Ghostly Gala Chicken Cauliflower (Printer View)

Tender poached chicken with creamy cauliflower purée and sautéed white mushrooms, finished with cracked black pepper shadows.

# What you'll need:

→ Protein

01 - 4 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts (5.3 oz each)
02 - 1 teaspoon salt

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets (24.7 oz)
04 - 8.8 oz white button mushrooms, sliced
05 - 1 small white onion, finely chopped
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Dairy

07 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
08 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
09 - 1 oz cream cheese

→ Pantry

10 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
12 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
13 - Salt, to taste

# Method:

01 - Bring chicken broth to a gentle simmer in a medium saucepan. Add 1 teaspoon salt. Submerge chicken breasts, cover, and poach on low heat for 12 to 15 minutes until just cooked through. Remove, loosely cover with foil, and keep aside.
02 - In a large pot, cover cauliflower florets with water and add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and cook until very tender, approximately 10 to 12 minutes. Drain thoroughly. Transfer cauliflower to a blender, add heavy cream, butter, and cream cheese, then blend until smooth and silky. Season with salt to taste and keep warm.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onions until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic, cook until mushrooms are soft and lightly golden while maintaining a pale color, about 5 to 6 minutes. Season lightly with salt.
04 - Spoon a generous portion of cauliflower purée onto each plate. Place one poached chicken breast on top. Arrange sautéed mushrooms around the chicken. Finish with a dramatic sprinkle of freshly cracked black pepper around — but not onto — the food to create visual shadows.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent hours fussing, but comes together in just over an hour—your secret's safe with me.
  • The creamy cauliflower purée is so silky it feels indulgent without being heavy, and the chicken stays impossibly tender.
  • There's something calming about cooking with white ingredients; it slows you down and makes you pay attention.
02 -
  • Don't use pre-ground pepper; it's dusty and will sit on the food instead of catching light like fractured shadows—crack it fresh in a mortar.
  • If your broth turns cloudy from vigorous boiling, your whole aesthetic falls apart, so simmer gently from the start.
  • The cauliflower must be drained thoroughly, or your purée will break and become grainy instead of silky.
03 -
  • Use a mortar and pestle to crack your black pepper by hand—pre-ground loses its visual impact and tastes a bit flat by comparison.
  • If your cauliflower purée seems too thick, warm a little more broth (not cream) and whisk it in to loosen it without making it heavy.
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