Chicken-and-Mushroom Crepes

Mary Spotswood Underwood, a Nashville-based personal chef and floral designer, serves her signature Chicken-and-Mushroom Crepes with asparagus, citrus salad, and mixed greens dressed in mustard vinaigrette.

You can make this recipe up to 1 day ahead—perfect for entertaining a group of friends on Galentine’s Day or any special occasion. For extra ease, substitute store-bought crepes instead of making them from scratch.

CHICKEN-AND-MUSHROOM CREPES

Makes 10–12 crepes (5–6 servings)

CREPE INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 4 eggs, at room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 3 cups whole milk
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted

FILLING INGREDIENTS

• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, diced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/4 cups chopped yellow onion
• 2 cups cooked chopped boneless skinless chicken
• 2 tablespoons loosely packed fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 cup chicken stock (or poaching liquid if using poached chicken)
• 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

SAUCE INGREDIENTS

• 4 ounces cremini or shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup Cognac
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock or chicken poaching liquor
• 1 tablespoon loosely packed fresh thyme leaves
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

TO PREPARE CREPES

Combine flour and sugar in a mixing bowl. Whisk eggs and salt together in a smaller mixing bowl until eggs are smooth; whisk in milk and butter. Make a well in center of flour mixture. Pour egg mixture into well and whisk constantly, working towards edges of bowl, until mixture is smooth. Let rest for 30–60 minutes.

Pour 1/3 cup batter into an 8″ preheated seasoned crepe pan. Swirl pan quickly until batter coats bottom of pan evenly. Cook over medium-low heat just until batter is set and edges start to release from side of pan. Flip crepe and continue to cook just until set. Remove crepe to a plate. Repeat with remaining batter, stacking crepes on plate to cool.

TO PREPARE FILLING

Sauté mushrooms in 1 tablespoon butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat until moisture evaporates and mushrooms begin to brown. Remove mushrooms to a mixing bowl. Melt 1/2 tablespoon butter in pan and add onions. Sauté until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add onions to mushrooms in mixing bowl. Set saucepan aside. Add chicken, thyme, stock, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to mixing bowl. Stir gently until mixture is combined and moisture is absorbed. Adjust seasoning as needed.

TO PREPARE SAUCE

Sauté mushrooms in butter in saucepan over medium-low heat until moisture evaporates and mushrooms begin to brown. Add flour and stir to coat mushrooms. Add Cognac and deglaze pan, scraping brown bits from bottom of pan. Stir in stock, thyme, cream, and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened to the consistency that coats the back of a spoon.

TO ASSEMBLE

Spoon filling onto crepes and roll, tucking ends inside roll. Arrange seam side down on a buttered baking dish. At this point, they may be refrigerated up to 24 hours or until ready to reheat. Refrigerate sauce separately.

TO SERVE

Reheat, covered with heatproof plastic film, at 325°F for 20 minutes, or until heated through. Reheat sauce over low heat, stirring occasionally until heated through. Add additional stock as needed to return sauce to the desired consistency. Place 2 crepes per serving on plates and spoon sauce across top.