Chicken Breasts with Mushroom Cream Saunce

This is Julia Childs' Supreme de Volaille aux Champignons recipe which has always been quite popular. Don't let the fancy French title scare you. It really is easy and simply chicken breasts with mushroom cream sauce. You can even make it without the mushrooms (per Julia, Supremes De Volaille a Blanc). 

After you make it once you'll not need the recipe and it will become an easy weeknight meal for you. The rather plain lean chicken goes well with the more rich mushroom cream sauce. Julia cautions about overcooking chicken, so do follow the temperature guidance as opposed to pushing it with your finger to determine if its done. Don't skip the wine/vermouth. It does add excellent flavor but no one will taste any alcohol. Bon Appétit. 

The term "chicken supreme" (suprême de volaille) is used to describe a boneless, skin-on breast of chicken, accordingly leading cookbook authors. Julia however specifies boneless skinless breast and then goes on to tell you how to remove the skin and bone. In France I found a butcher that sold what he labeled “supremes” but they had the drumette (humerus bone) of the wing attached, which actually is called a "chicken cutlet" (côtelette de volaille), or what Americans call “airline chicken.” So there is confusion in the terminology. In Julia's day the chickens were not absurdly big. So for this recipe you are looking for a single breast (of which each chicken has two) that is just large enough for a single serving. If you can't find that, as I could not, you can cut large breasts to a reasonable sized portion. Try to maintain an even thickness and size in all the pieces so they cook evenly. Pound thick pieces covered with plastic wrap if necessary to maintain thickness consistency. Note that Julia calls for sliced or diced mushrooms but I like them quartered instead. Prepare as you prefer. 

Ingredients
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

      (sized for a single piece per person)
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pinch white pepper

       (Julia says 'big pinch')
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon minced shallots or green onion
4-8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced or quartered

      (Julia's recipe calls for 4 ounces diced or sliced)
pinch of salt

Sauce Ingredients
1/4 cup chicken stock or beef stock
1/4 cup madeira wine or dry white vermouth
1 cup whipping cream
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons minced parsley to garnish

Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Select a heavy, oven-proof casserole about 10 inches in diameter with a lid.

Rub the chicken breasts with drops of lemon juice and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Heat the butter on the cooktop over medium-high heat in the casserole until it is foaming. Stir in the minced shallots or green onion and cook while stirring 1-2 minutes without browning. Then stir in the mushrooms and cook lightly for an additional minute or two without browning. Sprinkle with salt.

Quickly roll the chicken in the butter mixture and lay a piece of buttered parchment paper over them. Cover the casserole with a lid and place in hot oven. After 6 minutes press top of chicken with your finger. If still soft, return to oven for a moment or two. When the meat is springy to the touch it is done. (Julian's note:  (Mine take 12-14 minutes typically in total. Better to use an instant read thermometer. Internal temp should be about 150-155F degrees.) Remove the chicken to a warm platter and cover while making the sauce, which takes 3-4 minutes. (Julian's note: Chicken internal temperature will continue to rise and be perfectly safe.) 

To make sauce, pour the stock and wine in the casserole with the cooking butter and mushrooms. Boil down quickly over medium-high heat until liquid is syrupy. Stir in the cream and boil down again over medium-high heat until cream has thickened slightly. Off heat, taste for seasoning, and add drops of lemon juice to taste. Pour the sauce over the chicken, sprinkle with parsley or the tops of the green onion if you used them and serve immediately.