Balsamic Mushroom Chicken

Sage prefers to have the seperate meat, vegetable, and starch kind of dinner (and by that, I really mean chicken, any vegetable and rice.) I'm not a big lover of meat, so I prefer it almost hidden in my food instead of a big slab sitting on my plate. My favorite meals are eaten out of a bowl and don't require a knife. But being the good husband he is, Sage happily eats my casseroles, skillet concoctions, soups, and probably far more pasta than he cares for, night after night.

Yesterday, though, I was just in the mood for a traditional type of dinner. I wanted to roast some asparagus and potatoes, and have a flavorful, tender piece of chicken. Because I'm particular (wierd) about meat, I can't eat chicken on the bone, and it seems every good recipe is for bone-in chicken. I'm always concerned if I use a boneless breast instead, it will come out dry. I wasted much too time trying to find a recipe and finally just made my own up and prayed it wouldn't result in a dry, flavorless piece of chicken. Well...success! I pretty much never will eat an entire breast, and I ate it all! I was just as happy with this meal as Sage was. Plus it was a super easy!

2 chicken breasts, pounded thin

2 tbsp basalmic vinegar

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup broth (I used vegetable, only because that's what I had open in the fridge.)

8 oz. sliced mushrooms

1 clove garlic, minced

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tbsp dijon mustard

1. Place chicken in bowl and cover with basalmic vinegar. Turn to coat. (I let mine sit for about 15 minutes, so that the timing would work out with my potatoes in the oven.)

2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium high. Add chicken breasts to pan and cook for about 4-5 minutes on eat side, or until chicken is cooked through. Transfer to a warm plate and cover tightly with foil.

3. Use broth to deglaze pan. Add mushrooms, garlic and seasonings. Cook, stirring occassionly, until mushrooms are soft and liquid is nearly all reduced, about 10 minutes. In the last minute of cooking, stir in dijon mustard.

4. Plate chicken and spoon mushrooms over top.