Chicken Madeira

Step 1

In a large pot of boiling water, add asparagus and blanch until slightly but still bright green, about 2-3 minutes. Rinse the asparagus under cold running water to stop the cooking process and drain in a colander. Set aside.

Step 2

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it starts to bubble, about 1 minute. Add mushrooms and sauté until the moisture evaporates from them, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes until the mushrooms turns golden brown. (Salt will further extract more water from the mushrooms, giving them a nice brown color).

Step 3

Stir in onion, garlic, and parsley and cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer the mushroom mixture to a plate and set aside.

Step 4

Slice each chicken breast in half lengthwise (horizontally) and season with salt and pepper to taste (about 1/4 teaspoon of each).

Step 5

Use a paper towel to wipe the same skillet clean. Melt the remaining butter over medium heat until it starts to bubble, about 1 minute.

Step 6

Sear the chicken until golden brown and fully cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. The internal temperature for the chicken should reach 165F on a meat thermometer. Remove the chicken from the heat and transfer to the same plate with mushrooms.

Step 7

In the same skillet, add wine and stir well to deglaze the bottom of the pan. Stir in chicken broth and heavy cream. Mix well and bring the sauce to a simmer. Continue to simmer until thickened to a desired consistency, about 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat.

Step 8

Return the chicken to the pan and toss to coat in the sauce. Arrange the mushrooms and asparagus around the chicken. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese.

Step 9

Transfer the pan into the oven and broil on HI for 3-4 minutes (or bake in a preheated 450F oven for 5-7 minutes) until the melted cheese turns golden brown.

Step 10

Serve warm with pasta or rice if desired.