Chicken Breasts Perigord

Dinner tonight was Chicken Breasts with a mushroom duxelle stuffed under the skin.  This is an old standby recipe one that I haven't made in a while.  Perfect for a dinner party.  The chicken can be stuffed earlier in the day and then roasted just in time for dinner.   The duxelle flavour permeates the meat.

Chicken Breasts Perigord 
(With Mushroon Duxelles)

Source:  Lucy Waverman

This flavorful and elegant chicken is stuffed with a combination of fresh and dried mushrooms.  Because the breasts are stuffed under the skin, the stuffing moistens the chicken meat and keeps it juicy.  use either dried porcini or dried Chinese mushrooms; they have the most flavor.  The sauce can be made ahead of time and the breasts stuffed a few hours before baking.

6 Dried mushrooms
1/2 cup boiling chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter
4 shallots
8 ounce fresh mushrooms finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried tarragon or basil
3 tablespoons fresh bread crumbs
1/3 cup whipping cream
3 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
6 single boned chicken breasts, with skin on.

Sauce

1/2 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup mushroom-soaking liquid
3 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons port or Madeira
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

1.  Soak the mushrooms in boiling chicken broth for 20 minutes.  Drain the mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid and the mushrooms separately.Chop the mushrooms.

2.Preheat the oven to 375°F

3.Heat the butter in a frying pan over medium-high heat.  Add the shallots and dried and fresh mushrooms.  Saute until all the liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes.  Stir in the basil
or tarragon, bread crumbs, cream and parsley.  cook until the cream has reduced and the filling is thick. Season with salt and pepper.

4.Divide the filling in six portions.  with your fingertips, make a pocket between the skin and the flesh of each chicken breast.  Stuff the filling under the skin of the chicken breasts.  Season the breasts with salt and pepper and place in a buttered baking dish large enough to hold the breasts in one layer.

5.Bake for 30 or 40 minutes, basting occasionally, until the juices run clear.

6.To make the sauce, in a frying pan, combine the onions and wine.  On high heat, bring to a boil and reduce until you have 1 tablespoon of liquid.

7.Pour in the mushroom liquid, reduce to 2 tablespoons and then add the chicken stock and continue to boil until the stock is reduced by half. add the port and simmer for another 2 minutes, or until the sauce is smooth and strongly flavored.

8.Combine the cornstarch and cold water and stir into the sauce, simmering until the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and add any juices from the chicken.  To serve, pour the sauce over the chicken breasts.

OPTION:  I also add Green Peppercorns to the sauce.  I only use dried Green Peppercorns, not brined.

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