Air-Fryer Chicken Forestière with Bacon, Mushrooms & Brandy Cream

AF-200 Crew Date Night Recipe

Air-Fryer Chicken Forestière with Bacon, Mushrooms & Brandy Cream

This is classic French bistro cooking with a Lad's Air-Frying Bible twist. Tender chicken breasts are cooked with smoky bacon, woodland mushrooms and shallots before being finished in a rich brandy cream sauce with fresh thyme. It's luxurious without being fussy and makes an outstanding Valentine's main course.

Air-Fryer Chicken Forestière with Bacon, Mushrooms & Brandy Cream
Air-Fryer Chicken Forestière with Bacon, Mushrooms & Brandy Cream preparation stage

You’ll Need


For the Chicken
2 large chicken breasts
100g smoked bacon lardons
200g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
2 shallots, finely sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
Sea salt
Freshly cracked black pepper

For the Forestière Sauce
50ml brandy
150ml chicken stock
150ml double cream
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
30g grated Parmesan
1 tsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

To Serve
Creamy mashed potatoes
Tenderstem broccoli
Fresh parsley

Optional but Dangerous
Truffle oil
Crispy pancetta
Buttered asparagus
Parmesan shavings

Method

Preheat your air fryer to 190°C.

Season the chicken breasts generously with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

Place the chicken into the air fryer basket and cook for 16–18 minutes, turning halfway through, until cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 75°C.

Remove the chicken and allow it to rest for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the olive oil, bacon lardons, mushrooms, shallots and garlic to a foil tray or oven-safe dish.

Air fry at 190°C for 7–8 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the bacon crisps slightly and the mushrooms are beautifully browned.

Carefully pour in the brandy, chicken stock, double cream, Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce.

Stir in the thyme and Parmesan.

Return to the air fryer and cook at 180°C for 6–8 minutes, stirring once, until the sauce reduces into a rich, silky consistency.

Stir through the chopped parsley.

Slice the rested chicken breasts and arrange over creamy mashed potatoes.

Spoon the Forestière sauce generously over the chicken and serve with Tenderstem broccoli.

Lad Tip: The mushrooms are the heart of this dish, so let them brown properly before adding the cream. Once they pick up deep golden colour, they develop that rich woodland flavour that gives a true Forestière sauce its character.

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