked, add 1 tablespoon chopped parsley to the mushrooms with the breadcrumbs.
Find all of the recipes from Mary 90 on BBC 2 in our recipe round-up, updated weekly.
Ingredients
| 2 heaped tbsp | lime marmalade |
| 25g (1oz) | butter |
| 6 | chicken breast fillets, skin on |
| 300ml (½ pint) | full-fat crème fraîche |
| juice of 1 | lime |
| lots of | chopped parsley |
| For the mushroom farci | |
|---|---|
| knob of | butter |
| 2 | shallots, finely chopped |
| 150g (5oz) | button mushrooms, finely chopped |
| 25g (1oz) | breadcrumbs |
| 1 small | egg, beaten (you may not need all of it) |
Method
To make the mushroom farci, melt the butter in a saucepan over a low heat. Add the shallots and cook for 3–4 minutes. Add the mushrooms, toss quickly, then cover with a lid and cook for a few moments. Remove the lid and fry until the vegetables are soft and the liquid has evaporated.
Remove the pan from the heat, add the breadcrumbs and egg and season well with salt and ground black pepper. (Do not add all the egg, if it seems too wet.) Set aside to cool.
Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C Fan/Gas 6.
Measure the marmalade into a small saucepan and heat gently. As it begins to melt, add the butter and stir well until it is combined and runny.
To stuff the chicken breasts, carefully lift the skin along one side and, using a teaspoon, push the cooled mushroom farci underneath the skin, then fold it back and reshape. Arrange the chicken breasts in a small roasting tin and spoon the butter and marmalade mixture over the top. Roast near the top of the preheated oven for about 20–25 minutes until golden and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a serving dish and keep warm while making the sauce.
Scrape all the bits from the base of the roasting tin, then stir the crème fraîche and lime juice into the tin and mix well. Place the tin on the hob over a medium heat and reduce the sauce to a coating consistency. If the sauce is a little sharp, add some more marmalade. Stir in the parsley and season to taste.
Serve the chicken with new potatoes, green veg and the sauce alongside.
Mary’s Tips: Can be assembled up to 8 hours ahead and cooked to serve. The raw stuffed chicken breasts freeze well.
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