Chicken with Mushroom Cream Sauce

I'm a big fan of recipes that make me look like a restaurant chef yet don't require fancy ingredients or an entire afternoon to cook.  This, my friends, is one of those recipes.  It's a lightened up version of cream of mushroom chicken (sans Campbells soup) that tastes divine, even the day after.  Adapted from this EatingWell recipe, it is also healthier than what you will find at your favorite dinner spot.  I love mushrooms and used even more than the recipe called for, even when I doubled the recipe.  Hope you enjoy this as much as we did.  It was seriously delicious!

Chicken with Mushroom Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

2 5-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and tenders removed (I used boneless organic chicken thighs)

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon canola oil (I used organic pasture butter, but any type of butter is better than GMO canola!)

1 medium shallot, minced

1 cup thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps

1/2 - 1 cup sliced white mushrooms (bonus mushrooms)

2 tablespoons dry vermouth, or dry white wine

1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons heavy cream (organic)

2 tablespoons minced fresh chives, or scallion greens

Instructions:

 Season chicken with pepper and salt on both sides.  Heat oil (butter) in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once or twice and adjusting the heat to prevent burning, until brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°F, 12 to 16 minutes. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

 

Add shallot to the pan and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 2 minutes. 

Pour in vermouth (or wine); simmer until almost evaporated, scraping up any browned bits, about 1 minute. Pour in broth and cook until reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in cream and chives (or scallions); return to a simmer. Return the chicken to the pan, turn to coat with sauce and cook until heated through, about 1 minute.

I served it over brown rice paired with a baked zucchini dish and it was awesome - and definitely a lightened up version of a comfort food favorite!  Enjoy a few pics of this weeknight masterpiece...

Enjoy!

*M*