Chicken Breasts with Mushrooms and Balsamic Vinegar

Serves 2

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Balsamic vinegar plays a starring role in this recipe. The chicken, while necessary, is just an excuse for this sauce.

• 2 skinless chicken breasts
• ¼ cup flour
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoon butter
• ¼ cup white wine
• ½ cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons chopped shallot or onion
• ½ pound of mushrooms sliced
• 3 teaspoon minced thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• ¼ cup cold water

1. For the best results, pound each breast between two sheets of plastic wrap until they are ½ inch thick or less. Use a rolling pin if you don’t have a meat pounder.
2. On a plate or a piece of waxed paper, mix flour with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Dredge each breast to coat both sides. Shake off excess.
3. Pre-heat a heavy sauté pan on low heat. Add the oil and butter. When the foam subsides, add the chicken and increase the heat to medium.
4. Cook about 3 minutes, turn and do the other side for 3 minutes as well. Both sides should be browned.
5. Transfer to a plate and keep warm in the oven.
6. Sauté the mushrooms in the remaining butter and oil, adding a little more butter if needed, for about two to three minutes.
7. Add the shallots and sauté for another minute or so.
8. Add the chicken broth, wine and thyme and stir, scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan.
9. Return pan to medium-high heat, add the chicken and cook for another 10 minutes or so.
10. Remove the chicken to the dinner plates.
11. Add the tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
12. Mix the cornstarch into the cold water and stir the slurry into the mushroom broth mixture. Cook stirring for one to two minutes until the sauce thickens.
13. Serve, spooning the sauce over each chicken breast.