Chicken with shallots and shiitake mushrooms

Sorry for the lack of posts. I was traveling in Upper Peninsula Michigan, and camping in the Hiawatha National Forest. Once I returned, I had a lot to catch up on. I made this for dinner the other night, and if I may say so, it turned out pretty good.

There is something special about the combination of butter, shallots, shiitake mushrooms and chicken. It is very simple, but also very satisfying. Even without the garlic, this has sort of a French flavor to it. The flavors just seem to be a made for each other.

What made this extra good, is the little broth I made from barbecued rib bones, left after a big meal. I took a handful of bones out of the freezer and I added a half teaspoon of onion flakes, some water, and I simmered it for about fifteen minutes. Strain the broth, and it is ready to use. 

If you don’t have any bones in the freezer, use chicken stock, but you’ll be missing some depth in the flavor. Here’s how I put this together.

1 large chicken breast

2 tbs. butter

1 tbs. extra virgin olive oil

2 large shallots, sliced razor thin

1/4 lb shiitake mushrooms, sliced

2 small red hot peppers (or 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes)

Adobo seasoning (or your favorite seasoned salt)

Fresh ground white pepper

Wondra gravy flour

2 cups of barbecued rib bone broth (or chicken stock)

(6 rib bones, water, 1/2 tsp. onion flakes)

1/4 lb. whole wheat bowtie pasta, cooked and drained

Preparation

Place the rib bones in a small sauce pan, add about 3 cups of water, season it with adobo seasoning, and add the onion flakes. Simmer for fifteen minutes. 

Meanwhile, heat a large cast iron pan, and melt the butter. Add the olive oil, and then add the whole chicken breast. Sauté the chicken for a minute, and turn it over. Take a very sharp knife, and butterfly the chicken open by slicing through the center of it, horizontally. Let that cook for about two minutes, turn it over and give it another two minutes. Now take your knife and slice it into strips, then cut the strips in half. Push the chicken towards the center of the pan, and cover with a lid that is too small for the cast iron pan, but big enough to cover the chicken. Sauté for a few minutes.

Add the shallots, and chopped red pepper. Stir and let the shallots soften, then add the sliced shiitake mushrooms. Place the lid back over the chicken and mushrooms. Let that cook gently for another five minutes. Remove the lid, and sprinkle enough flour over the chicken to absorb most of the butter. Stir to blend it in. Add the barbecued rib bone broth (or your chicken broth) and bring to a boil, stirring. Reduce to a gentle simmer, and let that simmer for about ten minutes to thicken it. Taste and adjust the seasoning with adobo and fresh ground white pepper.

Serving

Place a mound of the pasta on one side of your plate, cover it with lots of chicken and mushrooms. Get lots of the sauce on too. Now add some broccoli that was sautéed in butter, and sprinkle both with some shaved Parmesan cheese. 

Pick out a good Merlot, place some butter, and warm homemade bread on the table, and ring the dinner bell!