When cravings for warming flavours collide with the reality of very little time, this lovely chicken and mash is everything. Amped up with parmesan, fluffy potato makes a soft base for chicken with a sultry and silky lemon and thyme sauce. Throw in handfuls of cavolo nero and give yourself a high-five.
Peel potatoes and place in a saucepan of cold, salted water over high heat. Bring to the boil and cook for 12–15 minutes or until tender. Drain and return to saucepan. Add milk and mash potatoes until smooth. Stir through parmesan and season with salt and pepper. While potatoes are cooking, continue with step 2.
Peel and slice eschalots. Heat a frypan over medium heat and add butter. When butter is bubbling, add thyme, eschalot and chicken. Season with a pinch of salt and cook chicken on one side for 3–4 minutes or until golden. Stirring eschalot to soften. While chicken is cooking, continue with step 3.
Place stock cube and wholegrain mustard in 180ml (3⁄4 cup) boiling water and stir to combine and dissolve cube. Peel and crush garlic. Pull leaves from cavolo nero and roughly chop, discard stem.
Turn chicken in pan and push to one side. Add garlic, sprinkle flour into pan and scrape the bottom of the pan to release caramelised pieces. Cook the flour, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
Add stock mixture to pan in a steady stream, stirring constantly to remove any lumps of flour. Bring to a simmer then reduce heat to low. Add cavolo nero, cover with lid and cook for 7–9 minutes or until sauce has thickened and chicken is cooked through.
Remove thyme sprigs and discard. Remove chicken and slice. Squeeze lemon and add juice to sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide mashed potato between bowls and top with chicken, cavolo nero and sauce.