Portobello Mushroom Dijon Chicken

I feel like I haven't cooked all week. I have, but it's just been such a busy week between work and home that I haven't had that night where I get lost in my kitchen. It doesn't help that my kitchen is covered with work materials and getting space on the counter to cook is a feat to accomplish at the moment.

But tonight, I needed to cook. I've been wanting to dice some garlic all week and tonight I finally got my chance.

Kevan has been working really hard on the kitchen and he has the crown molding installed on over half of the cabinets! I walked in the door tonight and just about started crying. We've been working on this kitchen (along with a million other projects at the same time - that's how we roll...) for a year at this point. Just about to the day. But you know the story, two overachievers, two kids, two careers, 1 dog and a million projects... doesn't let projects happen very fast. I can't wait to show it to you! We're hoping to have it done in the next two weeks before Kevan goes back to work. We're down to the final stages so hopefully that happens.

Here's a preview of what we've been slaving over...



So tonight, I pushed aside paint cans, levels, nail guns, crayons, artwork sent home from school and god knows what else and I got to cooking.

I like to buy the split chicken breasts because I have to work a little harder to get the meat off of the bone and that makes me feel like I deserve a good meal just a little bit more. I also like that it's cheaper. A lot cheaper. But I started thinking tonight that maybe it really isn't cheaper considering the weight of the bone and skin that you pay for. Who knows. I'll keep buying my split chicken breasts because it makes me happy. The end.

Once the breasts were ready, I put them in a pan with some Pam on low/medium heat and let them cook.


Then I diced up a yellow onion, a large portobello mushroom and a nice clove of garlic and dropped that into a pan and drizzled some Extra Virgin Olive Oil over it and set it up on just under medium heat.


While I had a minute there, I grabbed a loaf of light rye bread and split it in half. I cook 1/2 at a time, so the other 1/2 went into the freezer for another night. On the side that I was working with, I added another glove of garlic (but I love garlic. 1/2 a clove would have worked just fine), dried oregano, dried parsley, dried basil and then put some Parmesan cheese on top and plopped that into the oven to brown.


Going back to the pan with my onion/mushroom/garlic mixture, I added in about 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream and a couple of squirts of dijon mustard. I've used both generic and Greeeeey Poooouuupooooon and honestly think that it turns out the same regardless of the cost of the mustard. Score 1 for the cheap guys. I love a rich dijon flavor, so I stir about 3 - 4 squirts of mustard to my mixture.


The chicken could easily be chopped up and added into the sauce and the whole dish could be served over some brown rice or some pasta depending on whether you have a rockin' side dish to serve with it or not.


Voila.

Portobello Mushroom Dijon Chicken

• Chicken Breasts
• 1 onion
• 1 large portobello mushroom
• 3-4 squirts of dijon mustard (I'm pretty technical)
• 2 gloves garlic (1 sauce and 1 bread)
• rye or french or italian or any bread
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1. In first pan, cook chicken breasts in lightly oiled pan.
2. In second pan, saute portobello mushroom, onion and garlic in Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or butter if you'd prefer that)
3. Add butter, dried oregano/basil/parsley, Parmesan cheese and garlic to bread and stick into oven.
   
4. Once ingredients in second pan are fully sauteed, add in 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (you could probably use 1/2 and 1/2 or milk for a lighter version) and squirts of dijon mustard. Let liquid reduce by 1/2 or to a consistency that works for you.
   
5. Serve over chicken once that's fully cooked and chuck some bread on the side.
   

mmmmmmmmm...... I love cooking.