After a wicked storm rolled through Saturday night (as I was driving on a highway, unable to see two feet in front of me), I woke up Sunday morning to a gorgeous blue sky and perfect temperatures.  My favorite moment of the day was listening to the sliding sound from opening my windows, a sound I haven’t heard in months.  And you know how I spent my time enjoying the perfect weather?  Sitting inside watching football.  All day.  It’s what I do.  Don’t judge.  And before I was lulled to sleep by the subtle melody of chirping crickets, I also made chicken.  It’s also what I do.  This time I made Chicken with Mushroom Sauce.

Mushrooms, shallots, garlic, wine, and broth are thickened with a little bit of flour to create a creamy, earthy sauce which is served over perfectly cooked chicken breasts.  Butter is added at the end of the sauce giving a rich silkiness to the sauce and a touch of fresh thyme brightens up the whole dish.  If you’re a big mushroom fan, you’ll like this sauce which has layers of flavor.  I’d maybe use less butter at the end because it’s not really needed or leave it out and add a splash of light cream or fat-free half & half instead.  This filling dish is great for those of you watching your carbs but it’s not really football fare so I’d save it for another day.  It’s also best when it’s eaten right away since leftover sauce gets really thick in the refrigerator and it isn’t as good.

The ingredients:

Pound chicken breasts to 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet.  Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add canola oil to pan; swirl to coat. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.  Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Transfer chicken to a dish and keep warm.

Add shallots and mushrooms to pan; sauté for 4 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally.

Add garlic; sauté for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Stir in wine, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; bring to a boil. Cook until liquid almost evaporates.

Sprinkle mushroom mixture with salt and flour; cook 30 seconds, stirring frequently. Add broth to pan; bring to a boil. Cook 2 minutes or until slightly thick.

Remove pan from heat; add butter and thyme, stirring until butter melts.

Serve with chicken.

Additions:  None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:  None

Overall Rating:  Like It

Source:  Cooking Light Magazine