Strabanzer Photography

A modified recipe of Martha Rose Shulman in New York Times Cooking

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts(most weigh 8 to 10 ounces)

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 2 garlic cloves, minced or puréed

• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

• Salt to taste

• Freshly ground pepper

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or a gluten-free flour such as rice flour or corn flour

• 2 tablespoons grapeseed, sunflower or canola oil

• 1 pound mushrooms, sliced

• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

•¾ cup dry white wine (or so)

1. Stir together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, and salt and pepper in a large bowl.

2. Cut each chicken breast into 2 equal pieces (3 if they’re 12 ounces or more) and place in the bowl.

3. Stir together and refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes.

4. Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry (place marinade in a small saucepan).

------ The original recipe says ----------

5. Place two sheets of plastic wrap (1 large sheet if you have extra-wide wrap) on your work surface, overlapping slightly, to make 1 wide sheet, and brush lightly with olive oil.

6. Place a piece of chicken in the middle of plastic sheet and brush lightly with oil.

7. Cover the chicken with another wide layer of plastic wrap.

8. Working from the center to the outside, pound chicken breast with the flat side of a meat tenderizer until about 1/4 inch thick. (Don’t pound too hard or you’ll tear the meat. If that happens it won’t be the end of the world, you’ll just have a few pieces to cook.)

9. Repeat with the remaining chicken breast pieces.

------ What Ray did instead ----------

5.BEFORE MARINATING....Place each piece of chicken on a cutting board and, with one hand pressing gently on top, slice across the chicken parallel to the surface of the board to make thinner fillets.

6. Don't worry about pounding or rolling out the chicken.

------  Continue with the steps ---------

10. Place flour on a plate or bowl.

11. Turn oven on low

12. Heat a wide, heavy skillet over high heat and add oil.

13. Season the thin chicken breasts with salt and pepper on one side only.

14. Dredge lightly in the flour.

14. When oil is hot, place one or two pieces of chicken in the pan – however many will fit without crowding.

15. Cook for 1½  minutes (or longer depending on fillet thickness) until bottom is browned in spots.

16. Turn over and brown other side, about roughly the same time . (Do not overcook or the chicken will be dry.)

17. Transfer to the platter or sheet pan and keep warm in the oven.

18. If there is more than a tablespoon of fat in the pan, pour some (but not all) it off into a jar or bowl.

19. Turn burner heat down to medium-high.

20. Add mushrooms to the pan.

21. Let them sear for about 30 seconds to a minute without moving them, then stir, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to deglaze.

21. When mushrooms have softened slightly and begun to sweat, add ½ cup of wine.

22. Turn the heat up some and let the wine and mushroom fluid reduce.

23. Meanwhile heat the marinade in the saucepan until it boils and let it simmer for at least a minute (since it has had raw chicken in it).

23. When the wine is syrupy add ¼ cup wine, thyme or parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.

22. Continue to stir until the fluid has thickened slightly.

23. Add the boiled marinade to the mushrooms.

23. Spoon mushrooms and fluids over the chicken and serve over pasta.