any smart people who can cook?

[deeter]

Hi, just doing my weekly shopping. Go on random websites for inspiration and came across Cook's Basil & Mascarpone Chicken. Any idea how you would make it?

They describe it as: "Higher-welfare British diced chicken breast marinated with lemon and garlic in a basil pesto and mascarpone sauce, with semi-dried cherry tomatoes"

I'm an okay cook. Personally I would marinade the chicken in garlic and lemon overnight. Then brown it either side for colour (maybe after a little bit of a flour dredge for texture). For the sauce I'd make a roux add pesto, mascarpone and sundried tomatoes.

Am I on the right track?

Thanks in advance. Everyone in the house gets sick of chicken whilst equally only really eating chicken. Annoying people who won't fully commit to vegetarianism like I would like.

You don't need a roux if you're making a sauce with mascarpone as it's thick enough.

I'd do what you suggest but not bother with the roux. The pesto and mascarpone are the sauce. A roux on top would be too thick and rich.

Do you need the roux? I’d probs just mix jarred pesto with marscapone with some chicken stock if it needed to be thinner?
Your way sounds lovely but more work than I would put in for a midweek supper.
Hairy Bikers does a fab chicken cookbook!

I'd marinate as you say, but when the chicken comes out of the pan, deglaze with a little white wine or vermouth and then stir in the pesto and marscapone off the heat

I wouldn’t make a roux - I might just use some of the juices from the pan and stir the pesto and marscapone to warm through.

I think you'd probably get more flavour if you made pesto including the lemon and garlic and marinaded the chicken in that. I don't think you'd be able to flour dredge if it's marinaded as it would just end up making a doughy gunk.

I think I'd make a pesto - olive oil, toasted pine nuts, basil, gran padano or parmesan, lots of lemon zest and a little juice, and garlic, use half to marinade the chicken in, then pan fry the chicken and add in more of the pesto and the mascarpone to make the sauce.

I wouldnt marinate the chicken over night in lemon as acid messes with the texture of the meat if it sits for more than half an hour. Marinate in oil and herbs/spices and then add lemon when you are cooking or right before serving.

I wouldn't make a roux. I'd marinate the chicken in lemon and garlic, then roast it. While it's resting, I'd deglaze the pan, then chuck in some pesto, then finish the sauce with mascarpone.

This. Plus no roux.

You don’t need a roux, dredging isn’t needed either, no flour required. I’d marinate as you’ve described and also make the pesto in advance, just to let the flavours develop. Brown the chicken, then simmer to cook fully in the pesto (I’d also add a small quantity of quite concentrated chicken stock, or maybe white wine, just to deglaze the pan, it’ll make your sauce a bit silky and not too claggy). Basil quite near the end otherwise the flavour will disappear, then the mascarpone to finish. Starvin now!

Serve with mash and cavolo nero 🤤

Personally I would

Marinade the chicken in lemon zest, olive oil and 1 (or 2 ) bashed garlic for
30-60 min (not overnight)
meanwhile make the pesto and rehydrate the sundried tomatoes
remove the garlic from the marinade
fry the chicken
mix through the mascarpone, pesto and the tomatoes

No roux

I voted YABU because you need to lay down the law. start by showing your underlings family where the kitchen is. buy them a chicken. then eat whatever veggie dinner you have made for yourself with your feet up on the sofa. ignore their looks of despair and paltry pleadings. they will soon learn.

You can't force them to be veggie. And they're hardly annoying. It's their choice

I wouldn't simmer pesto as it'll spoil. Stir it in last before serving.

I wouldn't even bother marinading the chicken overnight. You could make a fresh pesto, just a bunch of basil, couple cloves garlic, a few pine nuts (toasted if you can be arsed), olive oil, and grated parmasan. Use a processor, mortar and pestle or just a knife and make it rustic. It keeps in the fridge for a few days and can be used on bread or as a dip too.
Then just griddle/fry the chicken( seasoned with s/p) in a little olive oil, turn when going golden and then add the pesto, however much mascrapone you like and then finish with sundried toms (the jarred ones are great). The cooking should only take around 15 minutes, serve when bubbling hot. of course you could do it with a jarred pesto but it's not as nice. A glug of white wine could also be added to make the sauce thinner.
Your way and other PPs sounds good too, I bet it will be delicious. Hope your family will be doing the washing up! : )