Porcini Chicken

I had a great evening.  My son and I cooked this lovely dinner together and enjoyed it outside on a new patio.  The weather was perfect and the conversation fantastic.  This is one of my new favorite weeknight dinners.  The flavor is amazing!  This dish looks and tastes like it took way more time and effort than it really does.  A bit of garlic bread and a salad and you to can have a great date night!

Porcini Chicken

A Test Kitchen Recipe

1/2 oz dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup plus 1 tsp flour
salt/pepper
4 chicken breast
2 tbsp plus 1 tsp oil
1 small shallot, minced (2 tbsp)
1/4 cup dry vermouth
1 tsp tomato paste
1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp cold butter
1/2 tsp thyme leaves
1/2 tsp juice form lemon

Rinse dried porcini mushrooms with cold water.  Place the rinsed mushrooms in a small bowl and add the chicken broth.  Microwave on high for 1 minute until broth is steaming.  Remove from microwave and let stand 10 minutes. Using tongs remove mushrooms but keep liquid.  Cut mushrooms to a fine dice.  Set both aside for later.

Combine 1/4 cup flour, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper on a place and dredge chicken into flour mixture shaking off excess and set aside.

Heat 1 Tbsp oil over medium high until smoking then place the chicken in the pan and cook without moving until browned about 2 minutes.  Flip chicken and continue to cook until second sides are opaque 20 seconds.  Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent with foil.  Set aside.

In the same pan over medium heat, add the remaining oil and cook shallots until soft, 30 seconds. Add remaining tsp of flour and cook whisking constantly 30 seconds. Then add the remaining flour and cook whisking constantly 30 second increase heat to med high and whisk in vermouth, mushrooms and their juices, tomato paste, soy sauce, sugar. Simmer until reduced to 1 cup about 3 to 5minutes.

Transfer chicken and any juices to the pan and cover simmering until heated through about 1 minute.  Remove chicken and whisk in butter, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Spoon sauce over chicken and serve immediately.