- 2 chicken breast halves, boned
- Salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 2 T. butter
- 1/4 c. finely diced celery
- 1/4 c. finely diced white part of leeks
- 1/2 c. finely diced mushrooms
- 1/4 c. chicken broth
- Flour for dusting
- 1/3 c. champagne
- 1/3 c. heavy cream
Remove the skin and any bits of fat on the chicken breast halves. Season them lightly with salt and pepper on both sides, then place the breasts between 2 sheets of wax paper and flatten lightly and evenly with a meat mallet.
In a large skillet, heat the butter and sauté the diced vegetables over low heat for 1 minute, stirring. Add the broth, cover, and cook very gently for about 5 minutes, or until almost tender; check to see if more broth is needed -- the vegetables should not brown. Carefully move the vegetables to the sides of the pan.
Quickly dredge the chicken breasts in flour, shaking off any excess, and add them to the pan. Sauté them gently 30 seconds on one side, then turn them, strew the vegetables on top, and add the champagne. After the mixture has boiled for a few seconds, stir in the cream, cover, reduce the heat, and cook gently for 5 minutes. The sauce will have thickened; if it is too thick, stir in a little more broth or cream. Taste and correct the seasoning if necessary.
- Yields: 2 servings
- Preparation Time: 30 minutes