What's for Dinner? Chicken Stroganoff!

I've had mushrooms on the mind lately.  I don't know how my sister and I can differ so greatly on something...she absolutely abhors them, and I love them with a passion!  The past couple of times I have been into the Fresh Market, they have had some awesome mushrooms there.  Here in Wilmington, good, wild mushrooms are hard to come by.  But I have recently gotten chanterelles, huge shiitakes, oysters, enokis, etc. etc. For this recipe, I used shiitakes and baby portobellos.  The classic version of this dish uses beef, and if you want to use that, great.  But chicken is quicker and healthier and I just prefer it, most of the time.  This is a really quick and easy dish to make that is healthy and hearty.  If you are into mushrooms, like me, you can't go wrong!  Try it and enjoy!

Delicious 'shooms!

Chicken Stroganoff
Serves 3-4

2 TBSP olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, diced
16 oz sliced mushrooms of your choice
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (just under a pound total)
3 TBSP flour
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
6-8 springs fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 TBSP butter or spread
1 cup light sour cream
salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet, heat 1 TBSP olive oil on medium high heat and add onion.  Saute for several minutes, until onion starts to soften.  Add mushrooms and cook until they become browned and soft.  Add garlic and saute one minute more.  Reserve mixture to separate bowl and put aside.  In the same skillet, heat the rest of the oil.  Add chicken and saute until browned and cooked through.  Add back in onion and mushroom mixture.  Sprinkle flour over everything and stir to coat well.  Add chicken broth, wine and thyme and stir.  Simmer for 5-10 minutes until mixture becomes thick.  Turn off heat and stir in butter and sour cream.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve over hot buttered egg noodles or rice.  Enjoy!

Download PDF of Recipe

What's for Dinner? Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce over Polenta!

Today I had polenta on the brain.  I have no idea why, but it was one of the first things that popped in to my head this morning when I was thinking about what to make for dinner.  I haven't had it in a while, but love it.  I mean, it tastes a lot like grits and what good Southerner doesn't like grits?  This meal, even though it sounds fancy, is pretty easy to make.  If you really wanted to cut corners, you could cut out the pan-frying of the polenta and just bake it while you cook the rest.  This meal is dedicated to my sister who looooooves mushrooms.  Just kidding, she hates them with a fervent passion.  Good thing she doesn't live close enough to come to dinner on a regular basis because I adore them.  I hope you do, too!  Enjoy!

Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce over Polenta
Serves 4

1 tube, pre-prepared polenta (you could make your own, but I kept it easy tonight!)
3 TBSP butter, divided
3 TBSP olive oil, divided
1 lb chicken cutlets (or you can pound out regular breasts very thin)
1/2 cup flour
3 fresh rosemary sprigs, leaves stripped and minced
salt and pepper to taste
1 shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 packages fresh assorted gourmet mushrooms (mix of cremini, shitake, oyster, etc.)
1 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup mascarpone cheese (find this in the gourmet cheese section)
2 TBSP fresh minced parsley

Preheat oven to 300.  Slice polenta into 1/2 inch rounds.  In a large skillet, heat 1 TBSP butter and 1 TBSP oil.  When hot, add polenta slices.  Saute 5 minutes on one side, or until golden and flip.  Saute second side until golden.  Transfer to a baking sheet and place in oven.

While polenta bakes, combine flour, half the rosemary and salt and pepper.  Dredge chicken in flour until well-covered on each side.  Use same skillet as polenta (scrape out any polenta bits).  Heat another TBSP of butter and 1 TBSP of oil.  Fry chicken on one side until golden.  Flip and saute the other side until chicken in cooked through.  Reserve on a plate.  Add remaining butter and oil to pan.  Add another 2 TBSP of the seasoned flour to pan and stir.  Add shallot and saute 1-2 minutes until they begin to soften.  Add mushrooms and saute until they are soft.  Add garlic and remaining rosemary and saute for one minute more.  Add broth and stir.  Let cook until sauce starts to thicken.  If too thick, add more broth.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in mascarpone and remove from heat.  Add parsley.

Remove polenta from oven.  Add 3-4 pieces of polenta, a quarter of the chicken and a quarter of the mushroom sauce to each plate.  Enjoy.

Download PDF of Recipe