Tangy Chicken With Shiitake Crust
- Zest from 1 orange (orange part only), coarsely chopped
- 2 large shallots, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh chervil, thyme or chives
- 2 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3/4 pound button mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
- 3/4 pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
- 2 large shallots, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 2 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 6 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat, tendon removed
- For the sauce, place orange zest, shallots, wine and vinegar in heavy medium saucepan.
- Boil over medium-high heat until reduced to 1/2 cup.
- Add chicken broth and tomato paste, boil until reduced to 1 cup.
- Strain through a fine sieve, pressing to extract liquid.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- (Can be prepared a day ahead.)
- For the chicken, heat olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add mushrooms, shallots and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
- Cool completely.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Remove small fillets from underside of each chicken breast and place in a food processor.
- Pulse until chicken forms a smooth paste.
- Add mushroom mixture and pulse until coarsely chopped.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Pat chicken breasts dry.
- Pound them lightly between 2 sheets of waxed paper to an even thickness.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Divide mushroom mixture into 6 parts.
- Place a 12-inch piece of plastic wrap on a work surface, placing 1 part of the mushroom mixture in the center.
- Fold the plastic in over the mushroom mixture and pat it to an even thickness, slightly larger than the chicken breasts.
- Pull back plastic and place 1 breast, rounded side down, on top of the mushroom mixture.
- Gather plastic tightly around the chicken breast until mushroom mixture adheres to the top and sides of the chicken.
- Unwrap and gently invert the breast, uncoated side down, onto baking sheet.
- Carefully peel away plastic.
- Repeat with remaining breasts and mushroom mixture.
- (Can be prepared ahead and refrigerated; bring to room temperature before baking.)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Bake chicken for 12 minutes (10 minutes for medium or small breasts).
- Remove from oven and let stand for 12 minutes; chicken will continue to cook.
- Slice breasts diagonally.
- Arrange each breast on a plate, fanning out slices.
- Reheat sauce over medium high heat.
- Stir in chervil.
- Whisk in the butter and ladle around chicken.
- Serve immediately.
orange, shallots, white wine, balsamic vinegar, chicken broth, tomato paste, salt, fresh chervil, cold, olive oil, mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, shallots, garlic, salt, chicken breasts
Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/7888 (may not work)