Chicken stuffed with cheese and garlic butter and mushrooms with an optional creamy garlic and parmesan sauce. All lovers of mushrooms with garlic… this is your dream chicken recipe!
INGREDIENTS
Mushrooms:
4 tablespoons of butter
8 ounces (250 grams) brown mushrooms, sliced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley
Salt and pepper, to taste
Chicken:
4 chicken breasts, skinned and boneless
Salt and pepper, for seasoning
1 teaspoon of onion powder
1 teaspoon of dried parsley
8 slices of mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Garlic and parmesan cream sauce:
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 large cloves of garlic, chopped or finely minced
1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
1-1/2 cups half and half or use reduced fat cream or evaporated milk*.
1/2 cup finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper, to your taste
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons water (OPTIONAL FOR THICKER SAUCE)
2 tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley
INSTRUCTIONS
Chicken:
Preheat the oven to 200°C or 400°F
Melt butter in a large ovenproof skillet (over 12 inches or 30 cm) or in a frying pan over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant (about 1 minute). Add mushrooms, salt and pepper (to taste) and parsley. Cook while stirring occasionally until soft. Set aside and let cool while you prepare your chicken.
Dry the breasts with a paper towel. Season with salt, pepper, onion powder and dried parsley. Rub each piece to cover it evenly with the seasoning.
Cut horizontally a slit in the thickest part of each breast to form a pocket. Place 2 slices of mozzarella in each breast pocket.
Divide the mushroom mixture into four equal portions and fill each breast with the mushroom mixture (leave the juices in the pan for later. If there are mushrooms left over, don’t worry. You will use them later). Cover the mushroom mixture with a spoonful of Parmesan cheese per breast. Seal with two or three chopsticks near the opening to keep the mushrooms inside while cooking.
Heat the same pan in which the mushrooms were along with the pan juices (the garlic butter will begin to brown and acquire a “nutty” flavor). Add the chicken and serve until golden brown. Turn and season on the other side until golden brown. Cover the pan and continue cooking in the preheated oven for 20 more minutes, or until it is completely cooked through and no longer pink.
Serve, with the pan juices and remaining mushrooms, over the pasta, rice or steamed vegetables.
(To make the optional cream sauce, transfer the chicken to a hot plate, keeping all the juices in the pan.)
Sauce:
Fry the garlic in the remaining juices in the pan until fragrant (about 1 minute). Reduce heat to low and add mustard and half and half (or cream).
Put the sauce on low heat and add the remaining mushrooms and Parmesan cheese. Let the sauce simmer until the Parmesan cheese has slightly melted. (If the sauce is too liquid for your taste, add the cornstarch and water mixture to the center of the pan and mix quickly to combine with the sauce. It will begin to thicken immediately.)
Season with a little salt and pepper to your liking. Add the parsley and chicken back to the pan to serve.
NOTES
*Half and half is an American product that mixes equal parts of whole milk and light cream If you don’t have access to half and half, make it yourself with 3/4 cup of whole milk and 3/4 cup of light cream.