A long-ago visit to France's Alsace region uncovered so many great dishes, but one that still stands out was a chicken dish that combined mushrooms and the area's great, dry riesling with the bird.
Here is a simpler version that calls for only the quick-cooking boneless chicken-breast halves. But it still has the robust flavor of that remembered dish, thanks to the wine and the cremini mushrooms.
Serve with green beans or the traditional sauteed cabbage. If you like, complete the meal with the Alsatian kugelhopf, a yeast cake with candied fruit and raisins, or a similar bakery cake.
Carol Mighton Haddix is food editor of the Chicago Tribune, which provided the recipe analysis.
Menu suggestion
Chicken in riesling with cremini mushrooms
Egg noodles
Sauteed green beans with almonds
Baby greens salad
Bakery kugelhopf
Chicken in Riesling With Cremini Mushrooms
Serves 4 -- Total time: 30 minutes
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon each: paprika, salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 boneless chicken-breast halves
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
8 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms
1 cup riesling or other white wine
1/4 cup whipping cream (optional)
Mix flour, paprika, salt and pepper on a plate; coat chicken on all sides with the flour mixture.
Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add chicken. Cook, turning, until browned on both sides, about 3 minutes per side; reduce heat to low. Cover; cook chicken until no longer pink in the middle, about 10 minutes. Remove chicken to a platter.
Add mushrooms to skillet; turn heat to high. Cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Stir in riesling, scraping up browned bits on bottom of pan. Cook until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Stir in cream, if using; heat 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper if needed. Return chicken to the sauce; turn to coat. Heat to warm, 2 minutes.
Per serving: 265 calories, 9 grams fat, 4 grams saturated fat, 88 milligrams cholesterol, 14 grams carbohydrate, 30 grams protein, 689 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber