Cooking for a group of friends recently, I had a hankering for beef Stroganoff but decided to prepare it with chicken instead. The lighter version with chicken is always delicious, but more so than ever when the weather turns cold. It's easy enough for a weeknight dinner and special enough for a party. This recipe uses a scant 1/3 cup of cream for 6 people, so it's not too rich.

Adding sour cream and heating it can sometimes cause it to curdle; the trick for a deliciously creamy sauce is to add flour and avoid boiling the sauce. I prefer using creme fraiche because it has a mild, sweet yet slightly nutty flavor and is less susceptible to curdling when heated. Sour cream is nonetheless an option.

Look for skinless, boneless chicken breasts or chicken tenders. If you can find wild mushrooms, feel free to use them instead of creminis. Slightly browned and caramelized leeks and mushrooms are the flavoring for the tender strips of chicken. Making sure that the chicken is nicely browned will encourage a golden brown sauce. Tomato paste, Dijon mustard and a big squirt of lemon juice balance out the chicken broth and creme fraiche. Serve this on a bed of wide egg noodles in a shallow soup bowl for a pretty presentation.

I like to begin this menu with a butter lettuce salad with shavings of Parmesan cheese and thinly sliced pears in a lemon vinaigrette. If you want a green vegetable, a side of braised spinach leaves would be lovely. Accompany this with a crisp sauvignon blanc or light pinot noir.

Chicken Stroganoff

Serves 6.

1/4 cup olive oil, divided

1 1/2 pounds boneless and skinless chicken breasts or chicken tenders, cut into thin strips

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

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