Chicken Breasts Scarpariello . Flashback Friday

Chicken Breast Scarpariello

*Scarpariello is the Italian word for Shoemaker

Today is Flashback Friday, the day I offer an old time favorite from our home when the children were youngsters. We had the house rule that when something different was being served for the first time; "you don't have to eat it but you had to taste it".  All four children were great with the introduction of a new recipe. This dish isn't labor intensive but goes together quickly when all ingredients are prepared and measured before you begin.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 pound fresh mushrooms

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

2 cups peeled and cubed potatoes

2 cups peeled and cubed carrots

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons oil

6 chicken breasts

flour

1 garlic clove

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1 1/2 cups rich chicken broth

1/4 teaspoon crushed oregano

salt and pepper

3 tablespoons butter

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Directions:

Heat 2 tablespoons butter in skillet and add mushrooms that have been cleaned and trimmed. Cook until golden. Combine juice of 1/2 lemon and crushed red pepper and pour over mushrooms. Reduce the heat and cook the mushrooms in liquid for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool in liquid.

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Cook the potatoes in salted boiling water for three minutes. Cook the carrots in salted boiling for five minutes. Drain and dry the vegetables by shaking the pan over the heat. Combine the vegetables and saute them in a skillet with a combination of 3 tablespoons oil and 3 tablespoons butter over moderate heat until they are browned. Remove to a platter and keep warm in oven.

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Flatten chicken breasts to 1/4 inch between 2 sheets of wax paper. Dredge the chicken breasts lightly in flour. In the skillet used to brown the vegetables, brown the vegetables, brown the meat over medium heat until they are tender and browned on both sides. Remove the breasts to the platter to keep warm.

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Drain all but 2 teaspoons of oil remaining in the skillet, and return the skillet to the heat. Saute 1 crushed garlic clove, add 1/3 cup red wine vinegar and deglaze skillet. Add 1 1/2 cups rich chicken broth and 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano. Cook until reduced by half. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

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Add the vegetables and meat to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the meat and vegetables to a warm serving platter. Add 3 tablespoons butter to the skillet and stir thoroughly. Pour the sauce over the vegetables and chicken breasts and serve immediately.