Champagne Chicken and Mushrooms

Snipped this out of one of my mom's Southern Living magazines to try. This recipe had a nice introduction so I'll let it do the talking. I served the chicken and sauce with brown rice and green beans!

Champagne lends this dish delicate flavor, but you could use white wine also. Ask your butcher to bone the chicken breasts, which offer the best results, or use skinned and boned breasts. Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

1/2  cup all-purpose flour
1  teaspoon salt
1/2  teaspoon pepper
6  skin-on, boned chicken breasts --> I used Purdue's thinly sliced chicken breasts
2  tablespoons unsalted butter
2  tablespoons olive oil
1/2  cup  minced shallots (about 3 medium)
2  (3.5-ounce) packages shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced --> I decided to splurge and use the shiitake mushrooms but I think the cremini mushrooms could easily be substituted
3  garlic cloves, minced
2  cups Champagne or sparkling wine --> I used a sparkling wine
2  teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1/2  cup whipping cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Prep: 30 min., Stand: 15 min., Cook: 50 min. 

Preparation

  1. Stir together first 3 ingredients in a shallow bowl. Dredge chicken in flour mixture; place on a wire rack. Let stand 15 minutes. Dredge chicken in flour mixture again; return to rack.

  2. Melt butter with olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken, in batches, 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove chicken to a plate.

  3. Add shallots to skillet; cook, stirring often, 2 minutes or until golden brown. Add mushrooms and garlic, and cook, stirring often, 10 minutes or until mushrooms are tender.

 

Just added the shallots! As you can see the chicken has been cooked (right), the green beans are sauteing (left), and the rice is boiling! Exciting things happening in the kitchen!

  4. Stir in Champagne and thyme; bring to a boil, stirring to loosen browned particles from bottom of skillet. Reduce heat, and return chicken to skillet. Cover and simmer 10 minutes or until done.

  5.Transfer chicken to a serving platter. Stir cream into mushroom mixture. Cook 5 to 6 minutes or until thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve sauce immediately over chicken.

 

Contributed by Wes Hollowell, Birmingham, Alabama, Southern Living, MARCH 2006

 

Why, I think I'll have some champagne with this lovely meal!