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I’ve never been a huge fan of mushrooms. I don’t hate them, but let’s say that I wouldn’t order them on a pizza. My boyfriend, on the other hand loves them. When you’re cooking for other people you have to consider tastes and preferences outside your own. I can’t imagine what it would be like to feed a big family with lots of children. Props to all the moms out there!
I didn’t have very high expectations for this dish. I thought it’d be good, but probably not great. I’d actually never had polenta before and not being a mushroom freak, I didn’t know what to expect. The texture of the polenta surprised me. If you’ve never had it, the texture is nearly impossible to explain. But surprisingly I loved it. Do you know what I loved even more? What my favorite part of this dish was? The mushrooms! The way they are deeply caramelized in the pan after the chicken then deglazed with wine and allowed to simmer is nothing short of magic. The texture is perfect, tender without being overcooked. The taste is so earthy and satisfying.
Recipe Rundown
Taste: Earthy, savory, and all-around flavorful.
Texture: The chicken is moist, the mushrooms are perfectly tender, and the polenta is creamy.
Ease: Very easy, prep takes about 10-15 minutes, cooking takes 30 minutes for the whole meal.
Appearance: Rustic and scrumptious.
Pros: Tasty, comforting, and cheap meal.
Cons: None.
Would I make this again? Yes.
Braised Chicken with Mushrooms
Serves 4
From Great Food Fast
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 ounces each)
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound white mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced 1/2-inch-thick
- 4 garlic cloves, halved
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (optional)
- 1 3/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
- Oven-Baked Polenta (recipe below)
- Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over high. Add chicken, and cook until light golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; set aside.
- Add remaining tablespoon oil to skillet. Add mushrooms and garlic, and season with salt. Cover; and cook over medium heat until mushrooms release their juices, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove lid. Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are golden, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add wine, and cook, stirring, until evaporated, about 1 minute. Add broth and parsley, cook over medium-high heat until mushrooms are tender and liquid is reduced, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Return chicken to skillet. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve chicken topped with mushrooms, and drizzled with cooking liquid. Garnish with chopped parsley.
Oven-Baked Polenta
- 3/4 cup cornmeal
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 teaspoons dried thyme
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In an ovenproof saucepan with a lid, whisk together 3 cups water, cornmeal, salt, and pepper. Cover, and bake 30 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Remove from oven, and add milk, butter, and marjoram; whisk briskly until smooth. Serve immediately.
I might just have to make this for my bf… his 2 favorite foods? Chicken breasts and mushrooms. Mine? Not so much – I'm more like you, I'll eat them, but not ever order them. Thanks for this!
No printer friendly button? ;o(
How strange… I did have a printer-friendly button but it disappeared! Thanks for bringing that to my attention. I re-installed it 🙂
I am a mushroom lover! This recipe is for keeps…Thanks!
Love the polenta side, looks so delicious!
Yum! I'm not a huge mushroom fan either, but I do eat them from time to time. This dish looks lovely! In fact, I just had something very similar at a local restaurant the other day. I am especially loving the oven-baked polenta!
Since I am a mushroom lover, I found this recipe a delight and a half. Wonderful! Also looks delectable.