Chicken Breasts with Mushroom Cream Sauce

The secret to a good cream sauce is always the same: not too much cream or it can be overpowering, masking the more delicate flavors. Here it contains a bountiful amount of mushrooms and is served over chicken breasts.


Ingredients

2 5-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon(s) freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
1 tablespoon(s) canola oil
1 medium shallot, minced
1 cup(s) thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps
2 tablespoon(s) dry vermouth, or dry white wine
1/4 cup(s) reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoon(s) heavy cream
2 tablespoon(s) minced fresh chives, or scallion greens
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Directions

1.Season chicken with pepper and salt on both sides.

2.Heat oil 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.

3.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.

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Tips & Techniques


It's difficult to find an individual chicken breast small enough for one portion. Removing the thin strip of meat from the underside of a 5-ounce breast — the "tender" — removes about 1 ounce of meat and yields a perfect 4-ounce portion. Wrap and freeze the tenders and when you have gathered enough, use them in a stir-fry or for oven-baked chicken fingers.



Nutritional Information
(per serving)

Calories 275
Total Fat 15g
Saturated Fat 5g
Cholesterol 84mg
Sodium 373mg
Total Carbohydrate 5g
Dietary Fiber --
Sugars --
Protein 25g
Calcium 0