In the original Joy of Cooking, Irma Rombauer wrote, "The chicken is a world citizen." Those words of wisdom have certainly withstood the test of time. They may even be truer today than they were in 1931. The draw of chicken is obvious: it's low fat, inexpensive, and easy to prepare--yet it can also be so... dull. As the star of its own volume in Joy's All About series, it truly shines.
For the most attractive presentation, use the caps of portobello, shiitake, or large button mushrooms.
Servings: 4 to 6
6 bone-in or boneless chicken breast halves (with skin)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
6 large portobello mushrooms or 12 to 18 large shiitake or button mushrooms, wiped clean Or cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (enough smaller mushrooms to cover the bottom of the pan)
2 tablespoon minced garlic
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 cups dry white wine
Olive oil
Sauce:
Enough water or Chicken Stock to measure 1 cup
1/2 to 1 cup heavy cream (optional)
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley (optional)
Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Rinse, pat dry, and trim any excess fat from chicken. Season with thyme, and salt and ground black pepper to taste.
Lightly oil a 13 x 9-inch baking pan or shallow baking dish just large enough to hold the chicken pieces in a single layer. Remove the stems from mushrooms. Arrange the mushrooms, gill side down and overlapping if necessary, in the pan. Sprinkle with garlic and Salt and ground black pepper to taste.
Pour white wine over the mushrooms.
Lay the chicken breasts skin side up on top of the mushrooms. Brush lightly with olive oil.
Bake, uncovered, until the chicken skin turns golden brown, about 20 minutes. Check to see that there is some liquid in the pan; if not, add more wine. Baste the chicken with pan juices and turn the pieces over. Bake until the chicken is firm and fully cooked, 10 to 20 minutes more. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken and mushrooms to a platter, arranging the chicken skin side up on the mushrooms. Pour the pan juices into a small saucepan and skim the fat off the top with a spoon.
For a low-fat sauce, add enough water or Chicken Stock to measure 1 cup. For a more luxurious sauce, add 1/2 to 1 cup heavy cream.
Boil the sauce over high heat until reduced to a syrupy consistency. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Spoon some of the sauce over the chicken and pass the rest separately. If you wish, sprinkle the chicken with minced fresh parsley.
