Dinner idea: Chicken with Mushrooms and Balsamic Cream Sauce

Today's dinner idea is "Chicken with Mushrooms and Balsamic Cream Sauce" (Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray)

This recipe is easy just like the recipe I blogged about the other day

...Click HERE for DInner idea #1

[Ingredients (4 servings)]

2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 6 oz

Pepper

2 tablespoons butter

12 cremini or baby portobello mushrooms, sliced

12 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced

12 white mushrooms, sliced

2 large cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon thyme leaves, a couple of sprigs, chopped

2 large shallots, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 

3 tablespoons heavy cream or half-and-half

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

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, or until cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and cover with foil to keep warm.

Return the skillet to the heat, turn heat back a bit, and add the butter. Once the butter melts add the mushrooms and brown brown stirring occasionally for about 4 to 5 minutes. ***I only used white mushrooms. 

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. 

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.

The original recipe uses Orzo as a side dish, but I didn't have it.

So I just used quinoa and made my husband's favorite dish "Herbed Quinoa" ***Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Hearty and creamy delicious!!