French Country Chicken With Mushroom Sauce
Submitted by happyzhangbo
French country chicken: pounded chicken breasts sautéed and topped with a light shallot and mushroom pan sauce built with white wine, chicken broth, and fresh rosemary. Ready in under 30 minutes, no cream.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
8 minCOOK
15 minREADY
28 minCountry French cooking at its least fussy. Chicken breasts pounded thin and cooked in five minutes flat, topped with a light shallot and mushroom sauce thickened with a spoonful of flour: no cream, no butter mounting, no roux. The result is silky without being rich, and the whole dish lands on the table in under 30 minutes.
Pounding the chicken between wax paper is the move. Thin, even cutlets cook quickly and stay tender, and cutting each piece in half lengthwise turns four breasts into eight portion-sized pieces that fit the pan without crowding. Chill the cutlets briefly so they hold their shape during the sear.
The sauce works like a miniature velouté. Shallots sweat first, mushrooms join, then a quick slurry of flour and white wine goes in to thicken. Low-salt chicken broth brings body, and fresh rosemary stirred in off the heat adds that pine-needle note you only get from the real thing. Finish with chopped parsley.
Chef Tips
- Whisk the flour into the cold wine until completely smooth before adding to the pan. Lumps in cold liquid disappear; lumps in hot sauce do not.
- Do not overcook the chicken. Thin cutlets hit 170°F (77°C) in about five minutes; any longer and they dry out.
- Slice the mushrooms on the thin side. Thick slices take longer to cook and release more water, thinning the sauce.
- Add rosemary off the heat. Hot oil turns the leaves tough and bitter.
Variations
- Swap white wine for dry vermouth or a splash of cognac for more intensity.
- Use cremini or shiitake mushrooms instead of button for a deeper, meatier sauce.
- Stir a tablespoon of Dijon mustard into the sauce at the end for a tangier version.
Ingredients
Directions
Place the chicken breasts between wax paper and pound with a mallet to flatten.
Cut each piece in half lengthwise.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm.
In a small frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat.
Add the shallots and sauté for about 3 minutes.
Add the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring occasionally.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and wine until all the lumps are gone.
Add the flour mixture to the shallots and mushrooms.
Stir in the chicken stock and cook over medium-high heat.
Stir until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and add the rosemary.
In a large, nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat.
Add the chicken and sauté until no longer pink or until a thermometer inserted into the chicken reads 170 F, about 5 minutes.
To serve, transfer 2 chicken breast halves onto each plate.
Spoon mushroom sauce over the chicken and garnish with parsley.
Serve immediately.
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