French Style Chicken Breast Blanquette and Pilaf Rice

Name: French Style Chicken Breast Blanquette and Pilaf Rice with Creme Fraiche, Lemon, Leek and Fresh Parsley
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 1 unit(s) Echalion Shallot; 2 unit(s) Garlic Clove; 150 grams Basmati Rice; 240 grams Diced British Chicken Breast; 1 unit(s) Leek; 1 unit(s) Carrot; 150 grams Creme Fraiche; 10 grams Chicken Stock Paste; 1 bunch(es) Flat Leaf Parsley; 1 unit(s) Lemon; 10 grams Butter; 1 tsp Sugar; 300 milliliter(s) Water for the Rice; 150 milliliter(s) Water for the Sauce

with Creme Fraiche, Lemon, Leek and Fresh Parsley

Recipe Development TeamPublished on August 15, 2025

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To cook something "en blanquette" refers to the French style of cooking white meat in a white sauce, which is then served with white rice to soak up the sauce. Chicken pairs beautifully with tender leeks and parsley in this recipe, and we're injecting more flavour into the rice side by building an easy pilaf with shallots, garlic and butter.

Tags:

High Protein

Allergens:

Milk

The quantities provided above are averages only.

Boxes and ingredients are packed in facilities that handles Peanut, Nuts, Sesame, Fish, Crustaceans, Milk, Egg, Mustard, Celery, Soya, Gluten and Sulphites. Due to the war in Ukraine, it has been necessary to substitute sunflower oil with rapeseed oil in some products without a label change. The FSA have advised that allergic reactions to rapeseed oil are rare.

Total35 minutes

Active 30 minutes

DifficultyEasy

Ingredients

serving amount

1 unit(s)

Echalion Shallot

2 unit(s)

Garlic Clove

150 grams

Basmati Rice

240 grams

Diced British Chicken Breast

1 unit(s)

Leek

1 unit(s)

Carrot

150 grams

Creme Fraiche

(Contains: Milk)

10 grams

Chicken Stock Paste

1 bunch(es)

Flat Leaf Parsley

1 unit(s)

Lemon

Not included in your delivery

10 grams

Butter

1 tsp

Sugar

300 milliliter(s)

Water for the Rice

150 milliliter(s)

Water for the Sauce

Nutritional information

Energy (kJ)3203 kJ

Energy (kcal)766 kcal

Fat31.7 g

of which saturates18.5 g

Carbohydrate77.9 g

of which sugars14.5 g

Dietary Fibre7.4 g

Protein41 g

Salt1.3 g

Always refer to the product label for the most accurate ingredient and allergen information.

Utensils

•Garlic Press

•Medium Saucepan

•Bowl

•Pan

•Lid

Cooking Instructions and Tips

Halve, peel and thinly slice the shallot. Peel and grate the garlic (or use a garlic press).

Heat a drizzle of oil in a deep saucepan (with a tight-fitting lid) on medium heat.

Once hot, add half the butter (see pantry for amount) and allow it to melt. Add the shallot and season. Fry, stirring occasionally, until golden and soft, 8-10 mins.

Once softened, add the sugar (see pantry for amount) and half the garlic to the pan. Stir together and cook for 1 min more. Stir the rice into the shallot and garlic until coated, 1 min. Add ¼ tsp salt and the water for the rice (see pantry for amount) and bring to the boil.

Once boiling, turn the heat down to medium and cover with the lid. Leave to cook for 10 mins, then remove the pan from the heat (still covered). Set aside for another 10 mins (the rice will continue to cook in its own steam).

Heat a large frying pan on medium-high heat with a drizzle of oil. Once hot, add the diced chicken. Season with salt and pepper.

Fry until the chicken is browned, 5-6 mins. Once browned, transfer the chicken to a bowl and cover with a lid or foil to keep warm. IMPORTANT: Wash your hands and equipment after handling raw chicken and its packaging.

While the chicken fries, trim the root and dark green leafy part from the leek and discard. Halve lengthways, then thinly slice. Trim and halve the carrot lengthways. Slice widthways into ½cm thick half moons.

Return the (now empty) frying pan to a medium-high heat with a drizzle of oil.

Once hot, add the leek and carrot and season with salt and pepper. Cook until softened, 6-8 mins, stirring occasionally.

Add the remaining garlic and fry, 1 min.

Stir in the creme fraiche, chicken stock paste and water for the sauce (see pantry for amount). Add the chicken back to the pan and cover with the liquid.

Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the liquid has thickened and the chicken is cooked through, 3-4 mins. IMPORTANT: The chicken is cooked when no longer pink in the middle.

While the chicken simmers, roughly chop the parsley (stalks and all). Cut the lemon into wedges.

When the chicken has simmered, stir in a good squeeze of lemon juice and half the parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Add a splash of water if it's a little too thick.

Once the rice is cooked, fluff up the grains with a fork.