Christmas

Chicken and Mushrooms on Toasts

by:
October 25, 2010
5
1 Ratings
Chicken and Mushrooms on Toasts
  • Serves 2-4 depending on your appetites and other dishes served
Author Notes

Not only is toast one of the all-time great comfort foods, it's also an MVP in my kitchen because it's such a great way to use bread that's a bit stale. In fact, one can make the case that slightly stale bread produces the best toast for a dish like this, because it soaks up more sauce. I usually make this dinner a few days after we’ve had a roast chicken or turkey. My family loves it. The idea of adding a tiny pinch of curry powder I picked up from Russ Parsons in "How to Pick a Peach," who reports that Michel Richard often adds a touch of curry powder to sauteed mushrooms. In the background, it deepens and makes the sauce more interesting. This recipe also provides a terrific way to use up leftover roast turkey or duck. Enjoy! ;o) —AntoniaJames

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • Chicken and Mushrooms over Toast
  • 12 ounces mushrooms (2 cups sliced)(I use portabellas, crimini and, if available, one or two porcini.)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 cup white wine, divided
  • 1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1 stalk of celery, diced
  • 2 tablespoons of butter, divided
  • Salt
  • 1/4 "white curry" spice mix (see recipe below) or the spice mixture from Merrill's "Saag Paneer" posted on FOOD52, or regular curry powder.
  • 1 tablespoon flour (I use Wondra)
  • 1 ½ cup chopped leftover roast chicken or turkey
  • ½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
  • 1 teaspoon coarsely chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 3/4 cup warm chicken stock + more, to taste
  • 3 tablespoons crème fraiche or sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • Freshly ground pepper to taste
  • Toasted slightly stale sandwich bread (or whatever you have on hand)
  • "White Curry" Spice Mix
  • 2 teaspoons cumin seed
  • 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
  • ¼ teaspoon cardamom seeds
  • 1/2 of a small cinnamon stick
  • 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 4 whole cloves
Directions
  1. Chicken and Mushrooms over Toast
  2. Heat a large non-stick skillet until fairly hot, then add the olive oil and swirl it around quickly. Add the mushrooms, stir a few times, then turn the heat down to medium low. Stir for another minute or so, then leave them alone for another three or four minutes, stirring only once, briefly.
  3. Turn the heat back up to medium and cook for another minute, stirring constantly. Put the mushrooms in a bowl and, with the pan still hot, deglaze it with 2 tablespoons of the wine. Pour the wine and pan juices into the bowl with the mushrooms.
  4. Rinse and lightly wipe dry the pan. Return it to the stove and turn the heat to medium.
  5. When the skillet is hot, add one tablespoon of butter and the onions with a pinch of salt. Cook until they are translucent and somewhat soft.
  6. Add the spice mix and cook for about thirty seconds. Push the onions to the side and add the second tablespoon of butter. When it is melted, add the flour and stir it into the butter over medium low heat.
  7. Slowly add the warm chicken stock, stirring constantly. Add the mushrooms and any juices that have collected, as well as the rosemary, thyme, and the rest of the wine. Stir well to combine, then lower the heat and simmer for about ten minutes, stirring occasionally.
  8. Shortly before serving, add the chicken and the crème fraiche or sour cream. Stir gently to combine
  9. Just before serving, check for salt and correct if necessary. Add the chopped parsley and freshly ground pepper.
  10. Serve over toast. (You can also serve it over noodles, or potatoes, or rice, or whatever else you prefer. But toast really works best.)
  11. Enjoy!! ;o)
  1. "White Curry" Spice Mix
  2. Toast the cumin, coriander and cardamom lightly in a small skillet just until fragrant, shaking the pan frequently. The minute they seem to be turning a darker color, remove all of the seeds right away, lest they burn.
  3. Break the cinnamon stick into about five or six pieces. Very lightly toast it in the skillet, for no more than a minute or so on medium heat.
  4. Grind the toasted seeds, cinnamon stick, mustard seeds, peppercorns and cloves to a fine powder.
  5. Press through a fine sieve. Store in a jar and use within a few weeks.
  6. Enjoy!! ;o)
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AntoniaJames

Recipe by: AntoniaJames

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14 Reviews

NotTooSweet
NotTooSweet November 2, 2014
First a sincere thank you to AntoniaJames for answering my question about a good side dish with this recipe, saving me at the grocery store from being overwhelmed by too many choices! Served this over thick pieces of slightly stale, toasted brioche. Delicious! My husband just finished the last of it over a toasted English muffin with a poached egg on top, delivering what he called "a top ten Sunday morning breakfast dish!" Made pan-roasted Brusslies as a side.
 
JanetFL
JanetFL June 10, 2012
Just saved your recipe. I always have leftover roasted chicken and look forward to trying this - sounds delicious!
 
drbabs
drbabs April 14, 2011
love this
 
MyCommunalTable
MyCommunalTable April 14, 2011
Definitely saved this one. It is a good reminder how you can make up a super delicious satisfying meal in less time that it takes to get take out or delivery. Sounds fabulous!
 
AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames April 14, 2011
You sure have that figured out -- that so many really great things for dinner take less time and energy, and taste much better, than take-out food (especially foods in the "over-toast" food group). I've started freezing leftover roast chicken -- with the cooking juices plus stock to cover -- so I can make dinners like this one any time. Thanks so much for your comment. ;o)
 
Midge
Midge February 16, 2011
AJ, we had this last night for dinner over toasted homemade oatmeal bread. It was so delicious; your white curry really makes it. Can't wait for leftovers for lunch!
 
Midge
Midge February 16, 2011
thank you for a recipe that will definitely go in the rotation!
 
AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames February 17, 2011
Thank you, Midge! Have you seen my other recipes with "white curry" and mushrooms? During the month or two after I read about Michel Richard's use of curry to season mushrooms, I made about six different things with mushrooms, adding my own blend of curry. I don't like the bright yellow of turmeric, which invades recipes even in the most minute quantities, which is why I make it "white." If you search for "white curry" in the recipe search box, the other three recipes that use it will come up. (I changed the recipe titles and added "white curry" to the tags late last night, to optimize the result.) I'm so glad you like this recipe. Enjoy your lunch!! BTW, I have some leftover roast chicken that until a minute ago I had not decided how to use this evening. Now I know exactly what's for dinner tonight! ;o)
 
Midge
Midge October 27, 2010
Oh yum. Toast is an under-appreciated platform for all kinds of things, I think, but this looks especially delicious.
 
AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames November 5, 2010
Thanks, Midge. I agree 100% about toast as such a good platform. As I noted in one of the very first (if not THE first) recipes I posted here, almost a year ago, just about anything you'd put over noodles is, to our mind, much better over toast. And so, so easy! One less pot on a busy weeknight!!
 
mklug
mklug October 26, 2010
I should not have read this while at work, having skipped lunch. Am now insanely craving it and cannot wait to get home. "Stuff on toast" is one of my favorite food groups!
 
AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames November 5, 2010
Too funny! Toast as a favorite food group! Well, it certainly is one, here. My family can't get enough of it. When my boys are home, I make on average more than one loaf a day, and more than half of that, easily, is toasted, at all times of the day and night. And as noted in my comment to Midge, as a component of a meal, it could not be more convenient! ;o)
 
healthierkitchen
healthierkitchen October 26, 2010
Just saved this and will try next time I have the chicken or turkey leftovers. I love the mushroom riff!
 
AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames November 5, 2010
Thanks, healthierkitchen. I hope you try it. The recipe for white curry powder makes about three or four times what you need for this, but you'll find yourself using it a lot. It's actually like a "quatre epices," but of course has more than four components, and has warmer notes, due to the coriander and cumin. ;o)