Chicken Velouté
Prep
20 mins
Cook
40 mins
Servings
4
Difficulty
Medium
This creamy chicken velouté is one of my go to recipes when I want something elegant but honestly pretty straightforward to pull together. The whole thing comes together in just an hour, which makes it perfect for a weeknight dinner that feels a bit special. I love using mushrooms in this dish because they're packed with B vitamins that support energy levels, and they add such a wonderful depth of flavor to the broth. The beauty of this recipe is how forgiving it is, plus you probably have most of these ingredients on hand already. It's comfort food at its finest, silky smooth and warming, without being overly complicated or expensive to make.
Ella x
Ingredients
- 500 gchicken breast(whole)
- 50 gbutter
- 1onion(quartered)
- 1carrot(roughly chopped)
- 1celery stalk(roughly chopped)
- 1leek(white and light green parts, sliced)
- 150 gmushrooms(sliced)
- 1000 mlchicken stock
- 200 mlheavy cream
- 2egg yolk
- 3 gfresh thyme
- 2 gsalt and white pepper(to taste)
- 15 mllemon juice
Detail level
Instructions
- 1
Place whole chicken breast in a large pot with quartered onion, carrot, celery, and thyme. Cover with chicken stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Poach for 20 minutes until chicken is cooked through, then remove chicken and set aside to cool. Strain the stock, discarding the vegetables.
Tip: Keep the poaching liquid as it will form the base of your velouté and contains essential flavour.
- 2
Melt butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add sliced leeks and mushrooms, sautéing gently for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant, stirring occasionally.
Tip: Don't rush this step—allow the vegetables to release their flavours slowly for a richer soup.
- 3
Sprinkle flour over the vegetables if desired for a traditional roux, or continue without flour for a lighter version. Pour the reserved poaching stock into the pan, stirring constantly to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
Tip: A light roux (equal parts butter and flour) can help thicken the soup naturally if you prefer a thicker consistency.
- 4
While the soup simmers, shred or finely dice the cooled chicken breast into small, uniform pieces.
Tip: Smaller pieces will distribute evenly throughout the soup and create a more elegant texture.
- 5
In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolks and heavy cream until smooth. Slowly ladle a cup of the hot soup into this mixture while whisking constantly to temper the eggs, then gradually pour the mixture back into the pot.
Tip: Tempering prevents the eggs from scrambling and creates a silky emulsion.
- 6
Stir in the shredded chicken and simmer gently for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. The soup should be creamy and smooth without any visible lumps.
Tip: Never let the soup boil once the egg-cream mixture is added, as this can cause curdling.
- 7
Season to taste with salt, white pepper, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, keeping the flavours delicate and balanced.
Tip: Lemon juice brightens the rich, creamy flavours and adds subtle complexity.
- 8
Ladle into warm bowls and garnish with fresh chervil or parsley if desired. Serve immediately while steaming hot.
Tip: A touch of fresh herbs adds visual appeal and a whisper of freshness to this elegant soup.
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