Chicken With Wild Mushrooms and Balsamic Cream Sauce

Ingredients

• salt
• 1/2 lb orzo pasta
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 (6 ounce)  chicken breasts
• pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 12 cremini mushrooms, sliced (baby portabello mushrooms)
• 12 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
• 12 white mushrooms, sliced
• 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon thyme leaves, chopped (a couple of sprigs)
• 2 large shallots, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream or half-and-half
• 1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley (a generous handful)

Directions

1. 1

   Heat a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and add orzo pasta. Cook to al dente.

2. 2

   Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add extra-virgin olive oil. Season chicken liberally with salt and pepper and add to the hot skillet. Cook the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken from the pan and cover with foil to keep warm.

3. 3

   Return the skillet to the heat, turn heat back a bit, and add the butter. Once the butter melts add the mushrooms and brown stirring occasionally for about 4 to 5 minutes.

4. 4

   Once the mushrooms are brown season with salt and pepper then add the garlic, thyme and shallots. Cook stirring occasionally for about 2 minutes or until the shallots are wilted. Sprinkle the flour into the pan and cook 2 minutes more.

5. 5

   Whisk in the stock, balsamic vinegar and the cream. Turn the heat up to high and simmer for about 2 minutes or until thickened. Slice the chicken on an angle. Add the parsley and the chicken back to the skillet to heat up, about 1 minute.

6. 6

   To serve, pile orzo on dinner plates and top with the sliced chicken and sauce.