Recipe: Tangy Chicken with Shiitake Crust

TANGY CHICKEN WITH SHIITAKE CRUST

6 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 pound button mushrooms, ends trimmed, sliced
3/4 pound shiitake mushrooms, ends trimmed, sliced
2 large shallots, peeled, coarsely chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
l teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh chervil, thyme or chives
1/4 stick chilled butter, coarsely chopped.
Tangy Sauce: recipe follows

In large frypan, place oil over medium high heat. Add mushrooms, shallots and garlic; cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Cool; add salt and pepper. Remove small fillets from underside of chicken breasts and place fillets in food processor; grind to smooth paste, pulsing on/off. Add mushroom mixture and chop coarsely. Line large baking sheet with parchment. Gently pound chicken breasts to even thickness. Divide mushroom mixture into 6 parts (about 1/2 cup each). On 12-inch sheet of plastic wrap, place l part mushroom mixture in center. Fold plastic over mixture; pat to even thickness slightly larger than l chicken breast. Place chicken on top of mixture, smooth side down. Gather plastic up around chicken until mixture adheres to top and sides of chicken. Unwrap and invert chicken, uncoated side down, onto baking sheet. Repeat with remaining chicken, place in 350 F. oven and bake about 12 minutes. Remove from oven; let rest 12 minutes. Slice chicken diagonally; arrange on serving plate, fanning slices. Reheat Tangy Sauce; stir in chervil and butter. Ladle sauce beside chicken.

Makes 6 servings.

Tangy Sauce:
Remove orange part of peel from 2 oranges; chop peel coarsely and place in saucepan with 2 shallots (peeled and coarsely chopped). Add l cup dry white wine and l cup balsamic vinegar; boil over medium high heat until reduced to 1/2 cup. Add 2 cups unsalted chicken stock; whisk in 2 tablespoons tomato paste; boil to reduce to l cup. Strain, pressing on ingredients.

Source: National Chicken Council