While this is not a traditional French dish, it sure feels French! I know I’m on an asparagus kick these days, but they taste lovely in this delicate sauce. If you don’t have asparagus, mushrooms would work too. This also looks very elegant even though it is easy to make.
This recipe is great for entertaining because you can make the chicken-filled crepes ahead of time and pop them in the oven 20 minutes before eating. The sauce can also be made ahead and reheated on the stovetop for a few minutes right before serving. Make sure to taste the sauce before adding salt – might not need it depending on the chicken broth you use. To save time, use store-bought crêpes (preferably not dessert ones – I’ve made that mistake before although the sweet/savoury was actually interesting) or use this easy recipe to make them yourself.
And if you have leftover chicken from your shredded rotisserie chicken, why not make some Californian Chicken Salad sandwiches the next day!
Chicken Crêpes with Saucy Asparagus
Servings: 4-6
Prep time: 40 minutes
Cooking Time: 22 minutes
3 tablespoons (45 g) unsalted butter
2 ½ cups (300 g) shredded rotisserie chicken (or leftover cooked chicken breasts)
1 ½ cups (350 g) ricotta
1 tablespoon crème fraiche or sour cream
1 cup (90 g) grated parmesan
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup, 10 g) chopped fresh herbs such as chives, parsley, or dill
Salt and Pepper
6 savory crêpes (around 9-inches/23 cm) – store-bought (often refrigerated or frozen) or make your own with this easy recipe
2 medium shallots (60 g), thinly sliced
½ pound (225 g) green asparagus, fat ends trimmed and cut in bite-sized pieces
¾ cup (180 ml) chicken broth (preferably low-sodium)
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Preheat the oven to 425° F (215° C). Spray a large baking dish with a little vegetable oil. In a medium bowl, gently stir the chicken, ricotta, crème fraiche or sour cream, ½ cup (45 g) of the parmesan, 3 tablespoons of the chopped herbs, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon ground pepper. You can also add some sliced scallions or onions to the mix.
Place a crêpe on a plate and spoon about a ½ cup (7 tablespoons) of the chicken mixture on half of the crêpe; gently roll the crêpe, pushing the filling back in if necessary. Place the crêpe in the baking dish, seam-side down. Repeat until the chicken mixture is finished. Loosely cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for about 15 minutes.
While the crêpes are cooking, make the sauce. Over medium-high heat, melt the butter in a medium-sized skillet. Add the sliced shallots and cook until softened, about 1 minute. Add the asparagus and cook for another 4 minutes. Add the chicken broth, remaining herbs and lemon zest and let simmer for about 2 minutes. Take off the heat and stir in ¼ cup (25 g) parmesan and season with salt and pepper if necessary (taste first!).
Place the filled crêpes on the plates and spoon the sauce and asparagus over them. Add a bit of the remaining parmesan over them and serve while they’re hot!
If you have leftovers, just reheat the refrigerated crêpes in the oven and the sauce in the microwave.
And bon appétit!
