Herbed Chicken with Matcha Cream Sauce and Seasonal Greens

By Paul Watters, Executive Chef and Ravish Magazine Columnist

There’s something quietly luxurious about a dish that looks considered yet feels effortless to cook. This herbed chicken is exactly that kind of plate — grounded in classic technique, lifted with thoughtful details, and finished with a sauce that surprises without overpowering.

Matcha isn’t an ingredient you’d traditionally expect to see in a savoury cream sauce, but used sparingly, it brings a gentle earthiness and a soft vegetal note that works beautifully with roast chicken and vibrant green vegetables. The key is restraint: this isn’t about bold flavour, but balance. The matcha should whisper rather than shout.

Paired with tender kale, broccoli and asparagus, this dish feels nourishing but indulgent — the kind of food that sits comfortably between a midweek supper and a relaxed dinner party. It’s simple cooking, done with intention.

Ingredients

Herbed Chicken

• 2 free-range chicken breasts or fillets
• 1 tbsp rapeseed or olive oil
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
• 1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 1 small garlic clove, crushed
• Zest of ½ lemon
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Seasonal Greens

• 2 handfuls curly kale, stems removed
• 6–8 tenderstem broccoli
• 6–8 asparagus spears
• Small knob of butter or a drizzle of olive oil
• Sea salt

Matcha Cream Sauce

• 150 ml double cream
• 50 ml chicken or vegetable stock
• ½–1 tsp culinary-grade matcha powder (use lightly)
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp honey (optional)
• A squeeze of lemon juice
• Salt, to taste

Method

1. Prepare the Chicken

Remove the chicken from the fridge around 10 minutes before cooking to allow it to come up to temperature.

Season generously with salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary, garlic and lemon zest, pressing the herbs gently into the flesh.

Heat the oil and butter in a wide frying pan over a medium heat. Once foaming, add the chicken and sear for 4–5 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through, or until the internal temperature reaches 68–70°C.

Remove from the pan and rest under foil while you prepare the sauce.

2. Cook the Greens

Bring a large pan of well-salted water to the boil.

Blanch the tenderstem broccoli and asparagus for 2–3 minutes, then add the kale for the final 30 seconds. Drain well and toss with butter or olive oil. Season lightly.

Chef’s tip: For added depth, finish the greens briefly in the chicken pan with a splash of stock, allowing them to pick up the savoury flavours left behind.

3. Make the Matcha Cream Sauce

In a small saucepan, gently heat the stock and cream over a low heat.

In a separate bowl, whisk the matcha powder with a tablespoon of warm liquid to remove any lumps, then add this to the pan.

Stir in the Dijon mustard and honey, if using, and simmer gently for 3–4 minutes until lightly thickened. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice and adjust the seasoning.

The sauce should be pale green, silky and subtle — aromatic rather than dominant.

To Serve

Slice the rested chicken.

Spoon the matcha cream sauce around the plate, then arrange the kale, tenderstem broccoli and asparagus neatly in the centre. Top with the chicken, finish with a light drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of fresh herbs or cracked black pepper, and serve immediately.

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