Chicken and mushrooms in a light tomato and white wine sauce makes a lovely warming meal in winter and can be enjoyed any time of year. This dish can be served with rice, polenta or mashed potatoes or on its own with a green garden salad. I have included the recipe for making the rice that is served with my chicken.

Chicken with Mushroom, Tomato and Wine Sauce

Ingredients:

• A small chicken cut into pieces or chicken pieces of your choice
• I small brown onion, chopped finely
• 1 large clove of garlic halved
• 600g button mushrooms, quartered
• 2 Tblsp Olive oil
• 1 small knob of butter
• 3/4 cup of white wine
• 1 cup of hot chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 1 heaped tablespoon of cornflower
• Small bunch of parsley
• 1 fresh rosemary sprig, leaves removed from the stem and chopped finely
• 3 sage leaves, chopped finely
• a couple of basil leaves, torn into pieces
• Mc Cormick’s Chicken Seasoning or other dried herb seasoning mix of your choice
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Rice:

• 1 cup of medium grain rice
• 1Tblsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 tsp stock powder
• 1/4 tsp salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and the knob of butter over a medium low heat
2. When the butter foams, add the chopped onion and cook for 5-6 minutes until transparent
3. Then add the garlic and cook for a further minute
4. Increase the heat to medium high, add the chicken pieces and brown them on all sides
5. When the chicken pieces are well browned pour over the white wine and cook for 5 minutes until the liquid is reduced.
6. Sprinkle over the chopped parsley, rosemary, sage leaves and basil
7. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and sprinkle over the chicken seasoning
8. Lower the heat to medium and add the quartered mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes
9. Then stir the tomato paste into the cup of hot chicken stock and pour over the chicken pieces, ensuring that there is enough liquid to cover the chicken pieces. Add a little hot water if needed
10. Bring to the boil and then lower to simmer 
11. Cover with a lid and cook for 45 minutes
12. Take a little of the cooking liquid and dissolve a tablespoon of corn flour and stir into the saucepan stirring through well. This should thicken the cooking liquid
13. To make the rice to serve with your chicken, place olive oil in another pan and heat on medium
14. Add the rice and stir to toast the grains for a couple of  minutes  till lightly coloured
15. Dissolve the stock powder, salt and pepper into the water and add to the rice
16. Stir through well, bring to the boil and then turn the heat to the lowest setting.
17. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes till cooked and then set aside, the grains should separate well.
18. Serve with the chicken, spooning some of the tomato and wine sauce over the rice