Smarter Chicken Fricassee

Rinse chicken, pat dry and remove the skin. Bring chicken breasts to a boil in 5 cups of water with very little salt. Skim off foam with a slotted spoon.

Meanwhile, halve unpeeled onions. Trim soup vegetables, peeling carrots and celery and coarsely chopping everything.

Add the onions and soup vegetables to the chicken along with bay leaf and peppercorns and cook for 35 minutes over medium heat.

Take chicken from the pot and set aside. Pour stock through a sieve and collect it.

Measure 3-1/4 cups stock and bring to a boil with the soy creamer. Let it boil over high heat until reduced to approximately 2-1/3 cups, 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, rinse, peel, and cut off the woody ends of asparagus. Cut spears into 1-1/2 inch pieces.

Rinse mushrooms, trim, drain and cut in half if necessary.

Remove chicken meat from the bones and cut into 3/4 inch cubes.

Add asparagus and mushrooms to the boiled (reduced) stock and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.