Quick and Easy: Chicken and Mushrooms with Tarragon

By Sarah Fritschner
Louisville (Ky.) Courier-Journal

Pounding meat might not seem like much of a route to a quick dinner. But pounding can be really fast and easy.

Have at the meat using three or four strikes with a blunt object.

Pounding evens out a chicken breast half that normally has thicker and thinner parts. It thins out a boneless pork chop that is likely to overcook if left unpounded.

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 1 teaspoon salt to 1 teaspoon (freshly ground) pepper
• About 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 10 ounces reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Pound the chicken breast to an even thickness. Coat the pieces in flour, shaking off excess.

Heat vegetable oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add only enough chicken to fit comfortably in the pan. The meat should sizzle. Cook to brown on one side, then flip and brown on the other. Remove to platter.

When all chicken is browned, add a little more oil to the pan if necessary. Add mushrooms and tarragon and increase the heat to high. Cook a minute or two, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms become glossy.

Add chicken broth and boil rapidly until it has reduced to about one-fourth of a cup. Add heavy cream and bring to a boil. Spoon sauce over chicken. Serve with rice and green beans.

Serves four.