Serves 4

The flavour of the chickens really comes through this delicate dish so it makes sense to use good quality ones, such as Label Anglais free-range or corn-fed chickens.

At the restaurants, we marinate the chicken breasts with flavoured butter, then poach them in heatproof vacuum-sealed bags. I’ve simplified the recipe for the home, searing the breasts to give them colour and finishing the cooking in the oven. We served the dish with pommes boulangère for the party but a side of creamy mash would do fine.

100g unsalted butter
100g duck fat (or olive oil)
3 garlic cloves, peeled
Few sprigs of thyme
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 boneless and skinless chicken breasts

For the velouté
3 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
Small handful of thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp peppercorns
400ml brown chicken stock (preferably home-made)
400ml double cream
Pinch of sea salt

For the fricassee
1 medium courgette, trimmed and finely chopped
250g broad beans, skinned
250g peas, thawed if frozen
1 tbsp thyme leaves
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Heat the butter, duck fat, garlic, thyme and a pinch of salt and pepper in a heavy-based pan. Once the butter has melted, turn off the heat, leave to cool and allow the flavours to infuse. Place the chicken breasts into a large bowl and pour over the infused butter mixture. Cover with clingfilm and chill while you prepare the velouté (or overnight, if preparing in advance).
2 Sweat the shallots with a little oil in a heavy-based pan. Stir occasionally over a medium heat for 4-5 minutes until soft. Add the thyme sprigs, bay leaf and peppercorns and stir over high heat for a minute. Deglaze the pan with the stock and boil for 7-9 minutes until reduced by half. Add the cream and gently bring it back to the boil for a few minutes until reduced and thickened. Season to taste.
3 Strain the sauce through a fine sieve, pushing down on the solids to extract as much flavour as possible. Return the sauce to the pan and reheat with the remaining thyme leaves before serving.
4 Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 10-15 minutes before cooking. Heat a wide, ovenproof frying pan until hot. Scrape off the excess butter from the chicken breasts and add to the pan. Sear over high heat for 2-3 minutes each side until golden brown. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for 5-7 minutes until the chicken breasts are firm and cooked through. Transfer the chickens to a warm plate and leave them to rest for 10 minutes, lightly covered with foil.
5 Return the pan to the heat and add a little more infused butter. Tip in the courgette, broad beans and peas and toss for 2 minutes until just tender. Season well with salt and pepper. Add a little velouté and the thyme leaves to the pan and toss to coat.
6 Thickly slice the chicken breasts on the diagonal and serve with the fricassee and a generous drizzle of thyme velouté.

Times Recommends

• Gordon Brown’s favourite pud
• Five-spice butternut soup
• How to make popcorn and crisps