#Skillet #Chicken and #Mushroom #Wine #Sauce
Tender and tasty, this Skillet chicken and mushroom sauce is easy enough for a family dinner on weekdays and good enough for an elegant dinner with your best company.
I love everything about this dish and I bet you do too! This delicious recipe was first published in 2015 and has always been a favorite. I streamlined the process a bit and tweaked the recipe a bit, but it's still the same restaurant-quality chicken dish we love and depend on.
What types of mushrooms are best for this chicken and mushroom pan sauce?
I don't have to use just one type of mushroom for this recipe. I often see what looks best to me when I arrive at the store. Baby bella mushrooms are the variety presented here. These earthy mushrooms are a smaller version of the portabella mushroom. Bella babies are cremini mushrooms that have been allowed to ripen for 7 days longer than commercial cremini mushrooms. For this dish, you can also use white mushrooms or a mixture of both.
What is the best way to clean mushrooms?
Mushrooms grow in a humid environment, so they can be washed. However, I never leave the mushrooms in the water or they will eventually absorb the liquid. I clean each mushroom individually by wiping it with a paper towel soaked in water to remove dirt. You can rinse the mushroom lightly under a stream of water, but if the gills are exposed under the cap, I usually don't turn the mushroom upside down in the water. Let the mushrooms dry in a colander or dry them with paper towels.
Is it okay to cook the mushroom stems too?
Yes, please use the whole mushroom. Just cut off the rough, woody, dried end of the mushroom before using it.
What are the secrets that make this dish so tasty?
Building layers of flavor is the simple and easy way to make a dish tasty. The chicken is first quickly browned to seal the juice, then set aside to rest. All of those great tasty pieces of chicken goodness stay in the pan for the next step. Then the mushrooms are cooked, undisturbed until they are golden on one side, then turned and stirred until the moisture is released, then evaporated. A large pile of minced shallots is added to the pan and sautéed until tender and begins to caramelize.
The chopped garlic is quickly cooked with the mushrooms until it is fragrant, and finally the white wine is poured into the hot pan. The bottom of the pan is deglazed and all these crisp pieces of flavor are incorporated into the sauce. The dish is finished by adding sprigs of fresh thyme, chicken broth, Dijon mustard and a little cream.
Can you double this sauce / sauce in this dish?
Yes you can!
The chicken breasts are cut in half diagonally into cutlets for quick cooking.
It is not just any old withered bird. These cutlets are tender, moist, juicy and delicious chicken bites! Cutting the chicken breasts into finer pieces will cook the chicken faster and more evenly. You can cut your own chicken breasts or buy them at your local grocery store packaged as chops. The chicken tenders would be nice here too, just adjust the cooking time.
If you prefer, use whole chicken breasts that have been pounded to an equal thickness. Or, also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs in this chicken mushroom recipe. It's perfect!
