Chicken with Mushrooms

[Recipes Index] [World of Chefs]

Ingredients:

• 6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts 
• Sea salt 
• Freshly ground pepper 
• Flour for dredging 
• 1 extra tablespoon of flour 
• 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
• 1 medium carrot, finely chopped 
• 2 celery stalks, chopped 
• 1 medium onion, chopped 
• 1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, chopped 
• 1 garlic clove, minced 
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh lemon thyme 
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary 
• 3 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced 
• 1 cup homemade beef stock 
• 1/2 cup dry white wine

Preparation:

After rinsing and patting the chicken pieces dry in a paper towel, season them with salt and pepper, dredge them in flour and shake off any excess. In a skillet over medium heat, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and add the chicken pieces. 

Cook the chicken, turning the pieces once, approximately 15 minutes or until the pieces are golden brown on both sides. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside on a platter. Wipe the skillet with a paper towel. Pour the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the skillet and add the onion, celery, carrot, mushrooms and garlic. 

Cook the vegetables, and occasionally stir with a wooden spoon, approximately 8 minutes or until they are almost tender. Sprinkle the herbs over the vegetables, add the tomatoes, turn up the heat and pour in the wine. Let it boil for about 3 minutes, turn the heat back down to medium and lightly sprinkle a tablespoon of flour over the vegetables using a sieve as a strainer for the flour to avoid flour lumps in the pan. 

Stir the vegetable mixture thoroughly while it is cooking for another 2 minutes. Pour in the beef stock and continue to stir the sauce for another 2 to 3 minutes. Turn down the heat, return the chicken to the pan and cover the chicken pieces with some of the vegetable mixture to flavor the chicken. Allow it to simmer, partially covered, for about 15 minutes on each side or until the chicken is done. At this point, adjust the seasoning after tasting. 

Arrange the chicken pieces on a serving platter and pour the sauce over them.