We are well into Raincouver season here and I’ve just finished towelling myself off after taking the dog for a walk. Water is running over every surface outside, streaming down the sidewalks, making lawns resemble a beachside network of tidal pools and rivulets, all leading to the shallow seas forming around the storm drains at the corners of each street.
It’s the sort of weather that demonstrates the exact extent of water resistance in outerwear, but the temperatures are mild and the rivulets of water streaming through my hair were cool, not frigid. I’m grateful that it only takes one cup of tea to warm up, but it’s still not the sort of weather that would tempt me to run out for a forgotten ingredient.
Enter Chicken Breasts Diable. Though it sounds adventurous, as long as you remember to pick up the chicken, it won’t send you running out into the rain for anything you don’t already have in your kitchen. The devil in this dish is Dijon mustard and it forms a very mildly piquant pan sauce when combined with shallots, garlic, white wine, and cream. I substituted milk for cream, as I often do. I also skipped the Worcestershire sauce, because I haven’t been able to find a gluten-free brand (admittedly, I haven’t tried very hard). I did add a very small dab of HP Sauce to the pan, since both Worcestershire and HP are tamarind-based. I think it worked pretty well as a substitute, but it really has to be no more than a dab, or it could overwhelm the sauce. Someday I’ll remember to look for gluten-free Worcestershire sauce beyond my usual haunts, but until then, I’m glad my favourite breakfast condiment can pinch hit for it. (In case you’re wondering, HP Sauce is to the Commonwealth what ketchup is to North America. Canadians often play for both teams.)
It’s not my favourite one-pan recipe from this cookbook (that would be Chicken, Apples, and Cream à la Normande), but it’s another recipe that’s going to be making repeat appearances. It doesn’t hurt that it’s comforting and warm without being heavy – perfect for this in-between time of year. With the lemon spinach that’s coming up later this month and celery root puree, this was a lovely meal.
You can find many other blogged descriptions of this week’s FFWD recipe here: Chicken Breast Diable
One Wet Foot 
You sound like a bit of a foodie and your delicious experiments sound perfect to enter into our new link up!
You’re constantly trying new things, so you have heaps of options.
It’s a called Our Growing Edge and it’s about pushing your culinary boundaries and sharing your food adventures with other foodies. It’s a great way to meet new foodies, and see who’s doing what and inspiring each other!
Check it out – http://keepingupwiththeholsbys.com/2013/03/01/our-growing-edge-a-monthly-food-link-up/
You had me at Devil’s Chicken 😉
We really enjoyed this and would like to try it with fish, or beef.
We don’t get much rain in SoCal…
Meeting Mary was amazing! It was like we’d know each other for years!
What a great idea to serve it with the celery root purée! Yum! Perfect for a rainy day!
Raincouver, huh?
Spinach and celery root puree sound like great sides. Rainy day, cold day – this would definitely hit the spot.
It seems that I was one of the few to not kill two birds with one stone and make the spinach this week as well. But as you astutely noticed, I did make the crumb coated broccoli and it was a great side.
Such a lovely post describing the rain……. You add another item to my “I’m thankful for” list…thankful I don’t need to search for gluten free. I think the devil in this recipe was the rain. I also enjoyed the chicken, apples, cream recipe lots, but I was surprised by how much my family liked today’s recipe
Beautiful dish:) I am glad you enjoyed it. My family liked this dish so it will be making it to our dinner table again. Hope you have a nice weekend:)
I want a cup of tea simply after reading that post- phew. Raincouver indeed 🙂 And for the record, I tend to not run out for a forgotten ingredient even when the sun is shining 🙂 We definitely enjoyed this one pan wonder and I look forward to making it again but with a different brand of mustard. Mine was just too ……diable 🙂
Perfect pairing. I know I’m crazy but I always get energy from the rain. I know…we don’t get a lot of it here but I love it. And when I lived abroad it rained all the time and I loved it. I would also love it with mustard. 🙂
Teresa, what a lovely post – I always enjoy my “visists” so much. We had a real spring day today and we actually spend the day outside, enjoying the sunshine at one of our favorite farms and getting some wonderful fresh produce there…be that as it may…your chicken looks wonderful with that delicious sauce and I agree, the lemon spinach and celery root purée sound like they were the perfect pairing for this chicken dish – my kids are now torn between this recipe and the Norman chicken (which I prefer).
Have a lovely (and not too rainy) weekend!
Sounds like a fabulous meal! Thank you for the kind note, Teresa…it meant the world.
The joys of walking the dog in all weather, and the restorative value of tea! I can so relate. I sit here sipping from my mug after trudging through melting snow. The sun was shining, though. I think this my second most favorite chicken recipe from the book, though top honors go to the Lazy People Chicken, rather than the Norman one. I love the piquancy of the mustard in this one. Hope you have a great weekend.
This was such a surprisingly good sauce. I think I do prefer a la Normande too, but the husband loved this, and I certainly enjoyed it. And it’s so nice to have everything needed already in the house! Not that we have to brave any rain here, just a lack of it! Your description of the Vancouver weather had me wishing for a rainstorm! Oh, well. Your chicken looks fabulous!
We needed Worcestershire sauce without preservatives, I ended up making my own and freezing it in small batches. Good luck.
I agree that this is a keeper of a dish – loved it.
I like the idea of using HP sauce. I will have to try that! Your dish looks great. Stay dry and warm. Summer is nearly here… that’s all I keep saying!
I have never heard the term “Raincouver season” before, but as a former Seattleite I know exactly what you are talking about! I love dishes like this that can be made on a whim without leaving home.
it sounds perfect paired with the chicken Diable and celery root puree