Chicken With Wild Mushrooms and Balsamic Cream Sauce

cookiedog's Note:

This is from Rachael Ray's 30 minute meals. (May take a bit longer!) You might consider doubling the sauce!

• Total Time: 30 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• salt
• ½ lb orzo pasta
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 (6 ounce) chicken breasts
• pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 12 cremini mushrooms , sliced (baby portabello mushrooms)
• 12 shiitake mushrooms , stems removed and sliced
• 12 white mushrooms , sliced
• 2 large garlic cloves , chopped
• 1 tablespoon thyme leaves , chopped (a couple of sprigs)
• 2 large shallots , thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream or 3 tablespoons half-and-half
• ¼ cup chopped flat leaf parsley (a generous handful)

Directions:

1. Heat a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and add orzo pasta. Cook to al dente.
2. Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add extra-virgin olive oil. Season chicken liberally with salt and pepper and add to the hot skillet. Cook the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken from the pan and cover with foil to keep warm.
3. Return the skillet to the heat, turn heat back a bit, and add the butter. Once the butter melts add the mushrooms and brown stirring occasionally for about 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Once the mushrooms are brown season with salt and pepper then add the garlic, thyme and shallots. Cook stirring occasionally for about 2 minutes or until the shallots are wilted. Sprinkle the flour into the pan and cook 2 minutes more.
5. Whisk in the stock, balsamic vinegar and the cream. Turn the heat up to high and simmer for about 2 minutes or until thickened. Slice the chicken on an angle. Add the parsley and the chicken back to the skillet to heat up, about 1 minute.
6. To serve, pile orzo on dinner plates and top with the sliced chicken and sauce.

Reviews

[Dr. Jenny]

Like other reviewers, we thought this was a little bland, which surprised us because we thought all of the ingredients would have added up to a more flavorful sauce. We did not modify the recipe other than to serve it over shelled pasta as I realized I was out of orzo. I served with roasted spaghetti squash.

[adopt a greyhound]

I made half a recipe and it is great. Loved the sauce. We will have this one many, many times.