Chicken with Wild Mushrooms

serves 4

Ingredients

500ml medium dry cider
4 boneless chicken breasts
A knob of butter
A slug of olive oil
250g smoked bacon lardons
4 medium shallots, diced
2 garlic cloves, diced
A handful of fresh thyme
400g mushrooms
If using wild mushrooms, a mixture of cepes, morelles and chanterelles give a good contrast of texture
Alternatively, a selection of sliced flat, chestnut and small button mushrooms
Salt & black pepper
2 - 3 tablespoon double cream

Method

In a shallow pan, gently simmer the chicken breasts in the cider for 15 - 20 minutes Heat the butter and oil in a large sauté pan. Cook the lardons with the shallots, garlic and thyme over a gentle heat for 5 minutes.
Turn up the heat, add the mushrooms and continue to cook for 3 - 4 minutes, season with salt and black pepper. Remove the chicken breasts from the liquid and keep warm. Add the cider to the mushrooms and cook rapidly for 3 - 4 minutes until the liquid is reduced by half.
Lower the heat, add the cream and simmer for a further 2 minutes. Cut the chicken breasts diagonally into thick slices and arrange on four warmed plates. Spoon over the mushroom mixture and the thickened sauce. Serve with crushed roast potatoes and green beans.