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Sautéed chicken with asparagus, Jersey Royals and watercress sauce

Preparation time
overnight

Cooking time
10 to 30 mins

Serves
Serves 2

By Matt Tebbutt
From Saturday Kitchen

Ingredients

For the chicken

  • 1 chicken breast, sliced
  • 2 tsp light soy sauce
  • 2 tsp vegetable oil, plus extra for frying
  • 2 tsp cornflour
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 15g/½oz unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon

For the sauce

  • 50g/1¾oz cashews, soaked overnight in water
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 lemon, juice only
  • 80g/3oz bunch watercress, stalks removed, plus extra to serve
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

To serve

  • 6 spears blanched asparagus, cut into 3 pieces each
  • 4 scrubbed and cooked Jersey Royals, sliced
  • sliced radishes

Shopping List

 

  • Watercress (80g/3oz)
  • Vegetable oil (2 tsp), plus extra for frying
  • Cashews (50g/1¾oz)
  • Unsalted butter (15g/½oz)
  • Blanched asparagus spears (6)
  • Scrubbed and cooked Jersey Royals (4)
  • Chicken breast (1)
  • Olive oil (2 tbsp)
  • Cornflour (2 tsp)
  • Light soy sauce (2 tsp)
  • Lemon (1)
  • Dijon mustard (1 tsp)
  • Chopped fresh tarragon (1 tbsp)
  • Garlic clove (1)

Alternative Ingredients

 

  1. Arugula: If you don’t have watercress, arugula (rocket) is a peppery leafy green that can work well in salads and as a garnish.
  2. Pecans: Instead of cashews, pecans provide a similar nutty flavour and can be used in the sauce.
  3. Chives: If fresh tarragon isn’t available, chives can add a mild onion flavour to your dish.

Method

  1. Marinate the Chicken:
    • In a small bowl, toss the chicken with soy sauce and oil.
    • Combine cornflour with 2 tbsp water in a separate bowl. Add the chicken, mix well, and let it sit for 10 minutes.
  2. Prepare the Sauce:
    • In a blender, blend nuts, mustard, lemon juice, and watercress until smooth.
    • While the blender is still running, slowly add oil and 50ml/2fl oz water to emulsify. Set the sauce aside while you cook the chicken.
  3. Cook the Chicken:
    • Heat a large frying pan over high heat.
    • Add oil to the hot pan and fry the chicken on both sides for 2–3 minutes until well-cooked.
    • Add garlic, butter, and tarragon to coat the chicken in the buttery sauce. Ensure it’s fully cooked.
  4. Serve:
    • Arrange the cooked chicken on a bed of watercress.
    • Serve with sliced potatoes, radishes, and asparagus.
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