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Baked Chicken Breasts With Portobello Mushroom Sauce

Submitted by Carol C

Serve with rice. I make mine from the Basmati and Wild Rice organic mix I find at Whole Foods. It is the Lundberg brand that comes in 8-ounce packages. I used two packages for the party with some left

Portobello Mushroom Sauce:
9 ounces Portobello mushrooms, divided
11/2 quarts heavy cream
12 sprigs fresh thyme
2 teaspoons kosher salt
¼ teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 large garlic cloves, minced

Baked Chicken Breasts:
8 (4- to 5-ounce) skinless boneless chicken breast halves

To make sauce: Remove and discard the stems from the mushrooms. Then use the tip of a teaspoon to remove the brown gills from the undersides; discard gills. Cut 6 ounces mushrooms into 1-inch cubes and reserve the remaining whole mushroom caps.

In a large heavy saucepan bring the cubed mushrooms, heavy cream, thyme, salt and black pepper to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Watch closely as it may boil up and over once it reaches a simmer. Reduce the heat to keep it at a low simmer, stirring occasionally. Reduce the mixture by half.

Strain the sauce through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan and discard the solids. Cut the remaining 3 ounces mushrooms into ¼-inch julienne (if the mushrooms are extra large, cut the julienne strips crosswise in half). Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Saute the garlic and mushrooms 2 minutes, or until the mushrooms are wilted and fragrant. Stir into the reduced sauce.

To make chicken: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a baking pan just large enough to hold the chicken breasts comfortably in one layer, lightly touching each other.

Tuck the thin ends of each breast under to form compact pieces and place side by side in the prepared baking pan. Cover with the mushroom sauce, making sure the sauce gets in between the pieces. Bake in the center of the oven about 35 minutes, or until the chicken is just cooked through.

To serve, remove the breasts from the pan and slice into ¾-inch-thick diagonal slices. Serve with sauce spooned over each. Makes 8 servings.

Per serving: 557 calories, 78 percent calories from fat, 48 grams total fat, 229 milligrams cholesterol, 29 grams saturated fat, 26 grams protein, 5 grams carbohydrates, .63 gram total fiber, 393 milligrams sodium, .71 gram total sugars, 5 grams net carbs.