Chicken Paillard With Mushrooms And Cognac Recipe

How to make it

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• Butterfly the chicken breasts (hold the chicken breast down with the heel of your hand and carefully slice it -- the chicken breast, not your hand -- nearly in half; then sort of unfold it as if you were opening a book)
• Place a sheet of plastic wrap over the butterflied chicken breast and pound it with a mallet until it is about 1/4 inch thick
• Season the flattened, butterflied chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
• Add 1/2 Tbsp butter to a sauté pan and heat until foaming subsides.
• Sauté each chicken breast until it is just turning brown (about 1 or 2 minutes) -- don't overdo it, since they will go back into the pan later to finish cooking. And don't crowd them in the pan -- if you have to brown them in batches, no problem.
• Keep the chicken breasts warm as you prepare the sauce.
• In the same pan, add the shallots and cook for a minute (you may need to add another Tbsp of butter).
• Add the cleaned, sliced mushrooms and cook until they are lightly browned.
• Take the pan off the heat and add the Cognac. DON'T do this while the pan is still over the heat -- definitely not a good idea.
• Return the pan to the heat and let the alcohol cook off.
• Add the white wine to the pan and continue cooking over moderate heat until the liquid reduces by at least one-half.
• Whisk in the mustard and cook for one minute.
• Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer -- cook until the liquid reduces and starts to thicken.
• If any juices have accumulated around the chicken you are keeping warm, pour these juices into the pan.
• Add the cream and bring the mixture to a boil.
• When the sauce reaches the degree of thickness you like, lower the heat and add the chicken.
• Bring the pan up to temperature and serve, garnishing just before serving with chopped chives.