Ghostly Gala Chicken Cauliflower (Printable)

Tender poached chicken with creamy cauliflower purée and sautéed white mushrooms enhanced by cracked black pepper.

# What you'll need:

→ Protein

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

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets (about 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 (120 ml)
08 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (30 g)
09 - 1 ounce cream cheese (30 g)

→ Pantry

10 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
12 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (500 ml)
13 - Salt, to taste

# Preparation steps:

01 - Bring chicken broth to a gentle simmer in a medium saucepan and season with 1 teaspoon salt. Add chicken breasts, cover, and poach gently over low heat for 12 to 15 minutes until cooked through. Remove breasts, loosely cover with foil, and set aside.
02 - Place cauliflower florets in a large pot and cover with water. Add a pinch of salt and bring to boil. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes until very tender. Drain thoroughly and transfer to a blender. Add heavy cream, butter, and cream cheese; blend until silky smooth. Season with salt to taste and keep warm.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic; sauté until mushrooms are soft and lightly golden but remain pale, approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Season lightly with salt.
04 - Plate a generous portion of cauliflower purée, place one poached chicken breast on top, and artfully scatter sautéed mushrooms around. Finish with a dramatic sprinkle of freshly cracked black pepper around the edges to create ethereal shadows.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • It looks like restaurant-level elegance but comes together in just an hour, no special techniques required.
  • The cauliflower purée is so silky it feels indulgent, but the whole dish is surprisingly light and comforting.
  • Black pepper shadows create an almost mysterious presentation—your guests will ask what you're hiding on that plate.
02 -
  • If your cauliflower isn't drained well after boiling, your purée will be watery no matter how much cream you add—patting it dry before blending makes an enormous difference.
  • The chicken must finish cooking in the poaching liquid, not the pan; once it's cooked through, it'll stay tender and juicy as it sits under foil waiting for plating.
03 -
  • Keep your cauliflower florets relatively uniform in size so they cook evenly and blend into a consistent, silky purée without needing hours of blending.
  • Don't skip the step of loosely covering the cooked chicken with foil; it keeps it warm without steaming it further and drying out the exterior.
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