French Bistro Chicken with Mushroom Sauce

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Plan Z Phase: This is a Z3 (ZReboot) recipe. This is the most-often requested recipe in my house. Whenever my husband is feeling happy, sad or anything in-between he’ll ask that I make “Wolfgang Chicken.” This recipe is a Zola take on a traditional bistro chicken recipe that Wolfgang Puck developed. He called it Fricasse de poulet au vinaigre et champignons sauvages. Don’t let that scare you away. This dish is killer amazing!

Servings:  Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tsp of gravy flour (gravy flour is just finer)
• sea salt and pepper
• 1 Tbl olive oil
• 12 Tbl of butter or ghee (divided)
• 2 medium shallots, minced
• 2 Tbl of fresh tarragon, minced
• ¼ cup of vinegar. I use red wine vinegar or white balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup of white wine
• ½ cup of chicken stock or broth
• 1 lb of sliced mushrooms. You can get fancy or go plain. Bella mushrooms are easy and inexpensive. Or you can go up from there and use shitakes, chanterelles or another fancy, wild mushroom. You can even just use regular button mushrooms. Totally your choice.

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Sprinkle the boneless chicken breasts with sea salt and pepper. Then dust lightly with flour. You are just getting a very light coating on the top side.

In a large sauté pan add the oil and 1 Tbl of the butter. Heat and then add the chicken. Brown on the top on medium high. When this is done take the chicken out and put it in an oven proof pan. Put it in the oven to roast at 375 for up to 30 minutes or until no pink remains. If your chicken breast pieces are smaller you might be able to cut this cooking time to closer to 20 minutes.

While the chicken is cooking you’ll make the sauce. To the same sauté pan (don’t wash it) add the shallots and tarragon. Saute on medium for 1 – 2 minutes. Stir often. Then add the vinegar to deglaze the pan. Reduce the vinegar on medium-high until only approximately 3 Tbl remain. Then add the white wine and chicken broth. Cook on a bubble at medium until the chicken is finished in the oven. You’ll be reducing the sauce by about 1/3 and thickening it up some.

While the sauce is cooking in another pan add another 2 Tbl of butter and the mushrooms. Saute until the mushrooms are cooked through. Let them sit to wait for the other items to be completed. Keep warm.

When the chicken comes out of the oven set it aside. Add the rest of the butter to the sauce. Turn the sauce OFF. Just break up the butter and let it melt. Slowly whisk it to blend it in. You don’t want to boil the sauce again. As the butter melts it gives the sauce a wonderful, French flavor. If you boil the sauce you’ll risk breaking up the butter and it will taste on the oily side. This is a very rich, buttery sauce as you can see.

When the butter is melted (this only takes a minute) add the warm, cooked mushrooms then stir.

To plate it, put the chicken on the plate and spoon the mushroom sauce over. Serve with veggies. The French would choose green beans or asparagus.

Enjoy!

Cheers,