Chicken Breasts with Balsamic & Mushroom Sauce

Wow! I was super excited when I saw how many people commented on how yummy my food photos were for my You Capture this week!! I'm so glad that everyone thought it looked good enough to want the recipe. Especially since yesterday was a cooking disaster for me. I tried to make a new pork chop recipe from Betty crocker, and I totally burned it on the outside, while the chops were still pink on the inside. And then when I made the bacon for Hubby's blt sammies, I burned that, too. I have a tough time knowing what my heat level should be at. I tend to have it too hot, but I've been getting much better about it. With the exception of last night. I just couldn't get a handle on it!

So, anyway, here's my recipe! It could possibly be my favorite meal right now. Definitely in my top five. This recipe originates from All Recipes, but I've done a little doctoring, to suit my own tastes. While I'm on the topic, I'm a really big fan of All Recipes. They've got so many options and the site is really easy to navigate around. I also love the member reviews (which I suppose is kinda standard for recipe websites). I've found other cooks' suggestions to be very helpful, as I'm trying to develop my cooking skills. If you sign up for the daily recipe, they email you a recipe M-F. Sometimes, you get some really crazy things, but sometimes, you get some fabulous dishes, like this one here.

Chicken Breasts with Balsamic & Mushroom Sauce

INGREDIENTS 3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
salt and pepper to taste
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 cloves garlic
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon butter


DIRECTIONS

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Rinse the mushrooms and pat dry. Season the flour with salt and pepper and dredge the chicken breasts in the flour mixture. Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat and saute the chicken until it is nicely browned on one side (about 3 minutes).

2. Add the garlic. Turn the chicken breasts and scatter the mushrooms over them.

Continue frying, shaking the skillet and stirring the mushrooms. Cook for about 3 minutes, then add the vinegar, broth, bay leaf and thyme.

Cover tightly and simmer over medium low heat for 10 minutes, turning occasionally.


3. Transfer the chicken to a warm serving platter and cover with foil. Set aside. Continue simmering the sauce, uncovered, over medium high heat until the sauce thickens. (This photo does the thickness no justice.)

Swirl in the butter or margarine and discard the bay leaf. Pour this mushroom sauce mixture over the chicken and serve. I'm a huge fan of Wacky Mac's Veggie Curls right now, so that's what I usually pair this with.

And one of the best parts about this recipe! Only one dish (2 if you make pasta with it) to clean up!

Please let me know if you decide to make this recipe! I'd love to hear how it turns out for everyone else. I have to give a little warning about this one. The flavors are kinda...loud? Between the garlic and the balsamic vinegar, it's a very strong smelling and tasting dish. These are two of my favorite things, so I LOVE it. But I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if small children (and finicky husbands, like my own) stuck their noses up. That being said, one of my cats loved the little dish of leftovers that I shared with him! lol