Chicken strogonoff

Method

1. Cut the chicken breast into 2.5 cm cubes and leave it out of the fridge while you prepare the rest. Slice the mushrooms. Finely chop 1 onion and the garlic, and ½ onion for the rice.
2. Make fluffy white rice: boil 750 ml of water in a kettle. In a medium pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over low heat and soften ½ onion, finely chopped, with a pinch of salt for 2 minutes; add 300 g of long-grain rice and stir for 1 minute until every grain is coated. Pour in the boiling water, add 1 teaspoon of salt, stir once and cook uncovered over medium heat until the water drops to the level of the rice (about 7 minutes). Lower the heat, half-cover and cook 8 minutes more until dry; turn off the heat, keep covered for 5 minutes and fluff with a fork.
3. In a wide frying pan or pot over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of oil and brown the chicken in 3 batches without crowding, turning so it browns evenly, 4 to 5 minutes per batch; salt each batch as it comes out and set aside. Add oil for each batch.
4. Lower to medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil and cook the onion with a pinch of salt for 3 minutes, scraping the bottom; add the garlic and stir for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 3 minutes.
5. Add the tomato paste and ketchup and stir for 1 minute. Return the chicken with its juices, add the mustard and Worcestershire sauce and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes, covered, until the chicken is cooked through.
6. Turn the heat to its lowest, add the cream (creme de leite) and stir just until hot, without letting it boil. Season with salt and black pepper.
7. Serve at once with the white rice and batata palha (shoestring potato sticks) scattered on the plate.