Breast Of Chicken With Rosemary And Polenta With Porcini Mushrooms Recipes

CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOM AND POLENTA

Steps:

• Soak the dried mushrooms in warm water. Clean the champignons and cut them into slices. Wash the chicken and divide it into 8 pieces. Thoroughly wash the giblets and mince them. Fry the chicken for 6-7 minutes in a saucepan with the butter, adding salt and pepper to taste. Remove the chicken from the pan and use the pan to fry the sliced onion, the garlic clove, peel still on and crushed, and 1 tablespoon minced parsley. Put the chicken back in the pan, add a splash of white wine and let it evaporate for 3-4 minutes, then add the giblets, the minced salami,
• the soaked mushrooms and a ladle of broth and continue cooking for 45 minutes. Finally, add the champignons, cook for another 5 minutes, remove from heat and add 2 tablespoons minced parsley.
• For the polenta: boil 6 cups water with a drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt. Slowly pour in the cornmeal, mixing with a whisk. Cook the polenta for 40-45 minutes, whisking often. Pour the cooked polenta into a serving platter. Set the pieces of chicken on the polenta, top them with the sauce and serve immediately.

CHICKEN WITH PORCINI GRAVY AND POLENTA

Steps:

• Place the dried mushrooms in pot with 2 cups of the stock. Simmer to soften the mushrooms and flavor the stock. When rehydrated, remove the mushrooms from the stock and chop. Reserve the stock, except for the very bottom, which may contain grit from the mushrooms.
• Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper, and then dredge in flour. Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat and add the chicken to brown on both sides. Remove to a plate and add a bit more oil if necessary. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter to the pan and melt. When the butter foams, add the garlic, onions, sage, thyme and some salt and pepper, and cook to soften, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons flour, then deglaze the pan with the wine. Add the chopped mushrooms and whisk in the flavored stock. Cook to thicken a bit and add the chicken back to the sauce.
• Cool and store for a make-ahead meal. Reheat over medium heat.
• To serve, heat the remaining 1 cup stock, the milk and 1 cup water to a low boil. Whisk in the polenta, and then whisk to thicken, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, some salt and pepper and the grated cheese.
• Serve the polenta in shallow bowls topped with the chicken, gravy and a sprinkle of parsley.

LEMON AND GARLIC CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Stir together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Cut each chicken breast into 2 equal pieces (3 if they're 12 ounces or more) and place in the bowl. Stir together and refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes.
• Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry (discard marinade). Place two sheets of plastic wrap (1 large sheet if you have extra-wide wrap) on your work surface, overlapping slightly, to make 1 wide sheet, and brush lightly with olive oil. Place a piece of chicken in the middle of plastic sheet and brush lightly with oil. Cover the chicken with another wide layer of plastic wrap. Working from the center to the outside, pound chicken breast with the flat side of a meat tenderizer until about 1/4 inch thick. (Don't pound too hard or you'll tear the meat. If that happens it won't be the end of the world, you'll just have a few pieces to cook.) Repeat with the remaining chicken breast pieces.
• Season the pounded chicken breasts with salt and pepper on one side only. Dredge lightly in the flour (you will not use all of it) and tap the breasts to remove excess.
• Turn oven on low Heat a wide, heavy skillet over high heat and add oil. When oil is hot, place one or two pieces of chicken in the pan - however many will fit without crowding. Cook for 1 1/2 minutes, until bottom is browned in spots. Turn over and brown other side, about 1 1/2 minutes. (Do not overcook or the chicken will be dry.) Transfer to the platter or sheet pan and keep warm in the oven. If there is more than a tablespoon of fat in the pan, pour some (but not all) it off into a jar or bowl.
• Turn burner heat down to medium-high. Add mushrooms to the pan. Let them sear for about 30 seconds to a minute without moving them, then stir, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to deglaze. When mushrooms have softened slightly and begun to sweat, add wine, thyme or parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Continue to stir until wine has evaporated and mushrooms are tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Spoon over the chicken, and serve.

WINE-BRAISED CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOMS AND LEEKS

Steps:

• Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Season all over with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and the black pepper. Finely grate, pass through a press or mince 2 garlic cloves. Set aside half the grated garlic for finishing the dish. Rub the rest all over the chicken pieces. Set aside the chicken while preparing the other ingredients.
• In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, combine 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter. When the butter melts, add chicken in batches and cook until browned on both sides, 4 to 6 minutes per side. If the pan dries out, add a little more oil as needed. Transfer browned chicken to a plate.
• Add remaining tablespoon each oil and butter to the pan. Once the butter melts, add mushrooms and cook undisturbed until well browned on one side, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir and cook for 1 minute longer.
• Thinly slice 2 garlic cloves. Reduce heat to medium, and stir in sliced garlic, leeks and a large pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks are tender and golden brown, 7 minutes. Add rosemary and wine to the pot and let simmer, scraping up the browned bits, until liquid reduces by half, about 1 minute.
• Nestle chicken, skin side up, into the pan and pour in any accumulated juices from the plate. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, covered, until chicken is cooked through, 25 to 35 minutes.
• Transfer chicken to a serving platter and tent with foil to keep warm. Pluck the rosemary sprigs from the pot. If the sauce looks thin, turn the heat to medium-high and let simmer until it thickens slightly, 2 to 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining grated garlic, the crème fraîche, chives and lemon zest. Taste sauce and add more salt if needed. Spoon sauce over the chicken and top with parsley, more lemon zest and a dollop of crème fraîche, if you like, and serve.