Tarragon Chicken Breasts With Mushroom Port Sauce

Tarragon Chicken Breasts

With Mushroom Port Sauce

This is a recipe from Phyllis Carey's class, "Wine Country Cooking". The chicken was served with the Mustard Seed Mashed Potatoes which were blogged December 27.

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Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Salt and pepper to taste

Flour for dusting

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided use

2 tablespoons minced shallots

1/2 lb. thinly sliced white mushrooms

1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup Port wine

2 Tablespoons Italian parsley for garnish

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Directions:

Trim chicken and pound to an even 1/2 inch thickness. Season well with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess.

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Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy saute pan over medium high heat. Season with salt and brown chicken 2 minutes per side and remove to plate. Add 1 tablespoon butter and shallots and toss 1 minute. Stir in mushrooms and tarragon and sprinkle on 1/2 teaspoon salt; toss well and cook until mushrooms wilt and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes.

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Add the white wine and cook until reduced by half. Add the chicken broth and Port and bring to a simmer. Return the chicken to the pan, turning to coat in the sauce. Cover and simmer chicken for 5 to 8 minutes or until cooked through. When chicken is firm to touch, it is done. Remove chicken to serving plates. Bring sauce to a boil, shut off heat and whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons butter, adjust seasonings to taste. Serve chicken topped with mushrooms and sauce sprinkled with parsley. Serves 4