Chicken Breasts with Scallions, Shiitake Mushrooms and Tomatoes

Discard mushroom stems and slice the mushroom caps. In a large heavy skillet, heat the oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Dry chicken breasts. Season with salt and pepper. Cook skin side down for 3-4 minutes, until golden. Lower heat, turn breasts and cook covered for 7-8 minutes more. Transfer to warm platter. To the skillet add the garlic, shallots and 2 thyme sprigs (or dried thyme) and cook the mixture, stirring, until shallots are softened.

Add the vinegar, boil the mixture until vinegar is almost evaporated, and add the mushrooms. Cook the mixture over moderate heat, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the wine and boil the mixture until the wine is almost evaporated. Add 1 1/4 C of broth and the scallions and simmer for 1 minute. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/4 C broth and the arrowroot and add the mixture to the skillet. Add the tomatoes and the fresh thyme leaves. Simmer, stirring, for 1 minute, or until thickened. Stir in any juices that have accumulated around the chicken. Add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer a chicken breast to each of 6 dinner plates. Spoon some of the sauce over each breast and garnish each with one of the additional thyme sprigs. Serves 6. Serve with a full flavored white such as Rabbit Ridge Mystique, a good Chardonnay or a light to medium red such as a Chianti.

Fettuccine with Chicken and Cepes

Cover the dried mushrooms with boiling water and soak for 20 minutes. Heat 1-2 Tbl. oil in skillet over medium-low heat. Sauté shallots until limp. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add the beef stock and boil over high heat until reduced to 1 Cup. Add tomato sauce and reduce a bit more. Add chicken slices. Cook 1 minute, turn, and reduce heat.

Drain mushrooms and chop them. Add to skillet. Stir to combine. Season with freshly ground pepper. Can be made up to this point well in advance, refrigerated, and reheated,

Cook pasta according to instructions. Drain and toss with the butter or oil. Toss with the cepe sauce. Sprinkle parsley on top. Serve with Parmesan and crusty bread. Serves 2. This is a very flavorful dish that demands a solid red wine such as a Bordeaux or Cabernet, a good Barbera or a Super Tuscan, or a gutsy Rhone or a Provence red.

Chicken ala Beekman's

Rinse and dry chicken breasts. Pound to 1/2 inch thickness or less. In a small skillet, sauté the mushrooms in 1 Tblsp oil for 2 minutes. Set aside. Heat 3 Tbl. oil in a large skillet. Press the chicken breasts onto a plate of bread crumbs. Turn breasts over and repeat. Sauté breasts about 2 minutes on each side, depending on thickness. Remove to a warm platter. Add 1 Tbl. oil to skillet. Sauté onion and garlic 1-2 minutes. Add wine to the skillet, stir bottom and cook 5 minutes or until reduced by half

Return chicken to the skillet. Add salt and pepper. Arrange mushrooms on top of the chicken and cheese on top of the mushrooms. Cover skillet and reduce heat. Cook about 2 minutes or until cheese is just melted. Serve with a light to medium red such as a Chianti, a good Pinot Noir or a Rioja.

Spicy Grilled Citrus Chicken

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except chicken and mix well. Add chicken and turn to coat. Cover a refrigerate overnight.

Light a charcoal fire. Reserving marinade, place chicken bone side down on a lightly oiled grill 5 inches above the coals. Cook 5 minutes. Meanwhile, boil the marinade 1 minute over moderate heat. Spoon over the chicken and turn. Continue grilling the chicken, basting and turning every 5 minutes for 20 to 30 minutes until chicken is white throughout, but still juicy. Serve with a Gewurztraminer, a dry Riesling, a Vouvray Sec or a Viognier.

More Poultry Recipes 

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