1 Place chicken breasts into a large pan. Add the vegetables, bay leaf and peppercorns and cover with water.

2 Place the pan over a low heat and slowly bring to the boil, then simmer for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is completely cooked through.

3 Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon, place onto a plate and keep warm.

4 Strain the cooking liquid into a bowl, reserving 450ml/¾ pint.

5 Melt the butter in a clean pan over a medium heat. Add the flour and stir well to make a roux. Slowly add the reserved chicken stock to the roux, stirring constantly, to make a thick sauce.

6 Add the white wine and bring to the boil.

7 Place the egg yolk and the cream into a clean bowl and lightly whisk together. Gradually add the egg mixture to the sauce, stirring well.

8 Add the chicken breasts to the sauce. Remove from the heat, season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper and add a squeeze of lemon juice.

9 To serve, spoon the mashed potato on serving plates, top with a chicken breast, pour over some sauce and garnish with chopped parsley.