Creamy Chicken And Mushroom Stew - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 None onions, peeled, 1 cut in half, 1 diced
1 lb chicken breasts, bone-in and skin-on
4 sprigs fresh parsley
3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed
2 None fresh bay leaves
1 tsp black peppercorns
4 tsp allspice
3 tbsp butter or margarine
1 lb mushrooms, halved
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 lb carrots, cut into thick chunks
1/2 lb frozen peas
3 None large spring onions, cut into rings
4 slices bacon
None None ground nutmeg

Preparation

Place the halved onions cut side down in a hot, thick-bottomed pan and sear for 2-3 mins. Pour 8 - 12 cups of boiling water into the pan with the onions and add the chicken, fresh herbs, peppercorns and allspice. Simmer for an hour over medium heat. Remove the chicken from the stock and set aside to cool. Season and strain the stock, reserving 6 cups for the stew.
For the stew, melt the butter or margarine in a large pan and saute the diced onions and 3/4 of the mushrooms. Sprinkle in the flour and cook briefly. Add the stock to deglaze the pan, then add the cream and carrots. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 mins. Meanwhile, remove the skin and bone from the cooked chicken then break the meat into pieces. Add the chicken to the sauce along with the peas and spring onions. Simmer over low heat for 10 mins, stirring occasionally.
To serve, fry the bacon slices in a non-stick pan until crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels to remove excess fat. Add the remaining mushrooms to the pan and saute them in the bacon fat for about 3 mins. Season the stew, adding nutmeg to taste and pour into individual bowls. Break the crispy bacon into pieces and sprinkle onto the stew along with the sauteed mushrooms.